Compiled by Steve Horton

50 Years Ago—January 1962

New Funeral Home Opens—Gale Dillingham announced the opening of the new Dillingham Funeral Home at 1005 E. Grand River with an open house planned on Sunday, Jan. 14. The public is cordially invited to visit the home between the hours of 2 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon and 7 and 9 o’clock in the evening.

The Dillingham’s have just completed the addition of their new funeral parlor built adjoining their home, which they purchased recently, formerly Dorner’s Acres. A graduate from the curriculum in Mortuary Science at Wayne State University, Mr. Dillingham received his certificate on June 15, 1961. Mrs. Dillingham, the former Mary Germain, will assist him in his work.

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Special Help Class—Fowlerville’s special help class got underway last week after PTA volunteers finished their face lifting of the old typing room in the Intermediate building by furnishing it with draperies and a fresh coat of paint. By sharing in this project, residents of Fowlerville have every right to be proud of this special education class, the first of its kind in Livingston County. In an area of education that has long been neglected, this class may serve as a pilot course for a country-wide program.

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The 1960-61 Fowlerville Varsity Basketball Team, led by Coach Glenn Arnold, is shown here afer winning the Class C Regional at Bay City 50 years ago.

By Steve Horton

Fifty years ago this month Fowlerville had a severe case of ‘March Madness’. The varsity basketball team, which had won a co-championship with Okemos in the Ingham County League and won the Swartz Creek Christmas Tournament, reached the Class C quarterfinals on March 22 in a game with Grosse Pointe St. Paul. They fell to the eventual state champions by a 55-45 score.

The team started its remarkable season with an opening 40-36 loss at Okemos. They then swept the rest of the regular schedule, including a 62-54 rematch win at home against the Chieftains.

The starting ‘five’ for the team were center John Damman, forwards Ken Curtis and Dave Roberts, and guards Don ‘Butch’ Hauser and William ‘Pete’ Miller. The coach was Glenn Arnold. Other team members included Bob Cheney, Ed Helzerman, Ron Helzerman, Ernie Carlson, Gary Humrich, Jim Gruden, Owen Judd, Bill Onsted, Richard Roberts, and Jim Dean.

The volunteer sports reporter for the ‘Fowlerville Review’ was Stirling “Doug” Douglass. Below are some excerpts from his game reports.

GLAD CAGERS LOSE ONE—BOUNCE BACK TO DEFEAT HASLETT

The Fowlerville cagers playing their first game of the season were defeated by Okemos by a mere four points. Playing in the new Okemos gym, the Glads couldn’t go ahead and the final score was 40 to 36. Dave Roberts was high point man with 12.

On Tuesday night the Glads made up somewhat for the football season as they defeated the Vikings from Haslett on the Fowlerville court 47-35.

Butch Hauser was high for the Glads with 19 points.

 In 1842 the state appropriated a small sum for opening a road between the two towns. It was expended under the supervision of Mr. Mullett of Detroit, but the benefits arising from it amounted to but little. As it was not used as a through route for travel, it soon grew up to brush in many places.

 In the spring of 1849 Ralph Fowler and O.B. Williams of Williamston went over the line of the present Grand River road and solicited subscriptions for opening the road west from Fowlerville. They obtained, in goods and money, subscriptions to the amount of $600 from townships lying along the line – Leroy, Wheatfield, Phelps, and Meridian.

 The two men then began the struggle against nature’s obstacles and the noisy opposition of those who were interested in the northern route already established.

 Ralph Fowler--in his sketch about the early days of living in this area-- wrote the following…

 “During the first few years of our settlement in Handy, the bears, wolves, and deer were very thick. During the first winter I have looked out of the door of my log house and counted eight or ten deer browsing on the timber. The bears frequently killed and carried off our hogs.

 “One more little feature I wish to mention. The first year we mowed our marsh land, which was accomplished by swinging a scythe by hand, we killed 125 massaugers, besides black snakes measuring from three to eight feet in length.

 “The years ’37, ’38, and ’39 were enthusiastic years for us. The state having been admitted into the Union and an appropriation of five thousand acres of land from the general government for the completion of the Detroit and Grand River, and the Detroit and Saginaw (rail) roads, which the government was at work upon. (The roads were not completed until years later because of the economic depression which hit the country.)