May 4, 2008 - 80 years ago...
President of Industrial Works Died.
-- Ernest Blackman Perry, was born in 1868 at Praire Du Chien, WI. He grew up in Ann Arbor, MI, and was a graduate if the University of Michigan. In 1891 he began working as a draftsman for the Industrial Works in Bay City, where he worked his way up to becoming present of the firm in 1924. Mr. Perry died three years later at his residence, 2230 Center Avenue.
-- Read his obituary, which includes link to history page for the Industrial Works.
-- Photo 1919: Center Ave. Homestead.
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    April 19, 2008 - 118 years ago...
    Famous "Pin-up" Artist Born in Bay City.
    -- On Easter Sunday, April 21, 1889, one of the world's most popular artists in the 20th Century was born in Bay City to Richard and Harriet (Scott) Armstrong. Rolf Armstrong who weighed in at 14 pounds, lived near the old Fremont school on Broadway and Fremont. His father owned the Boy Line and Fire Boat Company, which was struggling at the time and only a few years after Rolf's birth, the family left Bay City for greener pasteurs.

    -- Young Rolf was a gifted artist who went to a college school of arts Chicago. Afterwards graduating he moved to New York where he was able to established himself as commercial artist. His paintings appeared on calendars, magazine covers, music sheets and in advertisements for many prominent companies. His work earned him the high praise as among the best "pin-up" artists of the 20th Century.
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    April 2, 2008 - 81 years ago...
    Pioneer Recalls Early History of Bay City.

    Robt. & Catherine Anderson
    -- In 1927 The Bay City Times rans a series of six articles bases on the memories of Robert Anderson, who was 84 years-old at the time. Anderson came to Bay City (then Lower Saginaw) in 1855 at the age of 12. Arriving by boat he recalls the land along the Saginaw River was still primative and was lined with dense forests and many Indian wigwams, and Water Street was little more than a beaten path. These articles provide an interesting insight into a time period when Bay City's development represented little more than the present downtown with only a few merchants and business along Water Street and the rest of the area sparely populated with residential homes.
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    March 20, 2008 - 133 years ago...
    George W. Ames (1852-?), native of Albion, NY.
    -- George W. Ames, a native of Albion, N. Y., spent his much of his early adulthood working as a brakeman in the railroad industry. He was working for the Detroit & Bay City Railroad when he moved to Bay City in 1874. Later on he switched his focus to the real estate business where became very successful in developing great deal of wealth - owning properties in Detroit, Chicago and Bay City. One of his holdings was the Pine Ridge Cemetery which he bought from Sophia (Birney) Blackwell in 1990. Another point of his interest was the abstract business, which held the original plats of Bay County at his office in the Phoenix building.
    -- George and his wife, Jennie (Thompson) resided at 1908 Center.
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    March 5, 2008 - 133 years ago...
    First Congregational Church, Founded in 1875.

    Photo 1920: Church Building.
    -- Nestled on the s. e. corner of VanBuren and Sixth Street is one of Bay City's oldest church groups. Sunday services have been held in there in the church's orginal building since 1876. The church has struggled through hard times over the years, but a core of steadfast members have always rose to the occassion to assure the faith of their ancestral heritage endured.
    -- The first pastor of the group was, Rev. J. B. Dawson, of Ovid, MI, who helped organize the initial church group. The dedication service of the new church building was provided by Rev. Zacariah Eddy of Detroit, with the assistance of Rev. W. D. Love, of Saginaw. Rev. J. Homer Parker became their first fulltime pastor. The first churche officers were Dr. Joseph Hooper, T. F. Langstaff and Ralph Crable. Former local historian and educator, George Butterfield and his wife Ester, were a members of this congregation, as was his son, Judge Ira Butterfield and his wife Eleanor.
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    February 17, 2008 - No so long ago...
    Grand Theatres were Centers of Entertainment.
    As late as the 1960s Washington Avenue in Bay City was the dominate location for movie theaters. For younger readers, these theaters had but one screen and they were lavishly designed inside and out. Heading south down Washington were the Empire, Bay, Regent, Washington and Roxy theaters. Only the Empire and Bay, now the State Theatre, are the only ones left. Theater lovers should see the renovated State Theater as a comparison to the simplistic look of today's theaters. A few other theater buildings that are still in this area are the Westown Theater (tavern on Midland St.), Woodside Theater, ( Woodside, now Cinema Arts) , Pine Theater (Columbus, now Bay City Players), and the Colonial Theatre (Woodside Ave., Essexville). If your interest is peaked in knowing more about the history of theaters and their location in the Bay City area, see the historical directory for a listing of theaters by name and by location, which include the years they existed.
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    Note: Archived "Featured Histories" are available from Heritage Library's main page. -- View