I began researching in September, 2009, for two reasons:
1) To find out why the 3-story building at the southwest corner no longer stood there, and
2) To learn more about the rock and plague at the northeast corner of East Grand River and North Second Street.
Once I got started, though, it was only a few months into collecting information, I realized there was a book to be published -- so much history was being lost or forgotten. Through March, 2010, I compiled anything and everything I could find and added it to my manuscript in chronological order. And that is how I left it. Each year in the book is a glimpse into what went on in the Fowlerville area.
Once the book got to 425 pages, with nearly 600 pictures, aerials, maps, and sketches, I decided it was time to publish. By August, 2010, the book was in hand and the fun began. Through author talks, book signings, meeting new friends, and being involved in numerous extraneous events, it has been more than I ever could have dreamed of.
So, now as I work on a biography of G.L. Adams, editor and publisher of The Fowlerville Review for 55 years, I hold on to less than 50 copies of The Fowlerville Chronicles. When those are gone, the book becomes history.
As far as the two reasons I began this journey? The answer to the first question can be found on page 246 and, for the second question, page 57.
As a final note, I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone that purchased a copy and then took the time to give me feedback. Comments and observations are helping me tremendously while working on the biography.
Recently I received the index for this book. The index is 17 pages long and includes both a page index of names, places, etc. Thank you to Mark Mullinaux at the Brighton District Library for providing this.
There are also 11 pages listing photographs and illustrations:
