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THURSDAY
AUGUST T O 15
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT WITH THIS FREE FAMILY EVENT!
5:00 - 7:00 PM 5:00 - 7:00 PM
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By Kathy Hanes | Allendale Historian
James, Robert and Alexander Scott—The Scott name has been a part of the Township’s history since the 1840s. In 1845, James, Robert and Alexander settled in the Township, originally immigrating from Scotland. The Scott brothers helped organize the Township and James served as the rst Township Clerk.
Thomas Jones—Thomas Jones came to Allendale in 1843. He served as Allendale’s rst post master, operating out of the Richard and Rebecca Roberts’ home in what was then known as Charleston. He purchased property located on 68th Avenue, and his house still stands at that location. He kept a “Halfway House” for travelers who used the Stagecoach Road, which was located next to their property and ran from Grandville to Grand Haven.
Johnson and Doriza Balcom—Johnson Balcom and his wife, Doriza, came to Michigan from Vermont sometime in the late 1830s and moved to Allendale in the 1840s. He is listed as one of the founding persons in the early records of the Township. He is also listed as one of the charter founders of the Wesleyan Methodist church, the rst church in Allendale.
Alexander Milne—Alexander Milne was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States, where he lived in New York City for some time. While in New York, he married Margaret Scott. They moved to Allendale in 1845, to join her two brothers who already lived in the Township. Alexander served as the second Township Supervisor, from 1855 to 1860. He also served as Township Treasurer for approximately eight years.
Gerrit H. and Emily Wolbrink built the rst grocery store, or general store, in the Township in the community of Conger in 1866. His business continued until 1911. They also maintained a post o ce in this store, which was called G. H. Wolbrink Farmers Store. Both Gerrit and Emily are buried in the Allendale Cemetery.
Charles Fox built a sawmill for Frank J. Fox and Company, which the community of Rusk developed around. Charles also served as postmaster for the community for 15 years.
Agnes B. Allen—Mrs. Allen was the widow of Capt. Hannibal Allen, son of Ethan Allen of Revolutionary War fame. After Hannibal’s early death from yellow fever, Agnes moved to what is now Eastmanville to live near her sister. Agnes was the rst person on the tax roll in the area from which Allendale Township would be carved. After redistricting of township lines, Eastmanville was made part of Polkton Township.
Andrew J. White—Andrew J. White was the proprietor of White’s Store, a general store built at the Bass River community . Andrew became the community’s rst post master in 1882, with the post o ce located in his store.
Richard and Rebecca Roberts—Richard and Rebecca Roberts purchased the rst land in the Township to be actually lived on by the owner. Their 160 acres was located at Charleston, where Pierre Constant’s trading post had been. They had seven children, and their oldest, Elizabeth, born in 1844, was the rst child of European descent born in the Township. Grosvenor Reed—Grosvenor Reed was a Prosecuting Attorney for Ottawa County and lived in Charleston Landing. He served as the rst Township Supervisor, a Justice of Peace, and a Highway Commissioner. Some of these are new names and some are familiar. But it’s still all about the people who live, work and shop: Here, Now In Allendale.
For Caleb and Alissa Tollefson, Allendale was not in their plans. They had married and moved to Chicago and were living and working and loving life. But in the back of their minds, there was an unfulfilled dream that just was not playing out…yet. Let’s take a look at how that dream became their reality following a move to Allendale in 2015.
The two met in college (GVSU and Hope) and following graduation they pursued their careers but knew that eventually they wanted to move back to West Michigan. The opportunity came and they settled into their home in Allendale. Alissa had danced professionally while in Chicago and taught at several dance studios. They moved with a dream to start their own dance studio which would allow Alissa to blend her passion for dance with her degree in education. Caleb knew they could do this; Alissa was a little hesitant until the words “are you going to trust anybody else to teach dance to your kids?” came up in a conversation as they awaited the arrival of their first-born child. That changed everything! They immersed themselves in all things Allendale to get a feel for the area. They volunteered at every opportunity, including community, school, and church events. This brought them to Life Stream church, located on Lake Michigan Drive. The Arts influence was a part of the church’s outreach, so space was offered for them to rent, and a room was assigned in a wing of the church to house Lake Michigan Dance Academy (LMDA). By August 2016, all things lined up and they had their grand opening! Oh, and that first-born child was a two-month-old baby when they opened.
In
By: Kathy Hanes Writer for the AACC
LMDA approaches dance with the thought that dance instruction should be quality, classes should be affordable, and students should have fun! Quality dance instruction for everyone, whether boy or girl, beginner or seasoned dancer is a priority that shows. They do this because they love it and want to instill that love of dance in all their students. LMDA is a place people want to be either one day a week or for multiple classes, because each student receives the same quality instruction. They go to great lengths to foster a warm, encouraging family environment at their studio. From seventy students and one teacher in the beginning, to their current count of over 400 students and twenty teachers! They expanded from one room to five and have never looked back. Through it all they see God’s hand opening doors, providing opportunities, and answering their prayers.
The name, website and logo for Lake Michigan Dance Academy had been in the works even while living in Chicago. You see, Chicago sits on the southwest shores of Lake Michigan, so the name came about from that location – again, never dreaming of the significance that name has in West Michigan. And they are located on Lake Michigan Drive! Just another sign that this is the right place and right time for this influential addition to the Allendale Community.
Welcome to a brand-new community in Allendale! This community offers a variety of single-family homes situated around a beautiful water feature. This hidden gem is located between 60th Ave and 64th Ave, right off of Lake Michigan Drive, just 3 minutes away from the Allendale your dream community, building a brand-new Eastbrook home allows you to personalize your home to your individual lifestyle. You’ll love the experience of working with our Interior Designers in our 4000 sq. ft Home Creation Studio where you can add the perfect touches to your home while staying on budget.
| EastbrookHomes.com
