Editing Norton Shores, Michigan (section)

==History==
The [[Ojibwe]], [[Potawatomi|Bodewadmi]] and [[Ottawa|Odawa]] Native Americans for hundreds of years occupied the wilds of [[western Michigan]]. When European immigrants arrived, they found openings in the forest made by the Native Americans, which were used to raise food.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Norton Township was originally organized in 1845 by settlers of the village of Mill Point (now [[Spring Lake, Michigan|Spring Lake]]). The township was named in honor of Col. Amos Norton, a Canadian patriot who was implicated in the [[Rebellions of 1837–1838|rebellion of 1837]].

Norton Township was part of [[Ottawa County, Michigan|Ottawa County]] and also included the townships of [[Fruitport, Michigan|Fruitport]] and [[Sullivan Township, Michigan|Sullivan]]. In 1855 Spring Lake Township was detached from Norton and organized as a township in Ottawa County. Also in 1855 the village of Black Lake was settled with a railroad station and a sawmill in Norton Township.<ref>{{cite book |last= Romig |first= Walter |year= 1986 |title= Michigan Place Names |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-FPXEGRo-YC |location= Detroit |publisher= [[Wayne State University Press]] |isbn= 978-0-8143-1838-6 |via= Google Books |page= 64}}</ref> Norton Township was separated from Ottawa County in 1859 and became a part of Muskegon County. The population of Norton Township in 1860 was 197 and in 1864 was 229.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 1847 the first sawmill in Norton Township was built. It was known as Robinson's Mill and was located at the head of Black Lake (now known as [[Mona Lake]]).{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 1850, Ira Porter arrived at Mona Lake. He operated Porter Sawmill and a fruit farm. One of the largest fruit farms in Norton Township was operated by G. N. Cobb, who also operated a box factory for fifteen years beginning in 1869. With the closing of the sawmills and the box factory, residents turned to raising fruit, which became a very profitable industry. Boats would enter Lake Harbor and make a trip around the lake picking up crates of berries at the docks of the growers. They would then return to Lake Michigan with their cargo and transfer it to large steamers bound for [[Chicago]].{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 1894 a summer resort community called [[Hackley Park]] was established on Lake Michigan and Mona Lake. It was named for [[Charles Hackley]]. The name was shortened to "Hackley" when it got a post office in 1895, although the post office closed in 1897.<ref>{{cite book |last= Romig |first= Walter |year= 1986 |title= Michigan Place Names |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Y-FPXEGRo-YC |location= Detroit |publisher= Wayne State University Press |isbn= 978-0-8143-1838-6 |via= Google Books |page= 245}}</ref> The township was incorporated as the City of Norton Shores in 1968; the move protected it from annexation by nearby cities.