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Ira Township
In 1679, French explorer Fr. Louis Hennepin planted a cross on the shore of Anchor Bay beside Michigan's Lake St. Clair. There, Ira Township was incorporated on March 11, 1837, and the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church was founded. A settlement called Anchorville, for Anchor Bay, formed around the church. Down the road was another community, first called Swan Creek and later known as Fair Haven. Ira Township was once the nexus for the Interurban Railroad, had one of the first oxen-driven railroads in the state, and has one of the oldest Little League baseball organizations in the country. Shipbuilding has long been a major industry of the area, and the winter carnival known as Shantytown attracts hundreds of ice fishermen to Ira each winter.
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Ira Township
In 1679, French explorer Fr. Louis Hennepin planted a cross on the shore of Anchor Bay beside Michigan's Lake St. Clair. There, Ira Township was incorporated on March 11, 1837, and the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church was founded. A settlement called Anchorville, for Anchor Bay, formed around the church. Down the road was another community, first called Swan Creek and later known as Fair Haven. Ira Township was once the nexus for the Interurban Railroad, had one of the first oxen-driven railroads in the state, and has one of the oldest Little League baseball organizations in the country. Shipbuilding has long been a major industry of the area, and the winter carnival known as Shantytown attracts hundreds of ice fishermen to Ira each winter.
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Ira Township

Ira Township

by Paul Torney
Ira Township
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Ira Township

Ira Township

by Paul Torney

Overview

In 1679, French explorer Fr. Louis Hennepin planted a cross on the shore of Anchor Bay beside Michigan's Lake St. Clair. There, Ira Township was incorporated on March 11, 1837, and the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church was founded. A settlement called Anchorville, for Anchor Bay, formed around the church. Down the road was another community, first called Swan Creek and later known as Fair Haven. Ira Township was once the nexus for the Interurban Railroad, had one of the first oxen-driven railroads in the state, and has one of the oldest Little League baseball organizations in the country. Shipbuilding has long been a major industry of the area, and the winter carnival known as Shantytown attracts hundreds of ice fishermen to Ira each winter.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781467113151
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date: 05/25/2015
Series: Images of America Series
Pages: 128
Sales rank: 1,062,312
Product dimensions: 6.30(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Bob Mack is a collector of historical photographs, Richard Gonyeau has written and researched many articles about Michigan, Paul Torney authored a 150th-anniversary history of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Gail Zabowski contributed to Heritage of Ira, and Lynn Lyon has taken photographs for many history books and projects. Images of America: Ira Township has been a labor of love, and the authors are very happy to share the history of the area.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 Native Americans, French Explorers, and the First Settlers 9

2 The Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception 17

3 Settlement of Au Lac/Anchorville 31

4 Settlement of Swan Creek/Fair Haven 47

5 Development of Ira Township 63

6 The Interurban Railroad and Short Cut Road 85

7 Shipbuilding and Resorts on the Waterfront 91

8 The Storm of 1955 and Other Great Storms 99

9 The Forming of Ira Township Little League 105

10 Township Parades and Celebrations 111

Bibliography 127

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