A Look at Vermontville, Over 100 Years Ago: Eaton County

Every April toward the end of the month, you can catch the maple syrup festival. Where? In Eaton County --- Vermontville, to be exact. Vermontville hosts Michigan’s original maple syrup festival in the last full weekend in April. But first, a little about the town...

Vermontville was created when Reverend Sylvester Cochrane arrived in 1835 from East Poultney, Vermont. He liked what he saw and decided this is where he wanted to set up a Congregationalist colony.

When winter arrived, he was back in Vermont organizing the colony. In 1836 his new colony arrived back in Michigan territory, bought the needed land, and settled.

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In 1837 the town of Vermontville was organized and in the summer of 1840 a post office began operating.

FAST FACTS:
1836: Fire Department established
1862: Methodist Church
1864: First Congregational Church
1871: Incorporated as a village
1893: Opera House built
1949: Public Library opened in the Opera House

As for the Maple Syrup Festival, the whole idea came about one day in 1940 when a group of men were gabbing in the local barber shop. They were attempting to come up with different ways to promote the town, when someone presented the Maple Syrup Festival concept. So now, every year, all 11th grade girls can compete to be the Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival Queen or a member of her court.

NOW.....Scroll down a way and check out the gallery below for some old photos of Vermontville, going back over 100 years...