KALAMAZOO
COUNTY, MI
GENEALOGY & LOCAL
HISTORY
PORTAGE CREEK BICENTENNIAL PARK
(CLICK ON LINKS TO SEE PHOTOS !).
The Portage Creek Bicentennial Park was built to preserve
and showcase the importance of Portage Creek in the city’s development.
The Park includes a trail
system, the Celery Flats Interpretive Center, and a Historical Area.
The Historical Area features the 1846
era Stuart Manor, an 1856 one-room schoolhouse, a 1931 grain elevator, the
Hayloft Theatre, and various summer festivals.
| Park Map | Celery Flats Interpretive Center #1 | Celery Flats Interpretive Center | Entrance to the Historical Area |
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<-----BUILT IN 1846 BY WILLIAM WELCH. THE
OLDEST HOUSE IN PORTAGE WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED ON WEST MILHAM.A ONE -
TIMERESIDENCE OF U.S. SENATOR CHARLES STUART. THE HOUSE IS RUMORED TO
HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY. A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF 4 SQUARE
GREEK REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE. THE HOUSE WAS RELOCATED AND RESTORED IN
1994. THE MANOR IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF PORTAGE.
|
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<-----THE HAYLOFT THEATRE BARN WAS CONSTRUCTED
IN 1902. FROM 1919 INTO THE 1940'S. THE BARN WAS PART OF A WORKING FARM OWNED BY THE SOLOMON SCHIEDEL FAMILY. THE BARN WAS PURCHASED IN THE 1940s AND DEVELOPED INTO THE HAYLOFT THEATRE BY MARY AND VERN MEYERS. THE THEATRE WAS CLOSED IN 1952. IN 1992, THE HAYLOFT THEATRE WAS RELOCATED FROM ITS ORIGINAL SITE ON EAST MILHAM AVENUE TO THE CELERY FLATS HISTORICAL AREA PREMIERING THE FIRST NEW PERFORMANCE IN FORTY YEARS ON AUGUST 6. THE HAYLOFT THEATRE IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF PORTAGE.
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(CLICK ON LINKS TO SEE PHOTOS !).
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<------ BUILT
IN 1856. THIS ONE - ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE WAS FORMERLY LOCATED ON OAKLAND
DRIVE SOUTH OF SHAVER ROAD ON LAND DONATED BY MR. & MRS. HARVEY BOOTH.
THE SCHOOLHOUSE REMAINED IN USE UNTIL 1947. A FINE EXAMPLE OF GREEK REVIVAL
ARCHITECTURE. THE SCHOOLHOUSE WAS RELOCATED TO THE CELERY FLATS
HISTORICAL AREA IN 1950. BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED. THE SCHOOLHOUSE IS OWNED
AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF PORTAGE.
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For Views of another Kalamazoo County School House see Strong School Vicksburg
(CLICK ON LINKS TO SEE PHOTOS !).
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<-------
THE OLDEST COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE STILL STANDING IN PORTAGE.
THE FORMER PORTAGE GRAIN ELEVATOR WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF
SHAVER ROAD AND CENTRE AVENUE. THE TILE BLOCK BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED
IN 1931 TO REPLACE THE WOODEN STRUCTURE, WHICH BURNED IN 1930.
AREA FARMERS USED THIS ELEVATOR / FEED GRAIN MILL UNTIL
IT WAS SOLD TO A CEMENT COMPANY IN 1952. THE GRAIN ELEVATOR WAS RELOCATED
TO THE CELERY FLATS HISTORICAL AREA IN 1990, AND
THE FACADE HAS BEEN ACCURATELY RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION. THE STRUCTURE
IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF PORTAGE.
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| Returning to the Interpretative Center | The gazebo and pond behind the Interpretative Center |
See more views of the park on the Celery Flats Interpretive Center page
| 1. Cold Brook Park - Climax, East MN Avenue at South 42nd Street. |
| 2. Markin Glen Park - Kalamazoo Township, NorthWestnedge Avenue, just north of G Avenue. |
| 3. Prairie View Park - Vicksburg, east of U.S. 131 on U Avenue, between Portage Road and Oakland Drive. |
| 4. River Oaks Park - between Comstock and Galesburg, Morrow Lake, just off M-96 . |
| 5. Scotts Mill Park - Scotts, south of East Q Avenue on 35th Street . |
| 6. Recreation Park / Fair Grounds Lake Street off of Business Route I-94. The Fairground address is 2900 Lake Street see the County Fair page |
To Milham Park
Return to Kalamazoo
Co. Michigan USGenWeb page
