Howell is a charming small city, centrally located between Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing. Although Howell is historically known as an agricultural community, manufacturing has seen a boom in this area in recent years. Howell residents enjoy a thriving downtown with Victorian architecture, small businesses and restaurants. Festivals such as Howell Melon Festival and the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest are annual events that draw visitors from all over the state.
The first officially recognized inhabitants of the area that would become Howell were Native Americans from mainly the Potawatomi and Chippewa tribes. The area was used as their summer hunting grounds, where they lived in log huts and wigwams, raising corn, maize, beans, and pumpkins. Their tribes were scattered due to an alliance with the British in the war of 1812, but after that, small bands still returned to the area in the summers. In the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819, the United States government negotiated with prominent Native American chiefs, resulting in the U.S. government taking possession of most of the land in lower Michigan. In the 1830s and 1840s, early pioneers began to purchase the land that would eventually become Howell and the surrounding areas.
1830s
In 1834, the first settlements in the area were made by George T. Sage, John D. Pinckney, James Sage, and David Austin.
In 1835, John D. Pinckney built the first log house in the area. The settlement became known as Livingston Center. In this same year, Moses Thompson and his family relocated from New York, and the area’s population began to grow.
In 1835, the village was laid out by Flavius J. B. Crane and Edward Brooks. It was named Howell in honor of Thomas Howell, a friend of Mr. Crane and son of Judge Howell of Canandaigua, N.Y. However, the village was called Livingston Center for some time, before the name Howell took hold.
In 1836, Howell’s first saw mill was built by Moses Thompson.
The Eagle Tavern was built at this time as well, a two story frame house that served as a public house and hotel.
In 1836, the first post office was established. Located in the Eagle Tavern, its first postmaster was Flavius J.B. Crane.
In 1836, the legislature passed an act organizing Livingston County. Howell became the county seat, despite opposition from a group in Brighton.
In 1836, William McPherson and his family migrated to Howell from a village in Scotland. He started a blacksmith shop with his father-in-law Andrew Riddle, and eventually became one of the most respected and wealthy men in the area.
1840s
In 1847, the first county courthouse was built in Howell, despite the fact that it had been the county seat for several years.
1850s
In 1850, the Howell Steam Saw Mill was built, with the proprietors D. T. Chandler, George W. Kneeland, and Shubael B. Sliter. Though the mill was destroyed by fire the following year, it was rebuilt by Judge Kneeland. This mill was responsible for many of the planks for the plank roads connecting Detroit, Howell, and Lansing.
In 1850, the Howell Manufacturing was founded. This company was responsible for building manual rail carts.
1860s
In 1869, the first planning mill in the village was built by John Wright.
1870s
In 1874, the county courthouse was replaced by a new one.
In 1875, the planing mill was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt soon afterwards.
1880s
In 1881, a three-story late Victorian building was constructed in downtown Howell as a community opera house. The 800 seat theatre, which cost $11,000 in 1880 to build, was a central part of Livingston County life.
In 1885, the Toledo, Ann Arbor, and Northern Railroad came to Howell.
In 1886, the train depot was built to accommodate the rail traffic.
1890s
In 1890, construction for a new, larger county courthouse was completed, designed by architect Albert E. French.
In 1891, the first public school exclusively servicing Howell was built. It was named the Byron Road School House. During that time, most students in Howell’s school system would attend only through 6th grade, with very few continuing on to secondary education.
In 1895, the railroad line was renamed the Ann Arbor Railroad. It provided passenger service and carried freight from Toledo, Ohio, to Frankfort, Michigan, located along Lake Michigan.
1900-1910
In 1906, the Howell Carnegie District Library was opened, funded by local residents and Andrew Carnegie.
In 1907, the Michigan State Sanitorium was opened in Howell for the treatment of tuberculosis. In addition to a place for treatment, it was a self-sufficient entity that aimed to meet the patients’ and employees’ every need with a working farm, apple orchard, convenience store, post office, water and heating plants and kitchen staff.
1910-1920
In 1915, rail sidings ran south almost to Grand River Avenue to help transport products from a flour mill, feed mill, grain elevator, and lumberyard.
1920s
In 1924, the Howell Opera House was closed by the fire marshall.
In 1925, Howell High School was founded. Today, Howell High School is the fourth-largest high school in the state of Michigan.
1930s
In 1935, a reservoir was discovered in the Salina Niagaran Formation near Howell. The Howell Field would produce no oil but more than 21 billion cubic feet of natural gas before conversion to a natural gas storage field in 1962.
1940s
In the 1940s, the Livingston County Veterans Memorial was built. This memorial lists the names of the veterans from Livingston County who gave their lives in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
1950s
In 1951, railway passenger service ceased at the Howell Depot.
In 1955, the Howell Home Rule City Charter was initially adopted. This law provides the framework by which a new city may become incorporated and provide for its own government by adopting a city charter.
1960s
In 1961, the first Howell Melon Festival occurred. That festival is still going strong today, with about 50,000 visitors attending each summer.
In 1961, the Michigan State Sanitorium became the Howell State Hospital. With the number of tuberculosis cases declining, they began to accept patients with developmental disabilities.
In 1963, the Howell Nature Center, a comprehensive education, recreation, and wildlife facility, was founded.
In 1968, the Howell Historical Society was formed as a means to house Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) museum pieces that had been housed at the Howell Carnegie Library. Originally called the Livingston County Historical Society, the group decided to narrow its focus to the Howell area.
1970s
In the 1970s, the county considered replacing the Livingston County courthouse, but decided to renovate it instead.
In 1971, the Howell Historical Society purchased the Depot, which had been vacant since the 1950s, when railway passenger service was discontinued.
In 1978, the Howell State Hospital was renamed Hillcrest Regional Center for the Developmentally Disabled.
1980s
In 1982, Hillcrest closed because the state could not afford to maintain the facility. The buildings were demolished in 1985.
In 1985, the annual Michigan Challenge Balloonfest was established. This June event draws people from all over the state and surrounding states to Livingston County.
In 1989, the Livingston Arts Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of quality arts and cultural programs and events, was founded.
1990s
In 1996, the Kensington Valley Factory Shops held its grand opening. This would later become the Tanger Outlet Mall.
2000s
In 2007, Howell’s new Parker High School Campus opened, with modern advantages like the Kilt Shack, a school store run by advanced marketing students, and a cybercafe open to staff and students. This school educates students in grades 10-12, while the Freshman Campus is where the 9th grade students attend.
In 2013, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert and her actor husband Timothy Busfield got married and moved to Howell. In 2018, they left Livingston County and relocated to New York City.
In 2016, Howell’s downtown area was nominated in USA Today’s 10 Best contest for “Best Main Street”, placing second.
Howell Today
Though agriculture is still an important part of the Howell area, manufacturing companies and businesses such as restaurants and downtown shops have also become part of Howell’s makeup. Because Howell is centrally located between Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing, its residents can take advantage of what the larger cities have to offer, while choosing to live in a small city with a strong sense of community, thriving downtown, and high quality of life.
Sources:
https://www.cityofhowell.org/residents/about_the_
city_of_howell/history.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howell,_Michigan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livingston_County_
Courthouse_(Michigan)
http://www.howellareahistoricalsociety.org/therailroad-and-the-depot.html
https://www.howelltownshipmi.org/about/history
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/icounty/3934024.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext
http://www.howelloperahouse.com/about-us/history/
https://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/
Michigan_State_Sanitarium
https://thelivingstonpost.com/gilbert-busfieldleaving-livingston-county-for-the-big-apple/
https://kids.kiddle.co/Howell,_Michigan
http://michiganhistory.leadr.msu.edu/howell-schools/
https://archives.howelllibrary.org/exhibits/show/library-history/stone-building
https://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/2007/09/howells_new_high_school_opens.html