Sunfield, Eaton County: How it Looked from 1900-1920s

I recall all-too-many years ago while driving through Sunfield, seeing an old one-room schoolhouse out in the countryside. Of course, I got out of the car and took a look inside; glad I did, because it’s no longer there...what a shame.

I believe it was just a tad north of town out in a field, if my foggy memory recalls correctly. I know there were quite a few old schools surrounding Sunfield at one point...

Sunfield lies west of Lansing in Eaton County and had its genesis in 1836 when the first settler, Sam Hoyt, arrived and set up a homestead. A township named 'Sunfield' was eventually formed, but it took until 1855 before the village received its own post office. Only seventeen years later – in July 1872 - it closed. It re-opened just two months later and has remained ever since.

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Sunfield was a station on the Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western Railroad and finally became an incorporated village in 1899.

For such a small town that doesn’t seem to get much press or attention, Sunfield did pretty well for itself. During the late 1800s-early 1900s, the village had a blacksmith, campgrounds, churches, depot, doctors, elevator, general stores, grocers, the upper-class Hotel Walsh, an International Harvester hardware store, livery, logging, milk delivery, milling company, schools, sugar beet farms...and even a weather predictor.

Aside from business, there were plenty of things to do for fun and relaxation. The town held old-fashioned picnics, reunions, parades, and town parties. It was – and still is – a good place to live. A couple of nice rows of old original business establishments still line Main Street, now containing just a few Mom & Pop shops. You can find Sunfield 25 miles west of Lansing - it will make for a good drive some weekend afternoon.

Scroll down a way and check out some photos, going back over 100 years!