Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge - History

History

In postglacial times, Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay extended much farther inland than they do now. When the water receded, it left behind a flat, sandy wetland surrounded by low hills. It served as the drainage zone for an area of lower Michigan that covers approximately ten counties. The region was a treasure-house of the wetland timber industry in the late 19th century. After the old-growth trees had almost all been removed, starting in 1903 farmers tried to ditch and tile-drain the land for arable crops. The Ferguson Bayou region of this drained land did not prove to be well-suited for this purpose, although the wildlife refuge continues to use, maintain, and rebuild many of the ditches, drains, and dikes dug during this period. The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1953.

The area was an attractive hunting and gathering area for many early cultures and later Native American tribes, like the Odawa and Ojibwa. Ducks and geese flocked to this vast area of wetlands and rivers. Other animals, including otter, fisher, marten, elk, moose, and bear were also found here.

The Flats received little human impact until the late 19th century, when the lumber industry expanded to this area. Coal was mined in the area from the early 20th century to the late 1930s. In 1903, farmers began converting the land for crops and, by 1950, a system of pumps, drainage tile, ditches and dikes were in place, making this an extensive agricultural area.