The History & Mystery of Three Rivers

East Michigan Avenue continues with the area of Garden Street to Middle Street.
Residents on the north side of the block in 1959 #202 Marjorie Hall, customer service Michigan Gas & Electric, son, Lawrence, #212 Frank and Margaret Dehn, retired, #220 Harold L. Mohney, tool & die Production Tooling, wife Rosemary Accounting clerk, Eddy Paper, ch: Kenneth and Constance.
The Three Rivers High School buildings and grounds filled the south side of East Michigan Avenue from the Portage River and River Street to Garden Street. Many remember the years the river filled the grounds. Maybe it was “Natures way” of providing the school with a “pool”. Full of history the school building still touches generations of Three Rivers residents in some way or another. Class reunions where classmates are remembered along with principals and teachers that were loved or not, sports games win or lose, class colors, mottoes, flowers, prophecy and maybe those “things one got away with”.
In 1903 the site was purchased and in1905 the school building was opened. In 1915 the athletic field (TRHS “outdoor pool”) was purchased. 1919-1920 plans and building of addition took place, 1935 additional practice athletic field added, 1949 Adam Armstrong donated land on M-60 for an athletic field, 1954 cafeteria started, 1955 fire destroys older section, 1970 split sessions are started due to crowded conditions, 1974 after the balcony collapsed the cafetorium was added (the area was used as the cafeteria and the auditorium), 1975 repairs done. In 1999 the new high school on M-60 opened.
Over the years children have learned as teachers taught and opened their minds. As citizens we have cast our election ballots, attended plays and assorted other things. Now this building has become a church where children of all ages are taught and given guidance.
A quote from the “Class Prophecy – 1959” by Julie (Brown) Beal “Yes, we as the graduating class, are about to begin a journey. We may never reach the moon or outer space, but we will find life and adventure just as exciting and rewarding as we explore the unknown horizons of the future.” What we did not or would not or could not do did not stop it from being done.
A nod to another memory maker was #235 the Parkside Drive In. Owner, Otto Harding, wife Eunice ch: Jane and Carol, lived in the house behind. “Let’s go get an ice cream cone”.

Next time: East Michigan Avenue continued.

Submitted by Anna Smith, a Three Rivers history and mystery lover.