Quick History of Chassell
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Chassell History by Decades, just Highlights of the History, John Chassell, founder of Chassell, Chassell Photos, Questions We Have,
Suggestions/Corrections

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HIGHLIGHTS OF CHASSELL HISTORY

July 9, 1993 Opening day for the new Chassell Historical Center.

August 31, 1992 First day of school in the new Chassell K-12 School.

1990's Creamery Court Senior Citizen Housing was built on Creamry Road.

1980's Chassell Dept. of Public Works building built, Chassell Jaycettes formed, the Soo Line RR stopped freight service.

1970's The current Chassell Park site was acquired, Chassell Zoning Ordinance was enacted, Salo Lumber then the Anderson and Jarvi Lumber company started, Einerlei Shop opened, Chassell Jaycees organized. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church was built on US 41 North of town.

1960's The Kindergarten building and current Post Office were built, the weekly cruise ship and the daily passenger train stopped running through the Portage.

1940's The First Annual Chassell Strawberry Festival, Chassell Box Company operated, Volunteer Fire Dept. formed and Lions Club formed.

1930's Goodell's Lumber Company operated, The Copper Country Strawberry Growers, Inc was formed, and US41 was paved going South through Chassell.

1920's The Apostolic Lutheran Church was built, phone service, town water system, Standard Oil tanks all came in, and US41 was paved going North.

1910's Many buildings went up: the Finnish Lutheran Church, the Chassell High School (through 8th grade) and Southwell Elementary, The State Bank, the K P Hall, Midget Flour Mill. Chassell had a boys band, basketball, football and hockey teams.

1900's The largest sawmill on the Great Lakes, Worcester Lumber Company operated in Chassell, more rural schools were built. Dr. Percy H. Willson was the Chassell physician from about 1906 to his death in 1951.

1890's The Chassell Railroad Depot was built, St.Anne's Catholic Church and the Congregational Church were built, schools were built.

1880's The site of the village of Chassell was purchased from John Chassell by the Sturgeon River Lumber Company for a sawmill and town site, the railroad began running through Chassell, and the Jacobsville sandstone quarries opened.

1870's Dredging of the south and north end of the Portage Canal was finished and the Portage Lake and Lake Superior Shipping Canal was completed; boats could now pass through the Keweenaw Peninsula.

1867 The site of the village of Chassell was purchased by Mr. John Chassell for farmland from the St. Mary's Canal and Land Company

1855 The site of the village of Chassell was acquired from the State of Michigan by the St. Mary¹s Canal and Land Company.

1845 The first copper source found by non-Indians. The ore body was found at the Cliff Mine site in Keweenaw County.

1837 Michigan gains Statehood.

  Hundreds and even thousands of years ago Native Americans lived in areas of what we now call South Entry and Chassell Township.

This is just the summary of a few significant events: you may view a more detailed list of events in our town history by clicking here on History by Decades.

This is your Town's History, if we have left out other significant events in this brief summary, please let us know! You may call or contact webmaster  to have them added!

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Chassell History by Decades, just Highlights of the History, Chassell Photos, Questions We Have,
Suggestions/Corrections

This page was last updated on 12/10/04.

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