Living in a little town for a long period of time you sometimes forget some of the interesting things it has to offer. So yesterday we took a little tour of our town.

First up was Hillsdale College. It was established in 1844 in Spring Arbor as Michigan Central College and was moved to Hillsdale in 1853 under its current name. It is a private Liberal Arts College with about 1,300 students that sets on 200 acres with 45 buildings. I haven't walked around there for over 20 years and forgot how beautiful the campus was:





The college features many statues:

 

Next up was the Slayton Arboretum. It is 14 acres that was donated to the Hillsdale College in 1922 to celebrate Mr. and Mrs. Slayton's 50th Anniversary of graduating from the college. Additional land was later acquired. The area was/is used for an outdoor laboratory and field station for students and as a biological garden for the community. It includes a pond, lagoon, two concrete bridges created to look like wood, an amphitheater, and two fieldstone gazebos:

 

 

We ended our tour walking through downtown and taking in some of the towns history:

The Hillsdale Police Department:


View of Downtown Buildings:


Building commonly referred to as "The Wedge":


Looking through an empty building at the recently renovated Broad Street Market:


The Hillsdale County Courthouse:

 

Stocks Flour Mill is a fond memory for most of us that grew up here. I still remember the smell of the doughnuts that permeated the air that the Mill made to test the flour. The Mill was originally established in 1837 but was purchased by the Stocks family in 1869. It eventually became the largest family owned plant east of the Mississipi:





The Mill has been abandoned for quite some time but it made for a great backdrop for one of our HHR Meets:

(Pic above and below courtesy of CrazyCarKid)


In the early 1900's the Stocks family built their home across from the mill and established an extensive park in the lowlands behind their home. Maybe on the next tour around town we will get pictures of that.

 

awsome. little known facts about our town i did not know

 

Thanks Brian. As mentioned I haven't walked around the College, the Arboretum, or Hillsdale for many years and forgot many of the memories they offered. While strolling through the Arboretum I recalled playing Capture the Flag as a kid. The two stone gazebos offered us our home bases / jails and the surrounding foilage was great for hiding from the opposing team.

Whenever I'm near the DCA Stocks Flour Mill I quickly think back to the smell of doughnuts in the air. Those were great times growing up. Next tour I think we will continue with the Stocks Home / Stocks Park, the Rearing Ponds, Lake Bawbeese, and the County Fairgrounds.

 

its amazing that a place or a smell can bring back so many memories of a time hidden in our minds