Pontiac by Ronald K. Gay

Author:Ronald K. Gay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Published: 2011-10-24T00:00:00+00:00

ASYLUM DEMOLITION. Despite an outcry from the community and an appeal to the National Trust, little time was given by the state to offer the campus for sale to private concerns. The campus and its buildings had great potential for practical reuse. For example, Traverse City renovated and converted its old hospital site into a modern village with shops and restaurants but kept its beautiful Victorian architecture intact. (Courtesy of Bruce Annett, www.bbmck.com)

Six

OCCUPATIONS AND DIVERSIONS

In the first decades of Pontiac, typical occupations for men included lawyer, doctor, surveyor, merchant, architect, banker, tailor, elected positions, farmer, carpenter, miller, blacksmith, brick maker, plasterer, teamster, logger, and shoemaker. For women, typical jobs included homemaker, teacher, nursemaid, cook, housekeeper, gardener, caregiver, seamstress, civic leaders, and landlady. Women were also recognized in many fields like medicine and higher education. By the 1920s, African American doctors and lawyers were opening offices in town.

After the Civil War, Main Street shops sold candy, bicycles, and men’s, women’s, and children’s garments. There were music stores, theaters, restaurants, and hotels, with stables and blacksmiths intermingled. Pharmacies were coming onto the scene. General stores offered a little of everything, including dry goods like sugar, flour, coffee, and beans. There were hardware and sporting goods stores. Builders and land agents had offices around town. Basically everything that was essential was conveniently located to those that lived in town. For example, the train station was close by, and the courthouse was on the corner. By the time automobiles were being sold, dealerships for the various brands sprang up in downtown.

Early on, police and fire departments provided protection for Pontiac. However, most early buildings were extremely vulnerable to fire, which made it challenging to keep a fire from spreading. By the mid-20th century, African Americans and Hispanics were in both the police and fire departments, even though they were few.

Picnics were an affordable diversion for everyone. Music and dance lessons were common. Boys could fish and hunt. By the beginning of the 20th century, a library had opened. Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups began forming. The Pontiac Creative Art Center opened in 1968. By this time, there were all kinds of sports teams for kids and adults to be active in. Pontiac started a network of community and senior centers. Due to difficult financial times, most of these centers have been closed with no hope of them reopening.

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