Crapo Park

Henry Howland Crapo (1804-1869)—wealthy lumberman, Republican, state senator (1863-1864) and governor of Michigan (1865-1868)—owned prosperous lumberyards in Holly, Fenton, and Flint. Lumber and railroads were essential elements in the development of this area. In 1863-64 Crapo was instrumental in developing the Flint to Holly railroad, which linked this part of the state to the rest of the country. The eighteen-mile line was among the first to use steel rails in the United States and was funded entirely by private subscriptions. This park, named for Governor Crapo, is on the site of his Holly lumberyard. The property, owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, has been leased by the village of Holly since 1918.