John Fox (1858-1929) was a prominent Albion saloonist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He came to this city from his native Marshall on April 17, 1883, and soon opened a saloon and billiard hall at 114 S. Superior St. John’s advertisement in the 1885 Albion City Directory states, “John G. Fox, Billiard Hall, dealer in Wines, Liquors and Cigars. 22 Superior Street opposite Engine House, Albion, Michigan.”
Upon retiring from the saloon business in 1907, John sold it to John McAuliffe, who continued to operate it until local prohibition resulted in its closure. During the national Prohibition era which followed, the Fox building became a grocery and variety store operated by Charles W. Slade.
Fox purchased property on the south end of Montcalm Lake from Newton Houston just west of Albion in February, 1906, and turned it into the Montcalm Lake resort which opened in 1907. The place included a bathing beach for swimming in the lake, bath houses, a boat livery, picnic grounds, a dozen tables, a pavilion which had space for a bowling alley, a pool table, a dance hall, and adjacent scenic woods with trails. There was also a manual merry-go-round which was quite popular. Snacks, popcorn, ice cream and soda could be purchased at the concession stand, and local orchestras played live music at the pavilion.
The interurban electric line went by along Michigan Avenue and would make a special stop for 5 cents. The Montcalm resort was the site of numerous family reunions and Sunday School picnics for many years. While John was not operating his resort, he became a real estate agent during the 1910s and 1920s until his retirement.
John Fox retired and sold his resort at Montcalm Lake in April, 1924 to R. C. Sexton, who made a number improvements to the site, before selling it to the adjacent Starr Commonwealth for Boys.
John Fox died on May 5, 1929, and was interred in Riverside Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Bertha (Fiss) (1872-1942), and two sons Leonard (1893-1952) and Hilmar (1901-1973).
From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of one of the tokens issued by John during his saloon days. Struck in brass, it is scalloped with four lobes, and measures 24 x 28 mm. The text states, “GOOD FOR 5¢ JOHN G. FOX IN TRADE.” It is cataloged by www.tokencatalog.com as TC-17751. In addition, we are picturing the Fox Building as it appears today in downtown Albion. Do you recognize this building?
