Belding (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781531669607)

Belding is located in the northwest corner of Ionia County along the Flat River. The land was first settled by Charles Broas in 1837 and became known as Broas Rapids. The name was later changed to Patterson Mills, and in 1871 the small village was renamed Belding in honor of the Belding family. The Belding brothers manufactured silk and brought much activity to the community. Between 1885 and 1917, the Beldings operated four silk mills, two dormitories, Hotel Belding, a hospital, an opera house, a library, and many more downtown businesses. The silk mills alone employed more people than all other area factories combined. With the brothers controlling 90 percent of the American silk market, Belding became known as "Silk Capital of the World."

Author: Cindy M. Hughes
ISBN-10: 1531669603
ISBN-13: 9781531669607
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing Library Editions
Language: English
Published: 08/04/2014
Pages: 130
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.91lbs
Size: 9.61h x 6.69w x 0.38d