Northern Mich~Mash Preserve
~KEGOMIC~
"an interesting suburb of Petoskey"
(see 1901 article farther below)
AND formerly known as Harbor Springs Junction.
A branch of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad main line at this junction location
offered passenger and freight service to Harbor Springs and other resorts along the way.
~ Kegomic Depot ~
offered passenger and freight service to Harbor Springs and other resorts along the way.
~ Kegomic Depot ~
The design and compilation of the text and photos on this site are copyrighted 2017.
Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Please do not copy the photos on this site, many of which have been submitted by private individuals...
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
The 1910 "Michigan Manufacturer & Financial Record" described Kegomic as "a town of about 500 population one and one-half miles north of Petoskey. There is only one industry at Kegomic, and that is the tannery. Almost the entire adult male population is employed in the plant, and 30 residences are owned by the company. The settlement used to be called 'Red Town' because all these houses were that color, but recently they were painted a different shade, and now 'Hide Park' is the popular cognomen."
The text underneath the above "header photo" stated:
"Over three carloads [train carloads] of material were necessary to make the homes in the above picture, a few of the 38 homes of the Michigan Tanning & Extract Co. at Kegomic.
Eldon Nelson, owner of the Nelson Construction Company, in charge of the project, stated that new window frames, windows, sidewalls and shingles will make all the houses in first class repair, a total of 600 squares of shingles alone was used.
'It is expected to complete the balance of the 38 houses by the first of the year. We are, however, doing considerable concrete work not at the plant.'
It was stated that the Nelson Construction Company has an average of fifty men a week on their payroll with wages mounting to the $2,000 per week mark.
The concrete blocks etc. were purchased from the Northern Concrete Products Co., with the shingles from the Zipp Lumber Co."
~~ Review Photo-Engraving
"Over three carloads [train carloads] of material were necessary to make the homes in the above picture, a few of the 38 homes of the Michigan Tanning & Extract Co. at Kegomic.
Eldon Nelson, owner of the Nelson Construction Company, in charge of the project, stated that new window frames, windows, sidewalls and shingles will make all the houses in first class repair, a total of 600 squares of shingles alone was used.
'It is expected to complete the balance of the 38 houses by the first of the year. We are, however, doing considerable concrete work not at the plant.'
It was stated that the Nelson Construction Company has an average of fifty men a week on their payroll with wages mounting to the $2,000 per week mark.
The concrete blocks etc. were purchased from the Northern Concrete Products Co., with the shingles from the Zipp Lumber Co."
~~ Review Photo-Engraving
~ Kegomic Tannery Plant ~
Michigan Tannery and Extract (1895) > W.W. Rice Tannery > Howe's Leather Co.
> In General "The Tannery"
> In General "The Tannery"
The photo below can be viewed larger by clicking:
~ The Employees of the W.W. Rice Tannery in Kegomic ~
~ The Employees of the W.W. Rice Tannery in Kegomic ~
Identities of some of the men in the above photo: Lawrence Dashner, John Muir, John Kolinski, George Vargo, Harvey Reed, John Kelbel, Bruno Fryzinski, Joseph Zatyske, Andy Peterson, Stanley Pater, Gilmore, Steve Miller, John Kresnak, Jr., Andrew Diermier, John Beer, Daniel E. Beal, John M. Kresnak Sr., Henry?, Peter Wodek, Charles Luebke, Lawrence Bearup, We??, ??, Bert Knight, Leo Fettig, George Bout, Frances L. "Frank" Kolinske, Charles Shaull, ?, Ralph Bader, Andrew Saller, Pat Donnelly, Jack Burke, Leonard Jepson, Arnold Jepson, Clifford T. Colley, Paul Sheponski, ? Slivers, Maurice Shraver, Steve Wodek, Frank Carlson, Perry Stanley, Ray Barnes, Michael "Mike" Kolinski, Oscar Neilson, ??, Walter Sik, Mike Bedrick, Lou Enbody, Ray Barnes, ? Zimmerman, Leslie Kuberski, ??, Leon Donnelly, Michael J. "Mike" Peterson, Carroll Stewart Knight, ??, Floyd C. Knight, George Ketznyak, Edward W. Still, Martin J. Beer, Joseph Dombroski, Lou Bellmer, Irv Muir, ? Kruzzell, Clarence Strand, Manson Arthur Shearer, ? Knight, Joe Kolinski, ??, M. Ballou, George Beatty, Lawrence Bearup, John Hanibal?, Max E. Sheraske, Tom Rought, George Shier, Charles August Oehlke, Lawrence Clink
~ Additional Workers at Michigan Tanning and Extract Company in Kegomic ~
Burt P. Dohm (1902~1980) Fireman until the business closed; then worked at Penn Dixie until retiring in 1963.
Charles H. Fletcher (1871~1945) a truck gardner worked for 15 years at the Kegomic Tannery.
Charles H. Fletcher (1871~1945) a truck gardner worked for 15 years at the Kegomic Tannery.
1884
~ Tannery Grounds being Cleared ~
~ Tannery Grounds being Cleared ~
1885
~ Mr. Rice's Family Arrives at Cushman House ~
~ Mr. Rice's Family Arrives at Cushman House ~
Brothers W.W. Rice and B.B. Rice established the W.E. Rice Leather Company in Kegomic
on 17 March 1885.
on 17 March 1885.
Article Below: Mr. W.W. Rice has brought his family to Petoskey with the purpose of building the tannery in Kegomic. He purchased the "Ozark" on Lake Street. For more information about the Ozark Hotel in Petoskey, click HERE.
1892
~ Kegomic Tannery Sold to W.W. Rice Leather Company ~
~ Kegomic Tannery Sold to W.W. Rice Leather Company ~
~ Kegomic's The Rice Leather Co. Output Statistics ~
1894
1894
~ Rice Leather Company ~
1895
1895
1895
Five Clippings Below: 1895 Bates-Corliss 150 Horse Power Steam Engine provided electricity for the
Michigan Tanning and Extract Co. at Kegomic.
Five Clippings Below: 1895 Bates-Corliss 150 Horse Power Steam Engine provided electricity for the
Michigan Tanning and Extract Co. at Kegomic.
Attempted wife (Margaret Montroy Wilsey) Murder by husband Abram Wilsey
and Justifiable Homicide by Henry Sik in Kegomic
1893
Mrs. Wilsey ran the boarding house in Kegomic.
and Justifiable Homicide by Henry Sik in Kegomic
1893
Mrs. Wilsey ran the boarding house in Kegomic.
East Bay View (Kegomic) Platted
1890
1890
Forty Acre Tract Just East of Kegomic
1894
1896
Road improvements on the sand hill east of Kegomic
1897
1897
~ An Interesting Suburb of Petoskey ~
1901
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tamarack wood is used for fence posts, interior finishing, and railroad ties. It was formerly used in boat building. The tannin in its bark has been used for tanning leather."
Photo Below: A load of Tamarack Bark was loaded on a "katydid" (similar to "Big Wheel" used in logging). The article above noted "Away to the east thousands of cords of bark are stacked, awaiting the enlargement of the tannery. Next in our tour of inspection we look in the leach-house and bard shed where the mills grind about 30 cords of bark per day. This is carried by conveyers to the leaches where the strength is boiled out and the liquid is then run in pipes to the distant bats in the main building."
Photo Below: A load of Tamarack Bark was loaded on a "katydid" (similar to "Big Wheel" used in logging). The article above noted "Away to the east thousands of cords of bark are stacked, awaiting the enlargement of the tannery. Next in our tour of inspection we look in the leach-house and bard shed where the mills grind about 30 cords of bark per day. This is carried by conveyers to the leaches where the strength is boiled out and the liquid is then run in pipes to the distant bats in the main building."
1903
1907
1909
1910
1911
1914
1916
1917
Richard E. "Rick" Miller died at 99 years in 1979. Following high school graduation Miller took a position as bookkeeper with the American Hide and Leather Co., a tannery in Manistee, Michigan. The company was taken over by the Michigan Tanning and Extract Co,, and in 1917 Mr. Miller was transferred to Petoskey as office manager and accountant of the company in Kegomic. He became secretary of the company in 1928. Mr. MIller retired in that capacity in 1960.
1920
1923
Flooding was already being reported as being a problem near the Kegomic Creek.
This Kegomic area flooding remains a problem in 2020.
Flooding was already being reported as being a problem near the Kegomic Creek.
This Kegomic area flooding remains a problem in 2020.
Kegomic Tannery Barn
1927
1930
1933
Barney's (Barbecue and Tavern)
On US 131 across from the Petoskey Bay View Country Club
Barney's (Barbecue and Tavern)
On US 131 across from the Petoskey Bay View Country Club
1934
Part of the land that the Rice Leather Company owned was purchased in 1934 by the city of Petoskey which named it the Petoskey Bathing Beach. The state of Michigan purchased the land from the city in April of 1968.... receiving the title on 21 May 1969. The campground opened to the FIRST campers in July 1970. In 2018, two camping sites are referred to as Tannery Creek (98 campsites) and the Dunes (70 campsites).
1934
City of Petoskey Purchased Petoskey Bathing Beach from the
Michigan Tanning & Extract Company in Kegomic
(History of the Petoskey Bathing Beach written by Reginald F. Sharkey)
City of Petoskey Purchased Petoskey Bathing Beach from the
Michigan Tanning & Extract Company in Kegomic
(History of the Petoskey Bathing Beach written by Reginald F. Sharkey)
Eventually, the voters of the City of Petoskey voted to sell the bathing beach
to the State of Michigan as the property remains in 2022.
It is often stated that the voters thought they would be getting a public swimming pool
in return for the property sale price.
A public swimming pool for Petoskey has NEVER happened.
to the State of Michigan as the property remains in 2022.
It is often stated that the voters thought they would be getting a public swimming pool
in return for the property sale price.
A public swimming pool for Petoskey has NEVER happened.
~ Petoskey State Park History ~
Beginning in the Kegomic Area
Beginning in the Kegomic Area
TOP
|
1934
1936
1937
Mr. Henry Sik died in 1937 and Mrs. Henry Sik died in 1954.
1939
1940
Mr. Monteith who managed the Michigan Tanning & Extract Company STORE
for several years passed away of a heart attack.
Mr. Monteith who managed the Michigan Tanning & Extract Company STORE
for several years passed away of a heart attack.
~ George Gray's Children When Young ~
1944
Bertha married to Martin Kolinski was living in Kegomic in 1944
1944
Bertha married to Martin Kolinski was living in Kegomic in 1944
~ Kegomic School Bus Transportation ~
1945
1945
~ Kegomic Playground ~
1946
1946
~ Kegomic Students Visit the Review Newspaper ~
~ Kelbels of Kegomic ~
1949
1949
~ Kegomic Ball Team ~
1949
1949
~ Kegomic Boy Scouts ~
1949
1949
Article Below: Brook Trout Planted in Tannery Creek for Kids Only...
~ Kegomic ~
Howel's Frozen Custard
Howel's Frozen Custard
~ Kegomic ~ East Bay View ~
Billboards!
Billboards!
~ Michigan Tanning & Extract Company ~
1914
1914
The 30 June 1938 Northern Michigan Review reported: "At this stage of history all city offices were scattered throughout the town. The need to centralize these agencies was apparent. Arrangements were made with the Michigan Tanning & Extract Company in 1934 to purchase their Petoskey office building on Lake-st. With this purchase the city acquired acreage on the shore of Little Traverse Bay, three miles north from the city, which has been improved into the Municipal Bathing beach. The total amount of money involved including the purchase of the Petoskey building, fully equipped, and the bathing beach property was $25,000."
~ Tannery Pool ~
(Undated)
(Undated)
~ Howes Leather Company Announced Closure ~
1 December 1951
1 December 1951
~ Former Howe's Tannery ~
About 1951
1958
~ Kegomic Road Not To Be Abandoned ~
1961
1963
~ Tannery Buildings in Process of Being Razed ~
~ Tannery Buildings in Process of Being Razed ~
1967
Photo Above: Notice the tannery with its tall chimney still standing near the shore of Little Traverse Bay.
This photo was published in the 8 December 1967 Petoskey News Review,
but 1963 clippings above tell of the tannery being razed.
This photo was published in the 8 December 1967 Petoskey News Review,
but 1963 clippings above tell of the tannery being razed.
1966 Advertisement Below:
~Kegomic Discount Center is on the map beside "Red Rooster" and "Chimney Corner" ~
~ Inside Vienna Tavern in Kegomic ~
1968
~ Former Deacon Louis Cyr in the Edgewater Bible Church in Kegomic Died ~
~ Former Deacon Louis Cyr in the Edgewater Bible Church in Kegomic Died ~
1970
~ Kuebler's Shell Station ~
~ Kuebler's Car Wash ~
1971
~East Bay View (Kegomic) Merchants Association ~
~East Bay View (Kegomic) Merchants Association ~
June 1971
~ Tannery Property was Developed into the Giant Super Market Mall ~
(D&W Market ~ Glen's Plaza in 2020)
~ Tannery Property was Developed into the Giant Super Market Mall ~
(D&W Market ~ Glen's Plaza in 2020)
1973
~ Kegomic Cluster Housing Plan ~
~ Kegomic Cluster Housing Plan ~
1974
Objection to 6-Story Hotel
Objection to 6-Story Hotel
1976
Old Tannery Property ~ Modify Plan for 151 Room Hotel and Condo
Old Tannery Property ~ Modify Plan for 151 Room Hotel and Condo
1992
Entryway area by stop light at grocery store plaza...
Entryway area by stop light at grocery store plaza...
Community and Occupational PEOPLE of Kegomic