Paris Fish Hatchery

Opening in 1881, the Paris Fish Hatchery was the state’s second fish-rearing agency. This area was selected because of its abundant sources of water and excellent railroad connections. The Paris Fish Hatchery was a major supplier of salmon and brown trout fingerlings. Fish in milk cans painted a distinctive red were shipped throughout the state in railroad baggage cars, the most famous of which was the “Wolverine,” which was used from 1913 to 1938, when motorized vehicles began to dominate shipment. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) renovated and expanded the facility in the mid-1930s. It continued to operate until 1964, when it was closed by the Department of Natural Resources. The site was acquired by the Mecosta County Park Commission in 1973, refurbished as a park and reopened in July 1976.