| The Heritage Center at Graafschap CRC |
| 5973 Church Street Holland, MI 49423 |
| THE VILLAGE Around the church a community was built which included stores, post office, blacksmith shop, lumberyard and creamery |
| Mannes Knol the Village Blacksmith tells us about the Early Village |
Holland was the center of the colony from
the beginning. Soon villages began to
grow around the center, and Graafschap
was the first.
the beginning. Soon villages began to
grow around the center, and Graafschap
was the first.
A village is more than just a collection of
houses, of course. People need services,
they need stores where they can buy food
and supplies.
At first they had to travel to Saugatuck or
Kalamazoo or other places that weren’t
easy to get to for what they needed,
because there were only rough walking
paths at first. When peddlers started
coming around in covered wagons, they
would buy their supplies from them, if they
had what was needed.
houses, of course. People need services,
they need stores where they can buy food
and supplies.
At first they had to travel to Saugatuck or
Kalamazoo or other places that weren’t
easy to get to for what they needed,
because there were only rough walking
paths at first. When peddlers started
coming around in covered wagons, they
would buy their supplies from them, if they
had what was needed.
But what they needed early on was a blacksmith. There
was plenty to do for a blacksmith. The men needed to
keep their tools and equipment in shape for cutting
down trees, for building their homes and barns, and for
working the fields.
So there were axes and saws, hammers and nails, hoes
and later on plows and harrows, seeders and corn
planters, wagons and home-made sleds. When
sawmills came in operation, the machinery would often
break down and need fixing. And of course, when
farmers began to switch from oxen to horses, there was
a lot of horse-shoe business.
was plenty to do for a blacksmith. The men needed to
keep their tools and equipment in shape for cutting
down trees, for building their homes and barns, and for
working the fields.
So there were axes and saws, hammers and nails, hoes
and later on plows and harrows, seeders and corn
planters, wagons and home-made sleds. When
sawmills came in operation, the machinery would often
break down and need fixing. And of course, when
farmers began to switch from oxen to horses, there was
a lot of horse-shoe business.
Well, with the blessing of God, the colony grew, and so
did Graafschap. It never became a big town, but a
number of businesses started and served the settlers in
important ways. After a while we had a lumber business,
a creamery, a hardware store, a general store with a post
office and barbershop, a funeral home, and more. A
shoemaker lived just a few miles east of Graafschap, and
we had our own doctor by 1894. And of course, in the
center of it all was the church, because we were first and
last a people of faith.
did Graafschap. It never became a big town, but a
number of businesses started and served the settlers in
important ways. After a while we had a lumber business,
a creamery, a hardware store, a general store with a post
office and barbershop, a funeral home, and more. A
shoemaker lived just a few miles east of Graafschap, and
we had our own doctor by 1894. And of course, in the
center of it all was the church, because we were first and
last a people of faith.
