Sunfield Village Photo's

Sunfield Elevator

John H. Gearhart & Family

"Saloons Must Go" was the motto of the Anti-Saloon League. The national organization worked to unify public anti-alcohol sentiment, to enforce existing temperance laws and enact further anti-alcohol legislation. This parade in Sunfield was a parade of children wanting to do away with Saloons!! 1910 era. Portland also had a very active group!

Our School "Wine and Wisdom Never Mingle" 1917

Sunfield Park & M.E. Parsonage

Guy French Van Blarcom delivering sugar beets, 1909

161 Main Street, Sunfield early 1900's
(former Welch Hardware - now the Welch Museum)

Fargo Station On the corner lot at the intersection of Main and Second Streets stood the one building that escaped the disastrous 1934 fire. This building had been owned by Aaron Ives. In 1933, A. K. “Carl” Carlington (who had married the widowed Grace Ives) opened a Shell gasoline station. The gasoline brand later became “Farmer’s Gas and Oil” and still later “Fargo”. As time passed, the station was sold to a succession of owners among which, were names such as Vernon “Mike” Childs, a Mrs. Smith, Dick Barnes, LaVern Van Houten and the final owners before a catastrophe, Bruce & Mary Sandborn. The catastrophe occurred on the afternoon of August 7, 1990. Signs of structural instability were noted in one of the huge corrugated metal grain silos which stood to the east of Bruce’s station. These huge silos were filled with grain from the recently completed wheat harvest. One of these silos standing around eighty feet tall and contained over 30,000 bushels of grain had developed a wrinkle in its midsection and had also acquired a lean from the vertical. At length, with a fearful roar, the silo ruptured and spewed out its load upon Bruce’s gas station. The station was instantly reduced to kindling wood and bull dozed from the face of the earth. Fortunately, no one was injured and no lives were lost. The property now stands vacant.

Campbell Gas Station was located on the northeast corner of Main and First Street. In the year following the demise of the Model “T” Ford in 1927, John Campbell acquired the vacant lots which had been the former site of the Palmer elevator. On this property, John and son Charlie built a brick gasoline station which handled Standard Oil products. A few years later, they constructed a repair shop to the immediate east of the gas station. John Campbell was a handy man, mechanically speaking and soon among other things, became Sunfield’s lawn mower repair specialist. As time passed, the repair business became more extensive and the Campbells were joined by Elmer Creighton and the endeavor blossomed into a full-fledged blacksmith, welding and farm repair operation.

Sunfield loading sugar beets

Gearhart & Ireman

Walsh Hotel

Sunfield Telephone Office

Sunfield Elevator

Sunfield Main Street 1908 - 1912

Sunfield corner of First and Main Street looking south

Merigold Restaurant & John Fleetham Barber Shop
(notice the street car on the left of the restaurant)
First fire truck manufactured by Triplex - 1950's

First House in Sunfield Township

Sunfield Mercantile

Elliott's IGA

Wolshied Garage (on right) later Triplex Engineering

Triplex Engineering Company

Sunfield Milling Company

Sunfield District Library

Sunfield Depot

Sunfield Depot Fire

Loading Hay at the Sunfield Depot

Sunfield, May 12, 1919

Welch Hardware 1912

1918 Sunfield Band

Gearhart & Ireman

Jackson Street, Sunfield

July 4th Celebration in Sunfield

Sunfield Train Wreck

Sunfield Sentinel
Sunfied, Eaton County, Michigan
Thursday, January 19, 1911

Freight Wreck
Rear End Collision Here This Morning - Fireman Injured

  A freight wreck occurred in the yards of this village at 7:30 this morning in which the fireman, J. Reed, whose home is in Ionia Michigan, was injured, his left foot being severely sprained and nine cars smashed, three of them being reduced to kindling wood. The wreckage caught fire but was put out by the freight crew and local fire department. The wreck occurred on a perfectly straight track and is said to be due to the fact that the engineer on No. 57 was not able to see ahead on account of the steam from his own engine. Extra freight west bound was standing on the main track taking water and had sent a flagman back to warn No. 57, following. When No. 57 came along, the flagman gave the usual warning but, owing to the great amount of steam escaping from the cylinders, the engineer was unable to see the signal. As the freight passed the flagman, he yelled at the engineer but the latter did not hear, and on came the freight unaware of the danger, until within a few feet of the caboose of the extra freight. Those in the engine had barely time to jump before being caught in the wreckage.
  There were a number of the villagers who saw the two trains as they came together and were soon to the wreck. The fireman was picked up by the side of the track and carried to Chas. Bidwell’s house. Dr. Peacock was called and, after a careful examination, assured the injured man that a sprain of the foot was his only injury and that he would not be laid up long.
  Wreckage was strewn along the track for some distance and the main track is blocked. Trains are able to get by the wreckage on one of the side tracks and traffic is not interfered with. The track is being cleared.
  It is very lucky that no one was in the caboose of the extra freight, as this was deduced to kindling wood.