This old church stands on a farm along a dirt road near Deckerville. The town owes its name to Charles Decker, who established his lumber business in 1870. His construction of a sawmill and gristmill helped draw people to the area, leading to Deckerville’s incorporation as a village in 1893. Charles’s son, Martin Decker, served as the first postmaster in 1870, and the town eventually became a stop on the Pere Marquette Railroad.
The Thumb area experienced significant forest fires in both 1871 and 1881. While destructive, these fires had an unintended benefit: they cleared vast tracts of land, quickly transforming the region into a highly productive farming area.
Throughout its history, Deckerville has been home to a variety of industries. Beyond its initial lumbering roots, the village has seen fur-trading, woolen mills, flax mills, brick making, and even a sauerkraut factory. At one point, cheese making was also a thriving local industry.
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