Monday, April 18, 2011

Squint Shot 041811

In 1900, rural free delivery (RFD) was established for the area surrounding Fowlerville.  The first route went north of town into Conway Township.  According to G.L. Adams, the editor and publisher of The Fowlerville Review, F.N. Parsons of this place, has been appointed carrier, and the new service will go into operation June 4, 1900.

At the time this service was organized, the post office was located in the northeast quadrant, at the corner of North Second Street and East Grand River.  While working on my book, The Fowlerville Chronicles, I came across this picture -- probably taken around 1906 -- of the carriers ready to head out for the day.  According to one article, found in The Fowlerville Review, Frank Lane commenced work Thursday morning as rural carrier number six.  All routes have been changed more or less and if any mistakes are made for a few days under the new arrangements, just bear them patiently for they will very soon adjust themselves to the new routes.  This new arrangement is supposed to give the entire county solid rural delivery.

Today, that building sits empty, recently vacated by Maria's School of Dance.  Here are the two pictures -- one very old and the other taken just the other day:
As an extra note, the three one-story storefronts shown at the left side of the older picture are now Save-On (two storefronts) and Bloated Goat.

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