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Celery in Comstock
Did you know Comstock was once a BIG celery producer? Well, now you do. The following is about the history of celery growing in Comstock.
Celery was first introduced to Kalamazoo County in 1857 by Jacob Debruin. He found a celery plant in what was supposed to be a parsley patch. The following year celery was introduced at the Burdick home.
Here are the celery growers of 1878 and what they did for a living.
W.W. Baldwin-a boarding house and general store owner
George Allen-farmer
Eli Anderson-farmer
Edwin Anderson-painter
Stephen Barnes-machinist
Howard Brown-machinist
W.W. Beach-moulder
Henry Brown-miller
G.E. Dunbar & Co.-merchant millers
J.J. Dunbar-teamster
Fisher & Loveland-postmaster
Orson Loveland-freight agent & telegraph operator at M.C.R.R.
Mason Lee-moulder
James Montague-painter
Geo Peer-machinist
Perry Peer-novelty works
Alexander Price-cooper (barrels & staves casks)
Phineas Smith-carpenter
R.B. Wallace-blacksmith
Reverend White-pastor M.E. church
Gilman White-carpenter
The summer of 1975 there were only two celery growers in Comstock, the Slagers and Ken Dusljee. The reason is because the celery growers of Comstock couldn't compete with California's celery growers.
Comstock's celery was shipped as far east as New York City and as far west as Kansas City. The celery was grown and harvested on Market Street, River Street, and L Avenue. It was hauled by horse drawn wagons to the Celery House on the north side of the tracks near 26th St. and East Michigan. The celery was cut, sized, wrapped, and boxed for shipment to Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and other places east and west.
Sources:
Comstock Bicentennial
Comstock Township Newsletters, July 1972&July 1974
By,
Kassi&Justin
