Editing Charlevoix, Michigan (section)

===Settlement (1850s and 1860s) ===

European-American settlement of Charlevoix was initially by fishermen, who were there by 1852.<ref name = "Romig">Romig, Walter ''Michigan Place Names'' (Grosse Point: Walter Romig publisher, not dated), p. 111</ref> Soon after its formation in the 1850s, the residents of Charlevoix entered into a short-lived conflict with [[Jesse Strang]], leader and namesake of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)|Strangite Mormons]], and then self-proclaimed 'king' of [[Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)|Beaver Island]]. Relations between Charlevoix residents and the Strangites were often tense. In 1853, a gunfight broke out between the two groups as the townspeople refused to hand over a man who was called for jury duty on the island, an event known locally as The Battle of Pine River. Strang was assassinated on June 20, 1856.

[[File:2009-0619-Charlevoix-ChicagoClub.JPG|thumb|left|Portion of the historic Chicago Club, one of the several large resort communities that developed in Charlevoix around the turn of the 20th century.]]

The [[Homestead Acts#Homestead Act of 1862|Homestead Act of 1862]] brought many Civil War veterans and speculators to Northern Michigan. It sold 160-acre tracts of land for $1.25 an acre.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AH7KReQbprMC&dq=%22northern+michigan%22+%22homestead+act%22&pg=PA9 | title=Manistee County | isbn=978-0-7385-4124-2 | last1=McRae | first1=Shannon | date=2006 | publisher=Arcadia }}</ref>

In 1864, settlers built a large dock at the mouth of the Pine River on Lake Michigan. Boats there were exposed to the harsh vicissitudes of Great Lakes weather, so local entrepreneurs sought to connect Lake Michigan to an inland harbor at Round Lake. The Pine River channel was dredged in 1869,<ref name="petoskeynews">{{cite web|url=http://www.petoskeynews.com/charlevoix/news/community/historical-photo-for-march/article_567a7c34-a6de-11e3-a486-0017a43b2370.html|title=Historical photo for March 7 - Charlevoix Courier: Community|publisher=petoskeynews.com|access-date=2014-12-06}}</ref> connecting Lake Michigan to Lake Charlevoix.<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite book|title=Michigan: A Guide to the Wolverine State|author=Project, F.W.|publisher=US History Publishers|isbn=9781603540216|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-V6KxeFbTS0C|page=520|access-date=2014-12-06|year=1949}}</ref><ref name="michigan">{{cite web|url=http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9620_11154_11188-26496--,00.html|title=MDOT - US-31 / Island Lake Outlet|publisher=michigan.gov|access-date=2014-12-06}}</ref>

In 1866, early settler John S. Dixon completed plats of the entire town (then called "Pine River"), showing that he owned most of the land.<ref name="charlevoixparkavenue.wordpress.com">{{cite web|url=http://charlevoixparkavenue.wordpress.com/guidebook/charlevoix-settled/|title=Settling Charlevoix &#124; Park Avenue Prowl|date=April 16, 2008|publisher=charlevoixparkavenue.wordpress.com|access-date=2014-12-06}}</ref> By 1867, Charlevoix had its first boarding house, the Fountain City House <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.charlevoixlibrary.org/sites/default/files/RogerGowell/Nettleton/nettleton-synopsis.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-04-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423174939/http://www.charlevoixlibrary.org/sites/default/files/RogerGowell/Nettleton/nettleton-synopsis.htm |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |df=mdy-all }} In 1867 the Fountain City House was commenced as a hotel or boarding house.</ref> Charlevoix became the county seat in 1869 when [[Charlevoix County, Michigan|Charlevoix County]] was formed.