The gazetteer
Every place on the trail, on the old maps
The hunt began in Cassopolis, and the record runs out in every direction: up the St. Joseph River to Kalamazoo and down it to South Bend, across the line to Elkhart and Goshen, out to the lake shore. Here are all 213 places, county by county, and the map each one opens on: the 1860 wall map, the county maps of 1858, 1861 and 1863, the atlases of Berrien and Kent, and the township plats of about 1928.
111 of 213 open on a map. Cass County · Berrien County · Van Buren County · St. Joseph County, Michigan · Kalamazoo County · Kent County · St. Joseph County, Indiana · Elkhart County, Indiana · LaGrange County, Indiana · Allegan County · LaPorte County, Indiana · Lighthouses
Cass County
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Cassopolis | — | Its page |
| Dowagiac | — | Its page |
| Edwardsburg | Edwardsburg’s plan on the 1860 wall map | Its page · The old map |
| Marcellus | Marcellus village on the Marcellus Township plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Vandalia | Vandalia on the Penn Township plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Calvin Township | Calvin Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Howard Township | Howard Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Jefferson Township | Jefferson Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| LaGrange Township | LaGrange Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Marcellus Township | Marcellus Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Mason Township | Mason Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Milton Township | Milton Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Newberg Township | Newberg Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Ontwa Township | Ontwa Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Penn Township | Penn Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Pokagon Township | Pokagon Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Porter Township | Porter Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Silver Creek Township | Silver Creek Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Volinia Township | Volinia Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Wayne Township | Wayne Township on the plat of about 1928 | Its page · The old map |
| Adamsville | — | Its page |
| Union | — | Its page |
| Sumnerville | — | Its page |
| Jones | — | Its page |
Berrien County
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Niles | — | Its page |
| Buchanan | Buchanan’s plan on the 1860 wall map | Its page · The old map |
| Berrien Springs | The plan of Berrien, now Berrien Springs, on the 1860 wall map | Its page · The old map |
| St. Joseph | St. Joseph’s plan on the 1860 wall map | Its page · The old map |
| Benton Harbor | Benton Harbor on the Benton Township plate of Graves’s Berrien County atlas | Its page · The old map |
| Coloma | Coloma’s plan on the 1860 wall map | Its page · The old map |
| Watervliet | Watervliet on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Bridgman | Bridgman on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Stevensville | Stevensville on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Baroda | Baroda on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Eau Claire | Eau Claire on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Galien | Galien on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Three Oaks | Three Oaks on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| New Buffalo | New Buffalo on the old maps | Its page · The old map |
| Grand Beach | — | Its page |
| Michiana | — | Its page |
| Shoreham | — | Its page |
| Bainbridge Township | — | Its page |
| Baroda Township | — | Its page |
| Benton Township | — | Its page |
| Berrien Township | — | Its page |
| Bertrand Township | — | Its page |
| Buchanan Township | — | Its page |
| Chikaming Township | — | Its page |
| Coloma Township | — | Its page |
| Galien Township | — | Its page |
| Hagar Township | — | Its page |
| Lake Township | — | Its page |
| Lincoln Township | — | Its page |
| New Buffalo Township | — | Its page |
| Niles Township | — | Its page |
| Oronoko Township | — | Its page |
| Pipestone Township | — | Its page |
| Royalton Township | — | Its page |
| St. Joseph Township | — | Its page |
| Sodus Township | — | Its page |
| Three Oaks Township | — | Its page |
| Watervliet Township | — | Its page |
| Weesaw Township | — | Its page |
| Sawyer | — | Its page |
| Harbert | — | Its page |
| Lakeside | — | Its page |
| Union Pier | — | Its page |
| Berrien Center | — | Its page |
| Benton Heights | — | Its page |
Van Buren County
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Decatur | Decatur’s plan on the 1860 wall map | The old map |
| Paw Paw | — | Its page |
| Lawton | Lawton’s plan on the 1860 wall map | The old map |
| Lawrence | Lawrence’s plan on the 1860 wall map | The old map |
| Hartford | Hartford’s plan on the 1860 wall map | The old map |
| Mattawan | Mattawan’s plan on the 1860 wall map | The old map |
| Bangor | Bangor on the old maps | The old map |
| Gobles | Gobles on the old maps | The old map |
| South Haven | South Haven on the old maps | The old map |
| Bloomingdale | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Breedsville | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Sister Lakes | — | Its page |
| Almena Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Antwerp Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Arlington Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Bangor Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Bloomingdale Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Columbia Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Covert Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Decatur Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Geneva Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Hamilton Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Hartford Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Keeler Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Lawrence Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Paw Paw Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Pine Grove Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Porter Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| South Haven Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Waverly Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
St. Joseph County, Michigan
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Three Rivers | Three Rivers on the map of St. Joseph County, Michigan, 1858 | The old map |
| Constantine | Constantine on the map of St. Joseph County, Michigan, 1858 | The old map |
| Centreville | Centreville on the map of St. Joseph County, Michigan, 1858 | The old map |
| White Pigeon | White Pigeon on the map of St. Joseph County, Michigan, 1858 | The old map |
| Sturgis | Sturgis on the old maps | The old map |
| Mendon | Mendon on the old maps | The old map |
| Colon | Colon on the old maps | The old map |
| Burr Oak | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Burr Oak Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Colon Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Constantine Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Fabius Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Fawn River Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Florence Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Flowerfield Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Leonidas Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Lockport Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Mendon Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Mottville Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Nottawa Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Park Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Sherman Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Sturgis Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| White Pigeon Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
Kalamazoo County
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo on the map of Kalamazoo County | The old map |
| Portage | Portage on the old maps | The old map |
| Schoolcraft | Schoolcraft on the old maps | The old map |
| Vicksburg | Vicksburg on the old maps | The old map |
| Galesburg | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Parchment | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Augusta | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Climax | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Richland | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Alamo Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Brady Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Charleston Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Climax Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Comstock Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Cooper Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Kalamazoo Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Oshtemo Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Pavilion Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Prairie Ronde Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Richland Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Ross Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Schoolcraft Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Texas Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Wakeshma Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
Kent County
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | Grand Rapids Township, 1894, with the city’s edge | The old map |
St. Joseph County, Indiana
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| South Bend | Its own page: history, and the 1860 plan laid over today’s streets | The old map |
| Mishawaka | Mishawaka’s plan on the 1863 map of St. Joseph County, Indiana | The old map |
| Roseland | The ground where Roseland grew, on the 1863 map | The old map |
| Granger | Harris Township, where Granger grew, on the 1863 map | The old map |
| Osceola | Osceola on the 1863 map of St. Joseph County, Indiana | The old map |
| New Carlisle | New Carlisle on the 1863 map of St. Joseph County, Indiana | The old map |
| Lakeville | Lakeville on the 1863 map of St. Joseph County, Indiana | The old map |
| North Liberty | North Liberty on the 1863 map of St. Joseph County, Indiana | The old map |
| Walkerton | Walkerton on the 1863 map of St. Joseph County, Indiana | The old map |
| Crumstown | — | Its page |
| Notre Dame | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Centre Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Clay Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| German Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Greene Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Harris Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Liberty Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Lincoln Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Madison Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Olive Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Penn Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Portage Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Union Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Warren Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
Elkhart County, Indiana
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | Its own page: history, and the 1860 plan laid over today’s streets | The old map |
| Goshen | Its own page: history, and the 1860 plan laid over today’s streets | The old map |
| Bristol | Bristol’s plan on the 1861 map of Elkhart County | The old map |
| Middlebury | Middlebury’s plan on the 1861 map of Elkhart County | The old map |
| Nappanee | Nappanee on the old maps | The old map |
| Wakarusa | Wakarusa’s plan on the 1861 map of Elkhart County | The old map |
| Millersburg | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Baugo Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Benton Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Cleveland Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Clinton Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Concord Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Elkhart Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Harrison Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Jackson Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Jefferson Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Locke Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Middlebury Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Olive Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Osolo Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Union Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Washington Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| York Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
LaGrange County, Indiana
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| LaGrange | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Shipshewana | — | Its page |
| Howe | — | Its page |
| Topeka | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Wolcottville | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Bloomfield Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Clay Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Clearspring Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Eden Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Greenfield Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Johnson Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Lima Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Milford Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Newbury Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Springfield Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
| Van Buren Township | Not yet on a map here | — |
Allegan County
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Plainwell | — | Its page |
LaPorte County, Indiana
| Place | On the old map | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan City | — | Its page |
Lighthouses
The St. Joseph River meets Lake Michigan at St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, and the valley’s shore runs from New Buffalo up to South Haven. Six lights have stood on that coast: three still stand.
| Light | Where, and what became of it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph North Pier Inner Light | North Pier, St. Joseph, Berrien County, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River Standing. Built 1906, lit 1907; front of the pier’s range pair, joined to the outer light by the elevated catwalk. Decommissioned 2005, owned by the City of St. Joseph since 2013, restored 2016. Summer tours climb it. | Source |
| St. Joseph North Pier Outer Light | End of the North Pier, St. Joseph Standing. The steel tower at the pier end, 1906–07; National Register 2005 with the inner light. | Source |
| St. Joseph Light of 1832 | On the shore at St. Joseph Gone. A rubblestone tower and stone keeper’s house built by John Scott under a $2,700 contract; replaced in 1859. | Source |
| St. Joseph Light of 1859 | On the bluff at St. Joseph, 101 feet above the lake Gone. A frame keeper’s house with a square tower; Daniel R. Platt kept it from 1883 to 1919, and Jane Enos was head keeper 1876–1881. Made unnecessary in 1919, bought by the city in 1936, razed for a parking lot in 1955. | Source |
| New Buffalo Light | New Buffalo, Berrien County Gone. Established 1840, discontinued 1859, destroyed. The lighthouses at New Buffalo today are replicas. | Source |
| South Haven South Pierhead Light | End of the south pier at the mouth of the Black River, South Haven, Van Buren County Standing. A light from 1872; the present red cast-iron tower went up in 1903 and was moved 425 feet out to the pier end in 1913. National Register 1995. The 1872 keeper’s house at 91 Michigan Avenue is the Michigan Maritime Museum’s research library. | Source |
Just beyond the valley
| Light | Where, and what became of it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan City Old Lighthouse | 100 Heisman Harbor Road, Michigan City, Indiana Standing, a museum. Built 1858; Harriet Colfax kept it 43 years, retiring in 1904, when the light moved to the new pierhead lighthouse. | Source |
| Michigan City East Pierhead Light | East pier, Michigan City, Indiana Standing. The 1904 fog-signal lighthouse at the harbor entrance. | Source |
| Kalamazoo River Light | South shore of Kalamazoo Lake, Douglas, near Saugatuck Gone. First lit 1839, rebuilt 1859, discontinued 1914, wrecked by the tornado of 3 April 1956. A red-and-white replica stands on private ground. | Source |
Where a town had not yet been founded when its map was drawn, the link opens the township where it later grew, and says so. Corrections and better maps are welcome at research@projectscroll.com.