History
River Aux Raisin is French for Grape River, where this settlement got it's name. In 1809, Aaron Greely surveyed this area. French claims, long tracks of land extending back to the River, were given in 1810, after the US government organized the Northwest Territory. French pioneers were granted titles to these homesteads.
It is in question as to When Grape received it's official name, but on June 1, 1887 the government officially established a Post Office in Grape.
Early Indian Tribes of the area included the Potawatomie, Ottawa and Wyandotte, who used the river to travel for fur trading, Some of the Potawatamie are believed to be buried along the river bank and in the nearby Doty Cemetery, which was established in 1841.
The original Grape location was located east of here at the corner of North Custer and Doty roads. The Post Office was thought to be in Brightbill's store, which was at that location circa 1860-1890. Doty Road went all the way to the river, where people would ford the river to Dixon Road. One of the earliest churches, built in 1849, was at the corner of Doty and North Custer. It was thought to be non-denominational or a Congregational Church, according to the 1876 Monroe County Atlas. This same church was thought to be a station for the Underground Railroad.
The first Bridge over the Raisin River was wooden built in 1828. The second bridge, built in before the Civil War lasted until 1888. In 1888 it was voted to erect a new Steel Bridge, which lasted until the concrete bridge was built in 1958.
The nearby "Bridge School"- now the Raisinville Township Hall- located across the Bridge at Dixon and Ida-Maybee roads was organized in 1828, and was the first Public School in Michigan.
Local businesses included a Cheese Factory, Summer Camp, General Store and Post Office, Saloon, Grist and Flour Mills, Saw Mills, Limestone Quarry and a Tavern with Stagecoach Inn. Many Centennial Farms are in this area still.
This Grape Pantry is all that's left of Grape. It's the only store here for the past 50 years. Unfortunately, the store closed in 2018.
