Editing Fremont, Michigan (section)

== History ==
The first inhabitants of the Fremont area were Native Americans. A group of settlers led by Daniel Weaver first settled the area in 1855, with the Weaver homestead serving as the first post office and public school. In November 1855, Fremont Township was established and named in honor of [[John C. Frémont]],<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21803|title= Profile for Fremont, Michigan, MI|publisher= ePodunk|access-date= August 26, 2012|archive-date= February 10, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130210131708/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21803|url-status= dead}}</ref> western explorer and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] candidate for United States President. Weaver and his fellow settlers cleared the dense timber in order to farm. Early in the 1870s, [[Dutch people|Dutch]] immigrant families came from [[Holland, Michigan|Holland]] and [[Muskegon, Michigan|Muskegon]], Michigan; and Fremont continues to recognize its early Dutch heritage in local festivals and pageants.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Herman |first=Jennifer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbaF0SWvRJIC&dq=Fremont,+Michigan+Daniel+Weaver&pg=PA281 |title=Michigan Encyclopedia |date=1999-01-01 |publisher=State History Publications |isbn=978-1-878592-94-1 |language=en}}</ref>

Due to rich stands of virgin timber, lumbering became a major industry, and a railroad spur soon linked Fremont to the national rail network. The lumbering industry declined in the 1860s because of the [[American Civil War]]; and in 1871, Fremont experienced a major forest fire that caused extensive damage, especially to the lumber mills. Nevertheless, Fremont rebuilt and was even able to supply some lumber to rebuild [[Chicago]] after the [[Great Chicago Fire|Great Fire]] of 1871.