Francisco: A Jackson County Town That Existed from 1834-1914

So, the town of Francisco doesn't exist anymore. The trades, post office, depots and businesses are all gone, taking the town's name along with 'em, and off maps as well.

All the houses that were once village residences are simply homes without a town.

Four-and-a-half miles northeast of Grass Lake lies a group of homes & houses that was once known as the village of Francisco. Francisco was settled in 1834, eight years before the village of Grass Lake even started. It was originally named "Franciscoville" after Associate Circuit Judge Henry A. Francisco who became the village's first postmaster in 1843.

Get our free mobile app

Sometime around 1877, the town's name was shortened to "Francisco." The town was doing so well sitting alongside the Michigan Central Railroad, that it needed TWO separate depots.

Francisco soon had a good number of businesses, including a blacksmith, general store, church, schoolhouse and mercantile shop. A schoolhouse was on the east side of Francisco Road, halfway between Clear Lake Rd. and Bohne Rd. A couple of the current houses in that area look like one of 'em may have been converted from the old schoolhouse. A church still exists just north on Bohne Road.

The decline of Francisco began when the post office closed in 1914. Once it closed down, so did all the businesses, one-by-one, with some moving to Grass Lake, others closing for good. Nowadays there are no shops, stores or businesses left in the former Francisco, but many original houses still stand.