Parkville, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parkville, Michigan
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 Parkville, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | St. Joseph |
| Township | Park |
| Elevation | 830 ft (250 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 269 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1624812 |
Parkville is a small place in St. Joseph County, Michigan. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not an official city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of a larger area called Park Township. Parkville is located right by the Portage River.
Contents
The Story of Parkville
Parkville has a long and interesting history. The area around it, Park Township, was first set up in 1838. Later, in 1851, a man named Luther Carlton planned out the community of Parkville. James Hutchinson helped by surveying the land. The very first piece of land was bought by Mary King for just ten dollars!
Early Life and Industry
The Portage River was very important to Parkville's early growth. Its flowing water helped power several businesses. In 1851, a factory that made wool products was built. Soon after, in 1853, a saw mill (for cutting wood) and a grist mill (for grinding grain) were also built.
By 1877, Parkville was a busy little place. It had these mills and the factory, plus three churches, two blacksmith shops, a tavern, and a school. The churches belonged to the Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterian, and Methodist Episcopal groups.
A Special Vision in Parkville
A significant event happened in Parkville on January 12, 1861. The Seventh-day Adventist church held its dedication ceremony. A famous leader named Ellen G. White was there. It's said that during this event, she had a vision about a "terrible war." This vision happened just three months before the start of the American Civil War, which began when shots were fired at Fort Sumter.
Over time, the buildings in Parkville changed hands. The Adventist church building was later bought and used as the Parkville Grange Hall. The Presbyterian Church became the town hall. In the 1990s, the old Parkville Adventist church was carefully moved to Battle Creek, Michigan. There, it was restored and became part of the Adventist Historical Village, helping to preserve history. The brick Methodist church building still stands today, though it is no longer used as a church.
Parkville's Inventor
Parkville was also home to a clever inventor named Frank Dentler. He created something called the Dentler Bagger. This was one of the first automated farm machines! It could weigh and measure the grain that came out of a threshing machine.
Frank Dentler also operated a special paddle wheel steamboat. This boat helped transport goods. It carried products from the factories and mills in Parkville to railroad stations located along the Portage River. This made it easier to send goods to other places.
