Situated in the interior of Wilson Township, in central Alpena County, Michigan, Herron is a small unincorporated community situated along Herron Road.
As Herron is an unincorporated community and not a census-designated place, it does not have defined boundaries, but generally, the area along Herron Road from Morris Road and Taylor Hawks Road, south, to include Bussie Road, Nappers Road, Domke Road, and Werth Road, might be considered to be part of the community.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of Herron include Alpena and Hillman, while the unincorporated communities of McHarg, Emerson Station, Paxton, Lachine, Flanders, and Spratt are within ten miles of the community.
As in other Michigan communities, it was the lumber that brought the first non-indigenous settlers to the area, including Fred Herron, a lumberman, farmer, and early settler. Lumber companies bought large parcels of land and hired crews to harvest the pine and the hardwood. Once the timber was depleted, they sold the land at low prices because it had no further value to them.
Once the lumber was gone, many of the lumber company's workers took up homesteading and became early settlers, cutting the lesser stands, clearing the land of stumps, and began farming. Many of the early settlers were probably French or French-Canadian, as some early maps show the settlement as Frenchtown.
Probably, the community was renamed for Fred Herron after the Boyne City, Gaylord, and Alpena Railroad came through in 1918.
The families living in the area around the turn of the 20th century included those of Louis Aure, Napoleon Baganais, Joseph Bartrow, Joseph Bewas, Pardon Buell, Samuel Clearwood, John Compeau, Israel Cousineau, Drum Crawford, Samuel Davison, Joseph Fradette, Samuel Holcomb, Alphonse LaBarge, Adolphus Martell, Louis Martell, William Mulvena, Dan Munroe, Henry Munroe, Charles Murray, Jay Napper, Joseph Patnode, Oliver Prevo, Tom Smith, James Tuggey, while those of Charles Bussey, Frank Herron, Fred Herron, John Mills, Peter Rouleau, Joachim Sauve, and Louis View came shortly after the turn of the century. Most of these families were engaged in either farming or lumbering. As the community grew, some of them opened stores or took up blacksmithing, or other trades that were in demand.
Early businesses included the Prevo Blacksmith Shop, opened by Oliver Prevo and his sons. Joachim Sauve also opened a blacksmith shop. Crippen's Sawmill was located near the intersection of Herron Road with Taylor Hawks Road. Mr. Crippen was killed in an accident at his mill. Mrs. L. Martell opened Martell's Store in a room of her home near the St. Rose Church Cemetery, and L.N. View ran View's General Store in the same area. Other stores include Monroe's Store and Ritsen's Store. In 1925, the Herron Elevator Company opened a grain elevator and general store near the railroad tracks.
On October 5, 1920, the Herron Post Office opened in Martin's General Store, with Alexander Martin as postmaster.
The focus of this guide is on the community known as Herron, Michigan. Businesses, industries, schools, churches, attractions, and events within the community are appropriate topics for this category.
Recommended Resources
Located on Herron Road in the community of Herron, Michigan, the Grind-Ding Shop is an authorized Stihl dealership, offering a full line of Stihl chainsaws, power tools, augers, drills, protective workwear, oils, lubricants, fuels, and other products, which may be viewed here, with details, ratings, and prices. Directions to the store are featured, its store hours are posted, and a product catalog is included, with special offers highlighted. Contacts are posted on the site.
https://thegrinddingshop.stihldealer.net/
Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the congregation meets at its facilities on Wolf Creek Road in Herron, Michigan. Service schedules, a calendar of upcoming programs and events, and an outline of its ministries are included. Organized in 1882, the church's first sanctuary building was constructed in 1885, and others in 1893, 1935, and 1991. Its history is told, and photographs are included. Directions, a telephone number, and a contact form are presented.
https://www.stmatthewherron.org/
Situated in Herron, Michigan, Wilson Elementary serves a student population of more than two hundred K-5th-grade students, and a preschool program, from Green, Long Rapids, and Wilson townships in Alpena County. Part of Alpena Public Schools, its location, schedules, a school calendar, and office personnel are featured, along with a staff directory, lunch menus, a student code of conduct, and a district course catalog. School lunches may be purchased online.
https://www.alpenaschools.com/schools/elementary-schools/wilson-elementary/
