Fowlerville “Then-and-Now” Photos, 1905-2000s
It’s high time I did an article and gallery on Fowlerville.
In conversations, I’ve had acquaintances wonder about Fowlerville and Fowler…were they named after the same person? The answer is no.
Fowler was named after J.N. Fowler, who owned the land on which Fowler was built on. Fowlerville got its name from Ralph Fowler, the first permanent settler in 1836. Fowler gave orders to another early settler, Amos Adams, to plat the village in 1849. At this time, the village was called ‘Cedar’ and finally re-named ‘Fowlerville’ in 1853. The village was incorporated in 1871.
But Fowlerville’s history goes way back, much further than the 1800s. According to the Fowlerville History site, there is evidence of people living on that land as far back as 8500 B.C. This would be the Paleo-Indian or Archaic Indian period.
The first rumblings of future Fowlerville life was in 1825 when the township was surveyed. It became known as Handy Township after the first permanent settler Calvin Handy, when he arrived in 1836. Ralph Fowler joined them not long afterward. He came from Livingston County, New York, and from then on, the new Michigan county would be named the same.
Fast-forward to the 21st Century, where Fowlerville still holds the statewide famous Fowlerville Fair, a tradition that has continued ever since the Fowlerville Agricultural Society was organized in 1886.
There are many more things to mention about Fowlerville, but I wanna get to the gallery! Below are some “then-and-now” photos of Fowlerville, comparing some scenes from over 100 years ago with the way they look in the 2000s…there are also some extra vintage photos of Fowlerville’s past. Have a look and see if you can pinpoint the locations of some of the tougher ones!
Fowlerville, Then-and-Now
MORE MICHIGANIA: