The City of Beaverton, Michigan straddles Beaverton and Tobacco townships in southwest Gladwin County, about thirty miles northwest of Midland..
The city is situated at the confluence of the Cedar and Tobacco rivers. At the mouth of the South Branch of the Tobacco River is Ross Lake and, while most of the city is south of the lake, its boundaries extend to the north banks, which is where the Beaverton Post Office is located.
The chief route through the city is M-18, which is also known as Ross Street within the city limits. Lesser routes include Blades Road, Burgess Road, Glidden Road, Lang Road, Porter Road, Roehrs Road (Brown Street), and West Knox Road. The city of Gladwin is 8.3 miles north, and Coleman is 17.1 miles southwest of Beaverton.
European-Americans, mostly lumbermen, began coming to the area in the early 1860s, as it was heavily wooded and had the added attraction of the rivers, the combination of which made it a prime location for the lumber industry.
The Ross family came to the area in the late 1880s, setting up a large timber operation, calling the place Cedarville. Under contract with the Ross Brothers, the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad constructed a line from Coleman to the Ross mill as Cedarville. However, the railroad refused to name their station Cedarville because they had other stations by that name. Instead, station manager assigned the name Grand Forks to the station in September of 1890, the same year that the town was officially founded by Donald Gunn Ross. That name didn't last long, though.
When a post office was established there on February 27, 1891, the postal service in Michigan determined that there were too many places in the state using Grand in the title, so it was renamed Beaverton, for the hometown of Donald Gunn Ross in Ontario, Canada. Ross served as the first postmaster.
The Ross family established a number of businesses in Beaverton and the surrounding region, including a shingle mill, several lumber camps, and a sawmill.
Beaverton was incorporated as a village in 1901, and as a city on March 13, 1903, with William Ross as mayor.
In 1912, several stone buildings were constructed, many of which are still standing on West Brown Street today. That same year, the Pierce Hotel was opened, later renamed the Muscle Shoals Hotel. Five years later, the People's Bank building was constructed where the city hall now stands.
Like many of Michigan's cities and villages, the city suffered some serious fires in its history. On September 23, 1909, much of Beaverton's commercial district caught fire, many of the buildings destroyed by a fire and explosion. The following day, the Passenger Depot and Ross Mercantile buildings were burned, and the Commercial House Hotel burned to the ground three weeks later. In 1939, the Opera House and the salesroom for the W.H. Hall & Son Lumber Company were burned. The city's three-story school building burned to the ground early one morning in 1945, and the Muscle Shoals Hotel and Beaverton Library, in the same building, were destroyed in a 1975 fire.
Aided by the city's proximity to Dow Chemical Company in nearby Midland, a plastics industry developed in Beaverton in the 1950s. In 1952, Gaylord Brown founded the Brown Machine Company when he changed the business model of his father's oil-drilling repair company to manufacture rotary and continuous thermoforming machines. It remains in operation as the Brown Machine Group, still headquartered in Beaverton.
Manufacturing is still a significant facet of the city's economy, with nearly a third of its residents employed in various manufacturing industries, the most common being metal and plastic work.
The focus of this category is on Beaverton, Michigan. Topics relating to the city or its history are appropriate for this category, as are the websites of businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, and events.
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Organized for charitable and educational purposes, the BAC’s mission is to repurpose the original Beaverton school building by creating a center to preserve the local history of the community, and to enhance the year-round economic, educational, recreational, social and physical well-being of Beaverton residents and visitors. Included in the building are a fitness center, a volunteer-operated cafe, and a museum area telling the story of the plastics industry in the area.
https://www.beavertonactivitycenter.com/
Beaverton Area Business Association
Made up of Beaverton, Michigan area businesses, churches, schools, and manufacturing facilities, the BABA serves to promote growth and development within these areas of the community. Its officers, meeting schedules, a calendar of programs and events, and highlights of special events are published to the site, along with a membership directory, information on becoming a member, and sponsoring a BABA meeting, are put forth, and a contact form is included.
https://www.beavertononline.com/
Part of the Beaverton, Michigan community since 1935, the single-screen theater books movies on a weekly basis, and may be available for private showings, with a minimum of thirty admissions. Tickets are not available in advance but may be purchased at the door. Gift certificates may be purchased in person during business hours. Its location, movie schedules, ticket prices, and telephone numbers are posted to the site, and the history of the building is told.
https://www.beavertongem.com/
Beaverton Lions Community Center
Organized in 1944, the Beaverton Lions Club is part of Lions International, a service organization that had eye care as its principal charitable work, although it also awards scholarships to local students sponsors a local Boy Scout Troop, and has funded or sponsored other community service and programs. Available for rent, its Community Center includes a kitchen and meeting spaces for up 150 people. The costs and policies for renting the facility are stated.
https://www.beavertonlionscommunitycenter.com/
The music department at Beaverton Schools includes its band and choir programs, marching band schedules, and a music department handbook. Choir, band, and band section leaders are listed, and sponsors are acknowledged. A middle school and high school syllabus are available for download, along with other documents and forms, and a guide to maintaining specific band instruments is featured. A photo gallery, blog, and links to other online resources are posted.
http://www.beavertonmusicdepartment.com/
The Good Neighbor Pharmacy employs certified and experienced pharmacists, who provide modern service through ongoing staff training, and accepts most insurance plans. Its location, hours of operation, services, and special offers are posted to the site, which includes health news and information, an online pill identifier service, drug search, and other informational resources. New patients may sign up for online services, such as quick refills.
https://thebeavertonpharmacy.com/
Situated in Beaverton, Michigan, the public school district provides a K-12th-grade curriculum through Beaverton Elementary School and Beaverton Junior/Senior High School, each of which is highlighted here. Presented in English and Spanish, the site discusses the district’s policies, staff resources, food services, safety reporting, and parent involvement plan, presenting an annual education report, a district calendar, student handbook, and contacts.
https://www.beavertonruralschools.com/
The 40-acre Beaverton, Michigan campground is situated along Ross Lake, at the mouth of the South Branch of the Tobacco River, where the facilities offer a variety of amenities, including electricity, hot showers, a sanitation station, handicap-accessible fishing and boating dock, playground, picnic pavilion, and other features. Included is a photo gallery, daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal rates, park rules, and a campground map. Reservations may be made online.
http://www.calhouncampground.org/
The official website for the municipality features a profile of the city, census information and demographics, city news, and a guide to local businesses, restaurants, lodging facilities, and industries. City ordinances, council meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes are posted, along with city projects, information about the bid process, job openings, and housing resources. Municipal taxes and utility bills can be paid online, and an online message board is available.
http://beavertonmi.org/
Locally owned and operated for more than thirty-five years, Flower Scents is a flower and gift shop in Beaverton, Michigan, serving communities within a twenty-mile radius. Floral arrangements and other products may be purchased through the site, for local delivery. Besides flowers and gifts, the business also offers decor rentals, tuxedos, and custom floral bouquets and centerpieces for weddings and other special events. Office hours, contacts, and delivery policies are outlined.
https://flowerscentsbeaverton.com/
Suitable for family gatherings, weddings, travel stops, extended stays, business lodging, and weekend getaways, the Nestle Inn features four large guest rooms upstairs, with in-room sinks and a shared bathroom, as well as a suite on the main floor with an ensuite bath, the Grand Trunk caboose for overnight accommodations for up to four people, or for special occasions. The accommodations and common areas are depicted in photographs, and guest reviews are noted.
http://www.nestleinnbb.com/
Pleasant Beach Resort and Cabin Rental
Situated on Wixom Lake, the Beaverton, Michigan campground offers spaces for recreational vehicles, as well as cabin rentals and mobile home cottages. Besides the lake, the campground also features an in-ground swimming pool, boat ramp, fishing opportunities, a Tiki bar pavilion, a remodeled clubhouse, new seawall, picnic tables, benches, and pavilion. From time to time, mobile homes or cottages may be offered for sale, as well. A photo gallery is included.
http://www.pleasantbeachresort.com/
Originally established in 1975, the campground was closed in 2012, and reopened under new ownership in 2013. Located in Beaverton, Michigan, the grounds features camper or tent spaces, although tents cannot be erected on the same site as campers. Daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal rates are published to the site, along with its cabin and pavilion rentals. Campsite rules, cancellation policies, a gallery of photographs, and a calendar of events are posted to the site.
https://taylorslosthavencampground.com/