Campbell Town area of Hamburg Twp., MI just outside Brighton
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Bradford Campbell established Campbell Town Mill in 1838 along Ore Creek in Hamburg Township. The mill and surrounding area, including a cemetery established by Campbell in 1842, served as an important center of activity for the early Brighton area. Though the mill closed in 1907, efforts have been made since the 1920s to preserve the Campbell Town site and convert it into a tourism and recreation destination, most notably by Richard Pelkey and now his daughter Debbie Serwach.
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Campbell Town area of Hamburg Twp., MI just outside Brighton
- 2. Campbell Town Mill area • 1838: Bradford Campbell buys 80 acres in Hamburg Twp. Starts grist mill along Ore Creek with Abel Peck. Original Campbell house (7505 Hamburg Road) sIll stands. • 1839: Campbell elected Livingston County Commissioner and Hamburg Twp. Supervisor. Campbell is also elected Supervisor in 1843 and 1847. • 1842: Campbell begins “burial ground” cemetery on southern edge of property (adjacent to current Serwach property at 7511 Hamburg Road). • 1848: Campbell elected to Legislature. Worked on 1850 Michigan ConsItuIon. • 1861. Campbell dies at age 58, buried in adjoining Campbell Town burial ground.
- 3. Campbell Town Mill area • 1860s-‐1880s: Mill run by Covell and Toncray families. • 1870: Brighton area pioneer Almon Maltby buys, builds up property.
- 4. Campbell Town Mill area • In early years, all Brighton area roads lead to Campbell Town Mill. • The mill’s dam broke oVen and one year took away the road. • 1907, aVer scaling down and management problems, Mill closes.
- 5. Campbell Town Mill area • 1926: D.C. Cooper and associates Walter Schulte and Louis Hoffman get permission to use mill site to help create new lake, make Brighton a tourism and recreaIon desInaIon.
- 6. Campbell Town Mill area • 1933: Louis Pelkey moves to Campbell Town Mill property, purchasing land in 1939. Children grow up there, seZle nearby.
- 7. Campbell Town Mill area • 1960: Youngest son Richard Pelkey, moves back home, inheriIng property in 1972. Preserves Campbell Town site. • 2007: Pelkey honored by State of Michigan for his Campbell Town work and for making his Ore Creek area “a beauIful natural park.’’ • 1991-‐present: Richard’s daughter, Debbie Serwach, seZles on Campbell Town property, conInuing Campbell Town preservaIon efforts.