Williamston Was a Traveler’s Dream During the Late 1800s

Williamston was first settled in 1834 by Hiram & Joseph Putnam as they blazed a trail and made their way through the woods between Stockbridge and the Red Cedar River. The trail they cut through is now known as Williamston Road.

The Putnams called this new community “Cedar,” and began farming – that former farmland is now used as the Brookshire golf course. After just one year, they had enough and moved to Jackson after selling their land to the Williams brothers. The brothers began building the town after erecting a sawmill in 1840 and a grist mill in 1842, then platting the town in 1845. It became an official village on April 5, 1871, the same year it acquired its own railroad depot along the Pere Marquette line.

The town was a popular stop for travelers. Williamston was rich with plenty of places to eat, sleep, see a show, and have plenty of nightcaps. Aside from train travelers, stagecoaches and travelers-by-horse arrived via the Grand River Trail – now Grand River Avenue – as they made their way from Detroit to Lansing.

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With a depot and constant travelers, Williamston (for a while called Williamstown) opened more establishments to accommodate the tourists. According to the City of Williamston website, the town was “the undisputed commercial and social hub of the farming and early industrial society in Eastern Ingham County”.

The population began to dwindle until 1920, after the younger generation desired to move to Lansing for 'big city' life. After World War 2, town officials thought if they tore down some of their old buildings and constructed modern ones, it would have more of a 'big city' atmosphere and the younger generation would stay. However, a lack of money put that idea to sleep and thankfully, the old buildings were saved from demolition.

In the 2020s, many great old original buildings are lined up downtown along Grand River Avenue. Now take a look at the gallery below for some old photos of Williamston, going back over 100 years!