“In 1830s Michigan, some of the hottest properties were still just drawings”
In 1830s Michigan, some of the hottest properties were still just drawings
During Michigan’s 1830s land boom, investors were betting on the future. As new settlers arrived and communities began to develop, land buyers purchased large properties, divided them into smaller lots, and hoped rising demand would drive up property values. Some even bought lots in proposed towns that existed mostly on paper. Streets, blocks, and property lines were drawn on maps, and investors were counting on the people and development to follow.
Some of those proposed communities eventually became real towns, including Fenton, Michigan. But Fenton has a particularly entertaining origin story. According to local history, the settlement reportedly got its name in 1837 through a card game between land speculators (someone who buys land or property hoping its value will increase so they can sell it later for a profit) William Fenton and Robert LeRoy. Fenton won the naming rights and named the town after himself. LeRoy received a street named in his honor. Apparently, even in the early days of real estate development, location wasn’t the only thing worth winning!
The land boom helped shape Michigan’s communities, leaving behind records of early purchases, property divisions, and ownership transfers. Those records are part of what makes title research so fascinating. At Real Title Services, we help uncover the stories behind properties by tracing ownership and retrieving records nationwide. We may not be able to help you win a town in a card game, but we can help make sure the title history is a winning hand!
Angela Sharp
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