 Branch
County is located on the near southwestern boundary of the
lower peninsula, bordered by Indiana. It was organized in 1831
shortly
after settlers arrived in the Bronson area in 1828. It was
named after John Branch, then Secretary of the Navy under President
Andrew Jackson. The original county seat was in a town called
Branch, near Gilead Lake in the southern part of the county.
It began in 1830 with the construction of the Black Hawk Sawmill,
built by a Dr. Hill and named for a local Indian chief. This
town did not survive because lots were too high-priced. The
county
seat was relocated in Coldwater, presently the county’s
largest city. Branch County grew at a slower rate than the other
surrounding counties because of its lack of road and railroad
access . Also, Indians living on reservations there intimidated
many new residents. The coming of the "Chicago Road," in
the 1840’s, (now US-12), changed the situation, and the
area attracted commerce and settlement again, including the
Union City Iron Company, founded in 1847, which produced the
first
iron made from Michigan iron ore. Today, Branch County remains a relatively rural, agricultural
area. The Coldwater and Bronson areas are thriving, with
several manfacturing facilities including metal fabrication
and fishing gear products. This county is also known for
its beautiful turn-of-the-century architecture, especially
around Coldwater. |
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