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Grosse Pointe is one of the oldest communities in the Midwest, dating back to the mid-1600s. Its history tells a classic American story of the

transformation of Native American hunting grounds to the fertile farms of European settlers to an affluent suburb that grew with fortunes of industrialism in the 20th century.

In 1825, the opening of the Erie Canal triggered a migration of pioneer families from America's East Coast to the Michigan territory. By 1836, entrepreneurs had dug a mill race and platted a village that would eventually become Battle Creek. The town was first known as a farm implement center for the Midwest, then became the Health City (for its connection to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and Dr. J. H. Kellogg's Battle Creek Sanitarium), and eventually became known as the Cereal City, because it was the birthplace of ready-to-eat breakfast foods. By pairing archival and modern photographs, this book documents how Battle Creek advanced from a small settlement to a thriving community. This comparative perspective reveals many changes and advancements in Battle Creek's physical and cultural landscape.

Chartered 18 years before Michigan's admission to the Union, Oakland County developed as a microcosm of the state: diverse, entrepreneurial, and prosperous. The unbridled success of the automotive industry in neighboring Detroit quickly spread north where well-to-do industry leaders located. This vibrant community produced a quality of life rivaled by few other places. This book displays pivotal "Then and Now" scenes depicting the history of Oakland County, many with national impact.