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Shortly after the Civil War, in the year 1877, James Clegg, John Crawford, and William Gough came to a wooded, remote valley called Munuscong and picked spots to make their homes. They returned to Canada and upon returning next year, found that. Charley Pickford had taken up residence on some of the land they had chosen. Thus, Charley Pickford gave his name to what was few years later a tiny cluster of frame buildings on a muddy street. Shortly after came the Taylors, Greens, Millers, Raynards, Bests, Wilsons, Quinnells, Harrisons, Ryes, Morrisons, Hannahs, and many others about whom you will read in the following pages.
Most of the names are still with the town and many descendants of these early pioneers still operate the business places, walk the same streets, and live on the same land as their hardy ancestors.
The Second Edition was published in 1960 by the Freshman Class.
This Third Edition of the history of the Pickford Area was undertaken to include, as much as possible, all the descendants of the original pioneer settlers. Although it may still be far from complete, it is hoped that it will preserve some of the early history of this area.
Most of the credit for this book should go to Mrs. Hannah Follis Graham who conceived the idea while teaching Michigan History to the Pickford Eighth Grade in 1957. She has worked many long hours completing this Second Edition in 1972.
The way Pickford was built was exactly the way the rest of America was built - - by muscle, sweat, and tears. The story of our town and its people is the story of America.
W. D. Morrison, Superintendent
Pickford Public Schools
Early Business Places
William Hannah built the first boarding house in Pickford where Lipsett's Garage is now. About 1903 he sold it to Jack Stanley. Jack Stanley was in the boarding house until about 1911. He sold it in 1913 and moved to Hannah, Alberta, with his wife and three daughters, Lottie, Edna, and Hazel.
Frank Taylor built a hotel that was called the Central Hotel on the corner where the telephone office now stands. It was built right out to the corner as there were no cars then.
In the spring when the camps broke up and all the men were coming back home, they would come to Pickford and take the stage to the Sault, Rudyard, or wherever their homes were. Many nights they would not be able to make room for them. Frank Taylor built the hotel and Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Blair took care of it for quite a few years. Then Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crawford and family moved in. The children were Frank, Edith, Myrtle, and Margaret. The Dan Smiths operated the hotel for a time. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bumstead were the last to operate it, (Just across from the hotel was the grocery and dry goods store owned by Frank Taylor and Dave Beacom. Alf Roe had a barber shop right where the old restaurant burned and Andrew Taylor lived just to the west of that. Doctor Webster had a very nice home and office just about where the Harrison Drug Store stood.) Harry Best operated a grocery store for a number of years and after his death, Mrs. Best sold to Bud Watson who operated it until ill health forced him to sell.
The First Businesses On Main Street
The C. W. Pickford store was started by C. W. Pickford. It was one of the first businesses in Pickford and in Chippewa County. After about seven years of operation, Pickford sold out to David Beacom and F. H. Taylor. In 1891 Taylor bought out Beacom. Taylor later sold to E. S. Taylor, who in turn sold to the Hossack Brothers and F. J. Smith. Two years later E. S. Taylor bought from Hossack and Smith. He remained owner until 1920 when H. M. Hamilton and J. R. Watson purchased the store from him. In 1928 fire destroyed the building which also contained Dr. Fox's office, a dry goods store, and apartments. When the building was rebuilt in 1929, a shoe department was added with Otto Watson as manager.
In 1945 Max Hamilton took over the grocery store from his father. In 1954 Willis Galer purchased the grocery store from Max Hamilton. In March, 1966 Bob McDonald purchased it from Willis Galer.
In 1958 Douglas and Jean Batho purchased the dry goods store from H. M. Hamilton.
When Otto Watson died, his son, Bill, took over the footwear department and in 1936 Bill bought the building. He added an addition to the south of the building in 1964 giving all the businesses storage room. Bill then expanded his business with a branch store in the Sault when he purchased Sam Roe's shoe business. In 1969 Bill Watson took over the grocery store from Bob McDonald and with the help of Bill McDowell in charge of the meat department, Irene Nettleton, groceries, and Caroline Ordiway, drugs and bookkeeping, Watson operated it until 1970 when it closed.
He then remodeled the downstairs. The Bathos moved the dry goods store into what had been the shoe and grocery stores. The shoe store then moved into what had been the dry goods store. The remodeled stores reopened early in 1971.
The Pickford Clarion
The PICKFORD CLARION began publication in 1905. Mr. E. E. Baldwin was editor and publisher. He came here from Munising where he worked on the MUNISING REPUBLICAN from 1895 until 1901. Mr. Baldwin used the printing industry to work his way through high school. He later attended Michigan State College. The CLARION was a six column, eight page paper and published on each Thursday afternoon. It had a good circulation and the business places of the community were loyal to its support with weekly advertising. Mr. Baldwin was, assisted in the publication of the paper by his wife during the thirteen years of its existence. On one occasion when the editor and his family were on a vacation, the CLARION was issued for two weeks by the Hon. Charles H. Chapman, Judge of Probate for Chippewa County, who was a veteran in the newspaper business in the Soo.
At the time the CLARION was established, the only means of transportation was horse-drawn vehicles. It was several years before the first motor-drawn vehicle was used on the Pickford Stage route by the late S. G. Wilson. In those days it was a four or five hour drive between the Soo and Pickford and in the winter months the trip often took six to eight hours. The operation of the PlCKFORD CLARlON was suspended in 1918. For two years Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin turned their attention to job printing in Pickford. After that time their printing business was moved to the Soo.
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