Situated along M-49 (Edon Road, Main Street), the City of Reading, Michigan is near the Ohio and Indiana borders.
Reading Road enters the lower part of the city from the west as West Elm Street, intersecting M-49, while it enters the center of the city from the east as Michigan Street. These are the only routes to and from the city.
Michigan cities and villages within twenty-five miles of Reading include Camden, Montgomery, Allen, Hillsdale, Jonesville, Quincy, Litchfield, North Adams, Coldwater, Hudson, and Waldon. Also within twenty-five miles are the Indiana localities of Clear Lake, York, Fremont, and Jamestown. The Ohio localities of Nettle Lake, Bridgewater Center, Florence, Blakeslee, Montpelier, and Superior.
Located in Hillsdale County, the city is surrounded by Reading Township. However, the two are administered autonomously.
Acknowledged as the first permanent settler of Reading Township, Judge John Mickle came to the area in the fall of 1835 with his wife and a hired hand. They had come from Maumee, Ohio over the old Chicago Trail as far as Jonesville, and then cut their own road through the forest to a point three miles north of the current town of Reading, where they built a home on land acquired from the federal government.
Mickle built a small log cabin, from which he was able to provide shelter to several families who came later, most of them also coming from Maumee. He later replaced the log cabin with a much larger structure made of squared walnut logs.
In the fall of 1835, Jefferson Kellogg and Lorenzo Abbott came from Toledo, staying with the Mickles until they could build homes of their own. Kellogg built his home near Mickle's, bringing his family from Ohio the following spring.
Originally known as Basswood Corners, for a stand of basswood trees located near an intersection of trails leading to the community, a post office was established on December 14, 1840, with Ralph Bailey as postmaster. It was at that time that the community was renamed Reading, for the township, which had itself been named for the city in Pennsylvania.
A village was platted on land owned by David Prouty and Thomas Fuller in 1852, the same year that the Turner & Young Sawmill began operation. Later additions to the plat were made by H.B. Chapman, Thomas Berry, George Young, and A.M.R. Fitzsimmons.
The Fort Wayne & Jackson Railroad came through in 1869, and a railroad station was established at Reading.
The railroad brought additional growth. Three brick stores were constructed on Main Street by H.B. Chapman, H.B. Parmalee, and "Carp" Dodge. The community's common school was replaced by a graded school, and a three-story brick school building was constructed in 1873.
The Colby Wringer Company opened a factory in Reading in 1872, with the citizenry helping to fund its construction. Also in the 1870s, Dr. C.D. Warner began manufacturing Dr. Warner's White Wine and Tar Syrup, a cold and cough remedy, and later added a tonic marketed as Warner Hop Bitters.
In 1873, Reading was incorporated as a village, becoming a city in 1934.
Stillman Parker opened a tannery in 1877, tanning and manufacturing buffalo hides into robes. Later, a stock company was formed, and large buildings were built to support this business on a larger scale. At one time, it was the largest buffalo tannery in the world. Of course, the near extinction of North American buffalo brought an end to this business within a few years, although it continued on a smaller scale as a tanning business for a time.
Other early industries in Reading included the Acme Chair Company. Built in the early 1900s, it burned in 1920, but was rebuilt of brick.
Today, Reading is a mostly residential community of just over a thousand people. With minor fluctuations over the years, its population has remained very stable. Its peak population was 1,203 in 1980, and its population was 1,094 at the time of the 2020 census.
The community supports some small manufacturing enterprises and several commercial businesses. Reading Community Schools offers a PK-12th-grade curriculum for students in the city and township. Its campuses include Reynolds Elementary School and Owens High School.
The focal point of this portion of our guide is on the city of Reading, Michigan. Appropriate resources include websites representing the municipality or any other government entities located within the city, as well as local industries, businesses, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities.
Recommended Resources
In business for more than thirty-two years, Belson offers paving and seal coating in the tri-state area of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. An overview of its services is provided, along with tips on properly maintaining a driveway or parking lot, and things to avoid in order to reduce damage. An online form is available to request an estimate. The company also offers asphalt repair services, and this is discussed as well, along with client testimonials and contacts.
https://www.belsonasphaltpaving.com/
Surrounded by Reading Township, the city is in Hillsdale County, Michigan. The official municipal website posts news and public notices, contacts for city officials and departmental heads, council meeting minutes, the city's master plan, and planning commission meeting schedules and minutes, updates and plans for the city's Tax Increment Finance Authority, and a calendar of events, are included. Utilities and property taxes may be paid online. A gallery of photographs is included.
https://reading.mi.us/
Serving Branch, Calhoun, Hillsdale, St. Joseph, Stueben, and Williams counties, Liberty Propane has locations in Goldwater and Reading, Michigan, offering propane services, including auto-fill, cylinder fills, installation of tanks, tank rentals and sales, gas line trenching, and various payment options, which are outlined here, along with the sizes of tanks available. Prices for leased or customer-owned tanks are posted, and emergency services are available.
http://www.libertypropaneenergy.com/
Representing business members in Reading, Michigan, and the surrounding area, the Chamber is a non-profit organization that promotes and enhances the business vitality of the community, advocates with local governments, sponsors various events throughout the year, and owns and operates the Berry Lake Campground. Membership levels, fees, and an online membership form are posted on the site, along with a calendar of events, a member directory, a photo gallery, and event highlights.
https://readingmichigan.org/
Operating an elementary school program, a high school program, and a Great Start Readiness Program, the Reading, Michigan public school district offers a PK-12th-grade curriculum for the city and township. Campus locations, contacts, and schedules are published on the site, and contacts for the superintendent's office and board of education are included, with a school calendar, an overview of its athletics program, links to various staff resources, and parent login.
https://www.readingrangers.org/
The civil township is situated in west Hillsdale County, in the southern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The official township website features a brief profile of the township, including demographics, election data, a directory of township administrative personnel, officials, the township board, planning commission, and zoning board of appeals. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted, and various documents, forms, and publications may be downloaded in PDF format.
https://readingtownship.org/
Rolleigh Inc. and Roll-Tech Inc. are family-owned and operated businesses in Reading, Michigan. Established in 1987, the company has more than three generations in the tool and die industry, and has a 26,000-square-foot facility with a full range of manufacturing and tooling equipment. Its services include machining, mold making and repair, secondary tooling, and design services, each of which are featured here, including available equipment. Contacts are provided.
https://rolleigh.com/
