Thanks to the War of 1812, Clark Lake Has This Historic Farm
This historic site, the Gordon Hitt Farmstead near Jackson, sits on the north side of Clark Lake.
In 1835, Gordon was about to turn three years old when he, his parents, and seven siblings moved from New York into the wilderness of Michigan, just a bit north of a lake that would become known as Clark Lake.
The family was originally headed for White Pigeon in St. Joseph County; but upon reaching this particular area, they saved themselves another 85-mile trip and settled here.
Gordon’s father, Ephraim, had served in the War of 1812, and in the 1850s the government granted him 160 acres in recognition of his service. A new home was built further north; when it burned down in the 1860s, Gordon was now old enough and able to build a new one. In 1868, it was completed and is the old farmstead that sits at 4561 North Lake Road.
Gordon passed away in 1891, after the farm had grown from 160 acres to 270.
During the early 1900s, Clark Lake was becoming a spot for boating, swimming, fishing, and dancing. Most of the farmland was sold off as lots for cottages and summer getaways. For the remaining farm, Gordon Jr. used it as a summer camp and later by his brother Richard as a Bed & Breakfast.
The farm currently belongs to descendants of the Hitt family.
