Agnew, Michigan

There was also a rural post office in Saginaw County, Michigan named "Agnew" that operated briefly from February to November in 1875.

Agnew, Michigan is a tiny unincorporated community located at 42°57′54″N 86°10′36″W / 42.96500°N 86.17667°W / 42.96500; -86.17667[1] at the intersection of U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) and M-45 in Grand Haven Charter Township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan.

Agnew was first known as "Johnsville" after John Behm, who was one of the early settlers in the area in the 1860s. A post office named Johnsville operated there from 1870 to 1875. It reopened in 1878 and was renamed "Agnew" on December 23, 1887. It was platted with the name "Village of Agnew" on May 16, 1889, by Edward E. Stites.[2]

The settlement was named for JKV Agnew, a superintendent of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway, which had a station by that name there. The successor railroad, Pere Marquette Railway, closed the station and in 1952, the Michigan Department of Transportation determined it was easier to move the 12 remaining buildings to allow construction of US 31.[3]

References

  1. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Agnew, Michigan
  2. ↑ Potts, Hiram. Historical and business compendium of Ottawa county, Michigan. Grand Haven: Potts & Conger, 1892. pp. 49-50
  3. ↑ Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X.


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