Surrounded by Fenton Township, the city of Linden, Michigan is in lower Genesee County.
The Shiawassee River flows through the center of the city, which is surrounded by several lakes on the north, south, southeast, and east, including Byram Lake, Crane Lake, Loon Lake, Marl Lake, Otter Lake, Pine Lake, Lake Ponemah, Shiawassee Lake, Silver Lake, Squaw Lake, and Tupper Lake. The Spring Meadows Country Club occupies the northeastern portion of the city, and Linden County Park is between Byram Lake and Pine Lake, abutting the city in the south.
The chief routes to and through the city include Linden Road (Bridge Street), Ripley Road, Rolston Road, and Silver Lake Road (Broad Street). US-23 runs north-south east of Linden.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of the city include Fenton, Holly, Byron, Gaines, Swartz Creek, Grand Blanc, Flint, Durand, Bancroft, Lennon, Burton, Goodrich, Ortonville, and Vernon.
Although the southern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula was largely settled by European-Americans by the turn of the 19th century, the land between Detroit north to St. Ignace were unsettled due to its wilderness, swamps, rivers, and the lack of roads.
However, in the 1820s, settlers began coming to the area seeking timber and fertile farmlands. Due to the need for power to operate mills, townsites were selected along rivers and large streams that could be dammed to furnish water power. For this reason, Linden was located at a bend in the Shiawassee River.
Mills were opened along the river to support the lumber industry. James Murray was the first to begin construction of a mill in 1835, and Richard and Perry Lamb settled in the area that same year. Perry's father-in-law, Zenas Fairbank, opened the first doctor's office there in 1836. Other early settlers included Asahel Ticknor, Consider Warner, Eben Harris, Seth Sadler, and Abell D. Hunt.
Warner and Harris became partners in a business that included a sawmill, a gristmill, a dry goods store, and a drug store. A daughter of Abel D. Hunt began teaching school in a small building in front of the Warner/Harris gristmill in 1839. The following year, a permanent school building was constructed, and taught by Walter Brown.
Warner and Harris platted the townsite in 1840, and the community became known as Warner Mills. That same year, Warner opened The Exchange, the community's first hotel. The Warner and Harris mills burned in early 1850, and the land was acquired by Seth Sadler and Samuel Warren, who rebuilt the sawmill and gristmill that same year.
On September 23, 1851, a post office was established as Linden, with Claudius W. Thompson as postmaster. The post office, and later the town, were named for the linden tree.
When the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad extended its tracks through Linden, between Detroit and Grand Rapids, a station stop was opened in Linden. The D&MR later became the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The railroad gave businesses access to shipping and to new customers. This prompted the establishment of new industries, such as a horse-drawn buggy factory operated by the Beach Brothers. In 1858, a foundry was opened by Stephen Clark, and the Union Block was built by A.B. Hyatt and James Mosher in 1870, which included eight stores. In 1860, a Presbyterian church was established in a vacant storefront, and its church was constructed in 1863.
Linden was incorporated as a village in 1871, and became a city in 1988.
The Sadler and Warren gristmill operated until 1956, when the building was acquired by the city to be renovated as a library and municipal building. In 1976, the Linden Mills Historical Society opened in the building. Also in 1956, the West Side Family Golf & Country Club Committee purchased a 245-acre cornfield and pasture, on which the Spring Meadows Country Club opened in 1959.
Linden's population dropped in 1890 and 1900, probably due to a depletion of available timber, it has increased steadily since, although it is predicted to drop slightly when the 2020 census is released.
The focus of this category is on the city of Linden, Michigan. As such, online resources representing the municipal government, businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, sports programs, and recreational opportunities in Linden are appropriate topics for this category.
Categories
Faith & Spirituality |
Recommended Resources
An introduction to the city is provided on the official municipal website, along with its history, master plan, and photo gallery. City hall hours and location, phone and fax numbers, and an introduction to the city council, boards, commissions, elected officials, and staff, including council agendas and minutes. The Linden Downtown Development Authority is highlighted, and a calendar of events is published on the site. A download section includes various forms, documents, and reports.
https://lindenmi.us/
Locally owned and operated, the licensed and insured contractor is located in downtown Linden, Michigan. Its services, which include water and sewage cleanup, fire and smoke damage restoration, mold remediation, storm damage repair, repairs of poured and block walls, crawl space waterproofing, sump pump installations, and various remodeling and construction services, which are featured here, with photographs representing its work. A telephone number and contact form are available.
https://www.leakfreehome.com/
Headquartered in Linden, Michigan, the PK-12th-grade public school operates Argentine Early Childhood Center, Linden Elementary School, Hyatt Elementary School, Central Elementary School, Linden Middle School, and Middle High School, each of which is featured here, with staff contacts, school and sports schedules, and bus routes and schedules. New student enrollment policies, instructions, and schedules, lunch menus, a district map, and demographics are featured on the site.
https://www.lindenschools.org/
Built in 1840, the hotel was first known as The Exchange, and has been owned by Warner Mills, J.B. Moshier, William Gambler, Ed Damanois, James and Emma Reip over the years, and is currently a family business operated by Jack, Rose, Karen, Mike, and Sharon Furry, hosting a restaurant on the ground floor and a sports bar upstairs. The history of the business is told, and ghost stories involving the building are included. Its location, hours of operation, menu, and calendar of events are posted.
https://www.lindenhotel.com/
Mueller's Orchard and Cider Mill
The Linden, Michigan orchard grows several varieties of apples, a list of which are shown here, along with harvesting times and particulars about each. A map shows the location of the orchard, its hours and dates are posted, and contacts are included. The business also makes and sells apple cider and donuts, particularly apple cinnamon with sugar. Planned events at the orchard are highlighted, and its wedding and event site is shown in photographs, and contacts are included.
https://www.muellersorchardandcidermill.com/
Part of the Symphony Care Network, the facility provides assisted living, memory care, and post-acute rehabilitation services, with a variety of room designs, including studio apartments, suites, and companion suites, each decorated and furnished with a home-like atmosphere, and no two rooms are the same. The accommodations, dining facilities, family visitation policies, recreational activities, and a list of amenities are set forth. A virtual tour and contact data are included.
https://symphonylinden.com/
