East Saginaw, Michigan facts for kids
East Saginaw was once a separate city in Saginaw County, Michigan. Today, it is an important part of the larger city of Saginaw. It sits on the east side of the Saginaw River.
Contents
The Story of East Saginaw
Early Beginnings
The land that became East Saginaw was first granted by a special agreement to James Reilly. He was a Métis person, meaning he had both Native American (Chippewa) and European (French fur trader) heritage. His mother, Men-aw-cum-ego-qua, was a respected Chippewa woman.
In 1824, a company called the American Fur Company built a simple log cabin in the area. A few years later, in 1826, a famous French hunter and trapper named Captain Leon Snay lived there. The first American settler to stay permanently was Charles W. Grant, who arrived in 1849. He helped build the first schoolhouse near Snay's cabin in 1851.
Fires and Rebuilding
East Saginaw faced three big fires during its early years.
The First Fire (1854)
The first fire started on July 5, 1854, in a kitchen. It quickly spread through the village. Many homes, mills, and stores were destroyed. About 3 million feet of lumber also burned. The total damage was over $100,000. Just two days before, a sawmill had also burned down, causing another $9,000 loss.
The Second Fire (1861)
The second major fire happened on May 7, 1861. It began on Water Street and was too large to stop once it was found. This fire destroyed 23 buildings and caused $55,000 in damage. Even though the village burned down twice, the people who lived there were determined. They kept rebuilding their community.
The Third Fire (1865)
The third fire started on January 26, 1865, in a store on Washington Street. It spread very fast, causing about $125,000 in damages to many buildings.
Becoming a City and Joining Saginaw
East Saginaw was settled in 1850. It officially became a village in 1855. Then, in 1859, it was recognized as a city.
Later, on June 2, 1889, the Michigan State Legislature passed a law. This law combined East Saginaw with another city called Saginaw City, Michigan. Saginaw City was on the west side of the Saginaw River. These two cities joined together to form the present-day city of Saginaw. This change became official in March 1890, when new leaders were elected for the combined city.
