So here it is. A little history on the Pine River, located in the Manistee River watershed. This is but a small portion, if you want the hole story you will have to buy my book, “Michigan’s Natural Beauty” book 1, coming out in 2012.
By 1830, the Government Land Office survey of Michigan had begun, creating the township, range, and section system we now have. Prior to this time, the watershed was still relatively undeveloped by non-natives. In 1837 came statehood for Michigan and in 1840, the creation of counties as we know them today.
The areas around the Pine were not logged until after 1870 because the Manistee River was choked with log jams. The onset of the logging era began what may have been the greatest human influence on the river system. Large scale removal of logs changed fisheries and wildlife habitat and the very character of the area. The loggers not only removed numerous log jams and large woody debris from the river channel, they rolled logs down the banks (the “rollways”) and drove them to market in spring. Without trees to stabilize the exceptionally sandy soils in the area, huge amounts of sediment entered the river. Although erosion and sediment transport are natural functions in a stream environment, such a massive artificial influx of additional sediment often overwhelms the natural stream process. Once in the stream, the increased sediment load begins to affect the aquatic environment. Stream temps rise, and fish lose valuable habitat for feeding, resting, and spawning.
From the early 1840’s to 1940, the life styles of the Native American people, and thus their influence on the river system, underwent several changes due in part to the increased presence in non-native’s. After the 1855 Treaty of Detroit, Ottawa’s formed new permanent agricultural settlements south of the watershed. By the late 1870’s, many Ottawa’s had sold or lost title to their lands, and migrated to the outskirts of newly formed towns or more isolated areas, still relying on the natural resources of the area to earn a living. From the 1890’s to 1940, Indian Village in Brown Township on the Manistee River served as the center of the traditional Little River band of Ottawa’s gathering, fishing, and trapping economy.
In 1900, the Manistee River was proclaimed Michigan’s last great “un-harnessed” river, capable of producing 40,000 horse-power of electricity. Stronach Dam on the Pine River was the first hydroelectric dam on the system, being completed in 1912. Stronach Dam originally supplied power to the city of Manistee.
The Michigan Railway Company acquired the project around 1915, with the intention of supplying power to a proposed electric railway. Consumers Power Company acquired the project in 1917 after the electric railway plans were abandoned and operated the plant until July 8, 1953. Tippy Dam was completed and began producing power in 1918. Tippy Dam was then called Junction Dam, being at the confluence of the mainstream and South Branch Manistee, as the Pine River was formerly called.
