
The 2nd Oldest Settled Community in Calhoun County: Marengo, Michigan
This little town was named after the “second oldest settled community in Calhoun County” (Marshall was first). So why haven't most of us ever heard of it?
The village of Marengo had its genesis in 1831 when settlers came here to take advantage of water power supplied by the Kalamazoo River.
FAST FACTS:
1839: Grist mill erected
1839: More businesses begin to spring up
1837: Cemetery organized and the first burial
1842: Post office begins operating
1844: Mill burns down
1847: Mill rebuilt (became one of Michigan's top flour mills, shipping to various states) 1854: Church erected
1855: Hotel built (included bar, dance hall, dining room, and store)
1933: Post office closes

People from all over Calhoun County flocked to spend time at the hotel. The bar counter was 30 feet long...and it burned down in 1889.
Marengo also had two blacksmiths, buggy shop, butcher shop, cooper shop, distillery, two doctors, two general stores, insurance agent, sawmill, schoolhouse, shoe & boot shop, and warehouse.
Old plat maps show a proposed eighty block area containing ten lots each and 29 streets. A pipe dream for sure, because that plan never materialized. Marengo was a lumber town, with business dropping off after the white oak trees were depleted. With that, residents began jumping ship, leaving it a shadow of its former self to this day. It's not a bad place to visit – it's actually charming, with some original buildings still standing.
Lastly, why was the town named 'Marengo'?
That was the name of the horse ridden by Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
Marengo, the 2nd Oldest Township in Calhoun County
MORE MICHIGANIA:
Michigan's Second Oldest City: St. Ignace
The Oldest Residence in Michigan
The Oldest Farm in Michigan
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