A History of Casco Township
Casco came into its own in 1854 when it was set off from Ganges township. The land on the western side of the township was heavily timbered and considered choice acreage for fruit growers. Land developers quickly snatched up this land and sold it at a handsome profit. Twelve dollars an acre was the going rate property along the lakeshore.
Orchards sprung up all over Casco with peaches and apples leading the way. The close proximity to Lake Michigan provided the perfect climate for growing fruit and many kinds of berries. Henry Overhiser set many acres to fruit on the eastern side of the township.
Timothy McDowell was primarily a land developer and he, along with John Thaayer were early leaders who helped to mold the township into a well defined governmental body. A school system was set in place that gave Casco nine school districts, each school was attended by beginners (Kindergarten) through the eighth grades. One teacher would teach the children, act as janitor and keep the fires going in the pot belly stove in the cold winter months. The children looked forward to outdoor recess and lively games of pom-pom pull away, annie-aye-over the school house and baseball in the spring. Some of the original school buildings are still standing today.
After using school buildings for their weekly gathering place, churches began to spring up. On Sunday mornings the primitive country roads would be busy with horse and buggy traffic, as the early pioneers made their way to church.. At one time Casco had four churches. Today you will find two in the township.
Casco had several resorts that offered room and board to families during the summertime in the early 1900's. These people would come to South Haven on boats from Chicago and a horse and buggy would be at the dock to pick them up for the final leg of their journey. Some resorts catered to the guests, making their time there a true vacation. Other resorts, usually a local farmer, offered their guests an opportunity to share in the daily workings of the house and farm, thus giving them a break in the cost of their stay and an opportunity to see how the life of the farmer went from day to day..Afternoons were usually reserved for fishing in the near by Black river and often the catch of the afternoon showed up on their supper table.
Small subdivisions, and small cottages, sprung up along the lakeshore and for
many years the population would swell in the summer with people who were welcomed
back each spring like they were members of the family.
Later dairy farming sustained the farmers through the long cold winters, providing
milk and butter for the family, with the excess going to local dairies. Pastures
of grazing cows were as numerous as the lush orchards that dotted the landscape.
Cauliflower and cucumbers became cash crops, agriculture was alive and well in
Casco.
Casco has changed greatly over the years. Most of the orchards are gone, only those of the dedicated farmers remain. A fifth generation of Henry Overhiser’s farm is still producing fruit. Henry would be amazed at the many changes have been made in the way farming is done today.
The school children ride buses into town, the road that was once the main route between Chicago and northern Michigan has been replaced by I-196 that was routed right through some of those lush orchards. Large subdivisions have sprung up along the lakeshore. where the orchards once grew, and lakeshore property can no longer be purchased for $12.00 an acre.
Thanks to Jeanne Hallgren for this historical information.
