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€rn New York as early as the year 1 829, and commenced improvements 

 in Coldwater, Bronson and Girard, in each of which places there are 

 beautiful prairies of unrivalled fertility of soil. They found some land 

 under cultivation by the Pottawatamies, who raised Indian corn and 

 potatoes of excellent quality. The country at that early day presented 

 a most beautiful appearance. The oak openings were without under- 

 brush, and the surface of the earth was covered with green verdure, in- 

 terspersed with beautiful wild flowers of every hue and color; giving 

 a charm to nature that induced the early settlers to seek no farther for a 

 home. In time, other friends gathered around them, the forests were 

 cleared, the axe of the woodsman, the whistle of the plowman, and the 

 song of the milkmaid were heard; houses and barns were built; 

 churches and schoolhouses erected; highways laid out; orchards plant- 

 ed, and fields cultivated, gave promise of well filled granaries. In 

 time, mills were needed, and they too were built. 



Merchants and mechanics followed close upon the heels of the agri- 

 culturist, and now the busy hum of industry is heard in all parts of our 

 county. Splendid mansions are taking the place of the rude cabins of 

 the first settlers. Flouring and saw mills, moved both by water and 

 steam power, have increased as the wants of the community demanded. 

 Furnaces and machine shops have sprung into existence, and business of 

 all kinds bears the impress of prosperity, abundantly supplying all the 

 wants of the people. 



Our farmers, instead of consuming produce raised in Ohio and other 

 States, now have large quantities to sell at remunerating prices. The 

 Chicago road, which runs through this county, was formerly much trav- 

 eled by stages, travelers' conveyances, as well as the teams and wagons 

 of emigrants; and it still continues to be an important road. But now 

 the traveling portion of the community are mostly conveyed on the Mich- 

 igan Southern Railroad, which passes through the centre of the county 

 in a latitudinal direction, on which are three stations in this county, to 

 wit: Quincy, Coldwater, and Bronson. Four passenger trains pass 

 each way, daily, besides many freight trains. This road is a great thor- 

 oughfare of travel, and one of the connecting links in that great chain 

 of railroads which unites the Eastern States with those west of the 

 Mississippi river, and which, it is hoped, will soon extend to the shores 

 of the Pacific. 



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