On Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. the Niles District Library and Niles History Center are co-hosting a program called “Powered by Water: Early Industry in Niles,” presented by Niles History Center Assistant Director Mollie Watson. Watson will discuss how local waterways played an important role in industrial development.

During the late 1820s, the St. Joseph River and its tributaries attracted settlers looking to harness its power. One pioneer family, the Laceys, used hydropower to their advantage. In 1829, the same year the Niles village plat was registered, Ephraim Lacey and his son Elijah opened a saw mill near the St. Joseph River. A year later, the Laceys also built a grist mill to process grain into flour. Following the success of these first industries, other mills popped up along local waterways and industry flourished. The St. Joseph River also played an important role in the transportation of goods produced in the mills. Keelboats carried stock to other newly settled towns along the river. The arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad in 1848 allowed for even wider distribution of goods.

The first mills in Niles utilized water power from the narrower Dowagiac River via a mill race, a channel which diverted water from its source. Early efforts to employ the power of the St. Joseph River proved more difficult. In 1842, Niles Hydraulic Company attempted to construct a wooden dam near the foot of Main Street, but the current swept it away before work could be completed. Local business owners urged for continued efforts to dam the river. A new group, the Niles Manufacturing Company, was formed in 1868 with the purpose of completing this project. In 1871, after several failed attempts, the first permanent dam was finally constructed south of the bustling downtown.

Thanks to the availability of water power, industry bustled along the St. Joseph River during the late 1800s. Several factories, including the Niles Paper Mill and Ohio Paper Company, operated on the east side of the river near the dam.  In 1871, the Michigan Wood Pulp Company took up operations on the west side of the river. In 1905 the company became the French Paper Company. A modern-day Niles landmark, the French Paper Company is the only factory operating along the banks of the St. Joseph River in Niles today, and they still use hydropower harnessed from this local waterway.

As electricity became more widely available, water powered industry declined. Today’s efforts to find cleaner sources of energy may find a resurgence in hydroelectric power.

“Powered by Water: Early Industry in Niles” will be hosted at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 in the Niles District Library Rotunda. The program is part of the spring local history series offered by the Niles District Library and Niles History Center. Admission is free, though donations will be accepted to help support the program. The series concludes on May 9 with “Boxes for Civil War Soldiers: Comfort from Home” presented by Faye Chamberlain.

Mollie Kruck-Watson is the assistant director at the Niles History Center. She can be reached at (269) 845-4054. mwatson@nilesmi.org.