Step back into the early days of Michigan at the White Pigeon Prairie Land Office, proudly owned and operated by the St. Joseph County Historical Society. This wonderful Greek Revival post-and-beam structure is a rare piece of Michigan history and the only surviving land office in Michigan. 

 

The story of the Land Office begins with the creation of the Michigan Territory. On January 11, 1805, the Michigan Territory was authorized from the larger Northwest Territory. Over 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. 

 

At the time, St. Joseph County included parts of what are now Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Branch, Barry, and Eaton counties, as well as all other counties north to Mackinac. As land became available, the federal government offered it for sale to private individuals for $1.25 per acre in cash. Land offices were responsible for handling these sales. 

 

The first two land offices in Michigan 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 increasingly difficult to continue operating the Land Office in Detroit. 

 

White Pigeon was chosen for its important location. It was the largest village west of Jackson in Lenawee County and was situated along the Sauk Trail (U.S. 12), the military road connecting Detroit to Chicago.  The village and the land surrounding the future Land Office were quickly taking shape. In 1828, Robert Clark Jr. surveyed White Pigeon Township, and in 1830, the village of White Pigeon was platted.

 

In November of that year, Clark purchased 80 acres of land, including the property where the Land Office stands today.  The territorial government then 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, rather than own, the land office buildings. 

 

Unfortunately, we do not know who built the structure or the exact date it was constructed. What we do know is that the White Pigeon Prairie United States Land Office was officially in use from June 6, 1831, until May 1, 1834, when the office and its staff were moved to Kalamazoo (Bronson). 

 

Today, this remarkable building offers a chance to experience a tangible piece of Michigan's early history.  After a complete restoration in 2020, the historical site is open to the public during the summer months. Inside, visitors can explore a museum featuring rotating displays of surveying equipment and other materials relevant to the sale of land in Michigan. 

 

Come see this rare piece of Michigan history for yourself and step inside the only surviving land office in Michigan.