In recent years we’ve seen corner sidewalks and curbing in town upgraded with modern handicapped-accessible ramps. In the process of upgrading, the sidewalk “square” let’s call it, where the walks on two streets intersect, were removed and replaced.

Remember when we had a Justice of the Peace? That was a civil officer who had the power to handle minor criminal and/or legal cases in town, and had the power to officiate at weddings without being an ordained minister.

We continued with our theme of: “Albion, 100 Years Ago,” with a reminder that any date given is the date the article appeared in the newspaper, not necessarily the day the event happened.

Occasionally in this column I like to feature an Albion collectible item, such as an old Albion milk bottle, an Albion merchant token, or an Albion banknote or scrip.

It was on Thursday, March 5, 1868 that the body of the “Albion Hermit,” David Duncan, was found frozen to death in his abode on his 80-acres of land just southwest of Albion.

We continue with our theme of “Albion—100 Years Ago.” March 3, 1923. “Deputy Sheriff George U. McCarty and Chief of Police Clyde Stoddard pulled off a successful liquor raid early this afternoon at the home of Kosie Kowack, at the corner of Charles and Williams Sts.

Normally for upcoming March in this column I’d feature an article and photo about the Great Flood of March, 1908. We’ve all seen the numerous postcard photos of the horrific damage done to downtown Albion when all the buildings over the Kalamazoo River collapsed into the raging waters below.

Albion’s Fire Department operations date back to 1856, when the “Alert Fire Engine No. 1” was organized.

At 119 E. Cass St. sits an old brick building that sits a way back from the street, which once had a prominent significance in our community. This is the Albion Water Works building, erected around 1889 to provide water to our community

Sometimes diaries can be great historical resources when researching a topic. I use the word “sometimes” because I know of a set of diaries from the 1850s for our area in which the writer only wrote down the weather conditions day-by-day.

We continue with our theme of, “Albion 100 Years Ago.” February 1, 1923: “The mine operated by the People’s Coal Mining Company located three miles north of the city entertained lady visitors last Saturday for the first time in its history.

On the campus of Albion College is a stately old home known as the Fiske House at 703 E. Cass St. It was built as the home of Lewis Ransom Fiske, who was president of the College from 1877 to 1897. Fiske’s second wife purchased the site from the College in 1883 for the erection of their home.

Many of Albion’s downtown buildings are “named,” that is, were named after the owner who had them erected, or after a merchant who was in the building a long time. One such building in downtown Albion is the “Fox” building at 114 S. Superior St., known in later years as Reichow’s Tavern, or Dave’s Stag Bar before it was purchased by the Cascarelli Tavern next door.

The 1950s was a time like no other in Albion’s history. Our post-World War II boom years were filled with prosperity, growth, and development. Hundreds of persons came to make Albion, Michigan their home during this period. Between 1950 and 1960, Albion’s official population grew from 10,406 to 12,749 persons.

We continue with our theme of “Albion, 100 Years Ago.” January 1, 1923. Clarence Wilkins, colored, about 35 years of age, janitor at the Albion Post Office, lies at the city hospital with a bullet in his right lung as the result of a shooting affray at the drug store of David Ingram, 702 N. Albion St., about 11 o’clock last night.