Jackson Michigan News and Information, News for Jackson MI

1961 it was moved to the front lawn of the Albion Armory on N. Clark St. where it remains today.

The cannon was brought to Albion by our local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Civil War veterans association.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a view of that cannon as it appeared in the early 20th century, “aimed” at the Hotel Albion in the distance. Today, the latter is the site of the Shell gas station. The railroad watchman’s building is on the right.

Although I’ve written about this cannon previously in this column, I stumbled across this interesting article about it, published in the Recorder September 13, 1924, pg. 1, which reads as follows:

“Persistence of G.A.R. Men Back in 1896 Gave This City Big Cannon. Comrade Oscar Hubbard, past post commander of Hollingsworth Post G.A.R. arises to correct an impression recently broadcast through a communication to The Recorder.
Mr. Hubbard says the cannon placed near the Michigan Central Railroad and Superior St. was placed there in 1896 by the local G.A.R. of which he was then commander. By an Act of Congress, each post was entitled to such a gun, and he made application for one. When it came, the freight amounted to more money than the organization had, so the hat was passed around town, with the City Council refusing to accept the cannon as a gift from the post, with freight charges attached. In fact, Mr. Hubbard thinks the city never did accept the cannon.
Anyhow, he and Smith Chatfield did most of the work unloading and getting it to its present location, no small job, with the understanding the Council would defray the expenses of mounting. Alfred Barry was hired at twenty shillings a day to do the stone masonry, and it took him sixteen days. He did a good job, too, Mr. Hubbard says, but he is still shy two day’s pay for his work. The City Council wouldn’t meet the bill, and told the committee to go beg it. All but $5.00 was raised.
Briefly, that’s the story of the cannon which now so valiantly guards the new comfort station on Superior St, and threatens to blow the Hotel Albion to pieces if it is ever touched off.”

[Note: the comfort station was a public bathroom building erected in 1924 at the front of Cannon Park along Superior St. It later became the home of the Albion Chamber of Commerce in the early 1960s, and was later demolished].

Be sure and attend the Memorial Day services in your town this Monday, May 29.