Meridian Township is home to two thriving communities, Haslett and Okemos. With close proximity to Michigan State University, East Lansing, and the Michigan State Capitol, this area is full of educational and economic opportunities. Meridian Township is also full of natural beauty, with over 906 acres of parks and natural areas, including meadows, forests, the Red Cedar River, and Lake Lansing. Meridian residents enjoy top-notch schools, connected neighborhoods, interurban pathways, and vibrant business districts.
Before the pioneers of European descent came to the Meridian Township area, the land was used for hunting and fishing by the Native Americans during their migrations, mainly those from the Chippewa and Ottawa tribes. At the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819, well-respected Chief John Okemos and other chiefs represented the Native American people. Okemos and the other Native American chiefs signed a treaty with General Lewis Cass, in which they gave up six million acres of land in what is now southern Michigan to the United States government. In the 1830s, white pioneers began to settle in these areas, many clearing the thickly forested lands into farmland. The water resources, such as the large lake (known first as Pine Lake and then Lake Lansing) and the Red Cedar River made the area an attractive location for settlers.
Even after the arrival of the pioneers, Chief Okemos continued to use the area along the Red Cedar River as a seasonal home, as part of his regular travels between there and Portland, Michigan. He led a band of Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi people during the 1830s and 1840s. The Native Americans traded with the white pioneers in the area and generally were on good terms with them. By the 1850s, the U.S. government forced many Native Americans to move westward. Chief Okemos died in 1858 near DeWitt and is buried in Portland. He was highly respected by many, and the settlers eventually named the village in his honor. A brief early timeline, up to the late 1900s, traces some of the major developments of Meridian Township that forged the thriving area it has become today.
1830s
In 1836, Meridian Township was first settled by pioneers. In November 1836, Obed Marshall purchased 180 acres of land near what is now known as Haslett.
The earliest settlers built their homes along Pine Lake (now known as Lake Lansing), using timber from the numerous pine trees to construct their cabins.
In 1839, Sanford Marsh and his wife Asenath were the first settlers in the area now known as Okemos, building their cabin to the south of Pine Lake. They were soon followed by Joseph Kilbourne, who took out the land for his brother-in-law, Freeman Bray. Bray platted out the southeast corner of his land and sold the lots to pioneers traveling into the mid-state wilderness. The settlement was named Sanford and then Hamilton.
1840s
In 1840, Joseph H. Kilbourne was the first postmaster to this area.
In 1842, Freeman Bray built the first sawmill in the area.
Also in 1842, the township of Meridian was organized by the act of the legislature. It had about 50 residents at the time.
In 1849, the first frame house was built in the area, constructed with lumber from local sawmills. Prior to this, all the buildings were made with logs.
1850s
In 1853, Eli Morse, the first regular merchant in Okemos, opened a general store.
In 1855, a sawmill was built, and in 1856, a grist mill was built, operated by Ebenezer Walker.
In 1856, a grist mill was added, also operated by Ebenezer Walker.
In 1858, Chief John Okemos died near DeWitt.
In 1859, the Michigan Legislature officially changed the name of the village of Hamilton to Okemos, in honor of the well-respected Chief John Okemos.
1860s
The 1860s saw businesses grow, as the area became more settled, with mills that produced wood and flour, and merchants selling the necessities of daily life.
In 1864, electors of the township voted to pay $100 to each volunteer credited to the township, who entered into service during the Civil War. On March 8 of that year, bonds were issued to 11 men who enlisted in the war.
1870s
The Pine Lake House was built in the 1870s on the north shore of Pine Lake and was used as a resort hotel.
In 1871, Okemos Station was built on a railway line that connected Lansing with Detroit.
In 1876, a small steamboat was launched as a tourist attraction.
1880s
With the railroad coming through Haslett, this area became a hub for farmers to ship their produce and livestock.
In the 1880s, the interurban trolley brought people from the city of Lansing to Pine Lake (later to be named Lake Lansing). This was the site of a spiritualist camp led by James Haslett. It became a popular summertime destination for believers seeking spiritual guidance and mediums, who gave the guidance.
In 1881, the steamer “Belle Haslett” was launched, which carried 150 people for pleasure rides as well as running from the town dock to the north shore hotels.
In 1887, Glendale Cemetery was established. The cemetery is located at 2500 Mt. Hope Road, in Okemos.
In 1888, the auditorium at the spiritualist camp was dedicated and could seat 2000 people.
1890s
In 1891, James Haslett died in Port Huron.
In 1898, Haslett’s widow Sarah sold the spiritualist camp property to the Haslett Park Association.
In the 1890s, the site became a very successful summertime tourist attraction, with a casino and a “gentlemen’s club” built out in the center of Pine Lake. The club, known as The Izzer Club, had two stories and was built on pilings over the lake. It had a trap door through which an unwitting guest might take an unexpected dunking. And because this club was popular into the Prohibition Era, it is rumored that the trap door was used to hide liquor from federal agents.
1900-1910
In 1902, a sidewheeler, “Little Mac”, succeeded the “Belle Haslett”.
In 1905, the Haslett Women’s Club began, and it continues to this day.
1910-1920
In 1910, the Lake Lansing Amusement Park was established. This area had become a popular summer destination, with water recreation, lodgings, music, and more.
1920s
In 1923, the Grand River Railroad became a trunk line and was rerouted north of its original route, which was Hamilton Road.
In 1924, the Dells, one of the most popular ballrooms in Michigan, was built near Haslett.
In 1927, the name of Pine Lake was changed to Lake Lansing because there were many Pine Lakes in the state. This body of water is the largest in Ingham County.
1930s
In 1934, the Mayfair Bar was established. It is known to be the oldest neighborhood bar with the longest-running continuous liquor license in Ingham County.
1940s
By the 1940s, the amusement park had grown to a significant tourist attraction, with a beautiful carousel, “Dodge em” cars, a roller coaster, and a ferris wheel.
1950s
In 1953, Naomi Whitmyer became the first female elected to serve on the Meridian Township Board. She served as Treasurer until April 2, 1957.
1960s
In 1963, the Lansing Sailing Club, located on Lake Lansing in Haslett, was founded. The Club has an active program of sailboat racing, junior sailing camps, and adult learns to sail programs.
In 1969, Meridian Mall opened, a million square feet, and cost $18 million at the time. It began with more than 50 stores, employing about 1,500 people.
1970s
In 1974, the South Park was bought by Ingham County, after the amusement park shut down.
In 1974, the Friends of Historic Meridian (FHM), was created, a nonprofit organization formed to create and sustain an active appreciation of local history
1980s
In 1986, Lake Lansing Park North was completed.
In 1988, the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center was founded. The Center’s mission is to preserve and present the history, arts, and culture of the “people of the Three Fires”– the Odawa, Potawatomi, and Ojibwe.
1990s
In 1997, the Harris Nature Center opened its doors to the community. The Center is dedicated to preserving the surrounding natural areas and educating the public about them. The nature building has evolved from a simple house into the educational center it is today.
2000-2010
In 2000, the Meridian Township’s Land Preservation Program was established. The program’s aim is to acquire, preserve, and protect natural areas throughout the Township that have unique or special natural features.
In 2002, Hawk Island County Park opened to the public for swimming, boating, picnicking, and fishing. The land was originally a gravel pit that was established in the early 1940s by Sablain’s Gravel Company. Underground aquifers filled the pit with water, and fish, plants, and turtles were established there due to regular flooding from nearby Sycamore Creek.
2010-2020
In 2017, Meridian Township celebrated its 175th anniversary with fireworks and many events and activities throughout that year.
Meridian Township Today
Meridian Township is a thriving community whose residents enjoy a high quality of life. The proximity of Michigan State University makes this a natural place for many university professors to call home. Education is important, with highly-rated public schools and programs. The natural resources, including the Red Cedar River and Lake Lansing, offer lots of recreation opportunities. Meridian Township is rich in history and was once a center for farming, trade, spiritualism in its heyday, and tourism. For more information on the area’s history, you can visit the Meridian Historical Village located on Marsh Road in Okemos.
Sources:
https://www.meridian.mi.us/Home/ShowDocument?id=11373
http://homtv.net/index_homtv.asp?view=programming&page=show&id=190
https://www.meridianhistoricalvillage.org/village-buildings.html
https://www.lansingcitypulse.com/stories/before-the-mall,4488
http://parks.ingham.org/parks/lake_lansing_south.php
https://www.meridian.mi.us/Home/ShowDocument?id=3745
http://www.migenweb.org/ingham/Meridian.html