The White Pigeon Prairie U.S. Land Office

A State and National Historic Site

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SJCHS is proud to own and operate the White Pigeon Prairie Land Office a

wonderful Greek revival post and beam structure. It is the only surviving land

office in Michigan.

 

The Michigan Territory was authorized on Jan.11,1805 from the larger

Northwest Territory. During the next 20 years, the boundaries in this part of

the state changed several times. In 1829, Michigan's territorial government

created St. Joseph County.

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It included parts of what is now Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Branch, Barry, and Eaton counties, as well as, all other counties north to Mackinac.  The land office was charged with the sale of federally owned lands to private individuals as it became available at $1.25 per acre cash. The first two offices at that time were located in Monroe and Detroit. That same year, Peter Klinger, Richard Meek, Arba Heald, Luther Newton and John Sturgis, all of St. Joseph County, requested that a new land office be opened in White Pigeon. As land became available, in the western section of Michigan it became difficult to continue the Land Office in Detroit. The White Pigeon area was chosen because it was the largest village west of Jackson in Lenawee County and was located on the Sauk Trail (U.S.12), which was the military road connecting Detroit to Chicago.

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In 1828, Robert Clark Jr. had surveyed White Pigeon township.  During 1830, the village of White Pigeon had been platted. November of that year, Clark purchased 80 acres of land which included the property where the Land Office sits.  The territorial government closed the Monroe Land Office and transferred its employees Abraham Edwards, register, and Thomas C.  Sheldon, receiver, to White Pigeon.  In July 1831, Clark sold lot 49 of the original plat of White Pigeon to Abraham Edwards for $20.00. Edwards must have rented the building for the purpose of land sales as the federal government's policy was to lease, not own, the land office buildings.  We unfortunately, do not know who built or the exact date the building was constructed.  White Pigeon Prairie United States Land Office was officially in use from June 6, 1831until it closed on May 1, 1834 and was moved with its staff to Kalamazoo (Bronson).

 

After a complete restoration in 2020, the historical site is open to the public during the summer months and is a museum featuring rotating displays of surveying equipment and other materials relevant to the sale of land in the Michigan. (See calendar for dates)