Cooper, Our Community

A glimpse into the past, present and future.

Jug Corner School House

• This one-room school house had no indoor plumbing, and it had a woodstove. Located across the street was a jug and brick factory. How much time would you spend in the outhouse on a cold day?

Cooper Center School

• Most children walked at least three miles to reach this school. In early April, the “big boys” and the male teacher had to leave school to work on the farm. Sometimes the new female teacher who took over was only 16.

Princess Redfeather• Princess Carrella

Redfeather was known far and wide for her herbal medicines. From her large tepee she dispensed over 700 medicines made from roots, barks, flowers, blossoms and weeds. She was a Cherokee, and wore a beautiful headdress. She was a wonderful friend and mother. Matt Waite lives in this location today.

Sleeman-DeShazo House

• This lovely home was built some time before 1860. That was the time Abraham Lincoln was President. It is now the West E Avenue home of Jesse and family.

Lamplight Inn• This stucco house on Douglas is

one of the oldest houses in Cooper Township.The first owner traveled from New York using a wagon pulled by horse and oxen. While traveling along the Erie Canal, one of the oxen fell into the canal and drowned. So they loaded their supplies onto a canal boat and shipped them toDetroit. From there, they tramped through wilderness and marshes. The girls rode on the wagon and the boys walked.

• In the early 1940s, this home was used as a restaurant called the Lamplight Inn.

Margaret Adams Gas Station

• In 1929, Margaret Adams started the first gasoline station in Cooper. She operated the Standard Oil station herself. It serviced “Tin Lizzies” and provided a place for Cooper citizens to gather to share news and gossip.

• Today this building is an antique store.

Cooper Congregational Church

• When this church was first built, the members traveled by horse and buggy. There was a building behind the church to keep these horse.

• When the bell was placed in the belfry, the ladder had to be built extra strong to support the weight of the bell. Ephraim DeLano carried the bell single-handedly to the top and placed it in the tower.

Cooper Center Store

• The Cooper Store was the social center of Cooper Township. For many years it also was the Post Office, too.

• Groceries were once delivered by horse and buggy.

• Today it is called Gil’s Market.

Cooper, Past and Future

• This is the four corners of Cooper where Sleeman’s and Gil’s is now located. What do you think these four corners will look when you are in your 50s?