![One of the Strongest Men in the State Came From North Adams: Hillsdale County, Michigan](http://townsquare.media/site/691/files/2018/11/NORTH-ADAMS-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
One of the Strongest Men in the State Came From North Adams: Hillsdale County, Michigan
North Adams is a village that sits Adams Township in Hillsdale County.
The township was organized in 1836 and named after Henry P. Adams, one of the area's first settlers. The Adams Township post office sprung up in 1837 and lasted until February 1857 until it was forced to shut down, thanks to a larger post office that was built in the nearby new community known as North Adams.
When the railroad came through North Adams, the area buzzed with excitement, as it brought more business, travelers...and money. Once the depot was built, North Adams grew rapidly.
A legendary townsman named Henry Taylor was known for his feats of strength. He was a slave before & during the Civil War, and freed when the war was over. He traveled to North Adams and became a blacksmith and was often seen carrying his anvil with him.....under his arm. According to town legend, a shop owner offered to give Henry the store's potbellied stove if he could haul it outta there. Henry leaned over, picked it up and carried it home.
After the railroad was torn up, travel and exporting was halted, bringing North Adams' growth to a halt. But the town has retained many of its old buildings, old homes and small town charm. If you take a drive through, you'll want to go down some neighborhood streets...you'll be impressed at the numerous old houses still standing, many in great shape. Many original downtown storefronts still stand - some empty, some with new merchants.
Pay a visit to North Adams sometime and you might be encouraged to do some smalltown shoppin'.....and you may wind up wanting to move there!
GALLERY OF NORTH ADAMS
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