Gunnisonville/Gunnisonville

Purchasing 160 acres of farmland from the government, Elihu Gunnison first settled this site, originally known as Gunnison, in 1835. This settlement, which its inhabitants often called “four corners,” had a general store owned and operated by Boyden Hubbard. After being appointed postmaster, Hubbard opened the Gunnisonville Post Office in 1891 and operated it in his store. In 1901 rural mail service was initiated in this vicinity, and the old post office was discontinued. In [the] spring of 1890 the townspeople established the community band, which performed for religious, educational and social gatherings; the following year, a bandstand was erected. During the later part of that decade, the Gunnisonville Band participated in several state band tournaments. The Gunnisonville School was initially a center for social, religious and educational activities. It served as a school for nearly a century and a quarter, first being established in 1836 and continuing to operate, though only as a kindergarten in later years, until 1963. The present one-room schoolhouse, the fourth to stand on this site, was constructed in 1907. It was refurbished as a living educational museum by the joint efforts of the Gunnisonville Restoration Committee and the Lansing School District in 1975. The Methodist Episcopal Church, now the United Methodist Church, was organized in 1862. Seven years prior to this, the local cemetery was established. In 1888 the present church edifice was completed and dedicated on November 4.