Centralight

8 centralight fall '14 Building a city, an economy and a place to learn As they built their town, the fi rst Mount Pleasant residents knew they needed solid education and elements that would create a strong economic base. They were so driven, they sunk their own money into the city, believing Mount Pleasant and its new school would thrive. "In the long run, more education would be a benefi t to the community because educated people tend to bring other well-educated people with them and this, oftentimes, comes with increased wealth in a community," says Bryan Whitledge, reference specialist at CMU's Clarke Historical Library. That's exactly what happened. Stores, restaurants and a bevy of services began to pop up to meet the demands of hundreds of students, faculty and staff who fl ooded the town. The university continues to be a key source of the economy of Mount Pleasant and surrounding areas – an estimated annual impact of $800 million – bolstered by small business growth and real estate development. Creating culture CMU has brought the world to rural central Michigan. Along with its immense impact on the local economy, the culture of the Mount Pleasant community has been greatly shaped by Central's presence. Students, faculty and staff come to the institution from all over the globe, bringing with them diverse backgrounds and life experiences. "One of the more noticeable cultural benefi ts of the university includes the wide range of speakers who visit campus and whose lectures are available to the public," says Whitledge. Famous people have visited the mid- Michigan campus since the early 1900s, aff ording Mount Pleasant residents opportunities at a time when most could only read about them in newspapers. In those early days, the campus and surrounding community hosted Booker T. Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, former U.S. President William Howard Taft and Helen Keller. 1889 1880-1900 1889 – City of Mount Pleasant was established. 1892 – Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute opened, holding its fi rst classes in the Carpenter Building at Main and Michigan streets. 1893 – The fi rst building on the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute campus was completed. 1896 – Central's football team, coached by Mount Pleasant High School math teacher Charles F. Tambling, played its fi rst game against Alma High School. 1908 1901-1910 1902 – The Training School for Mount Pleasant children in kindergarten through eighth grade was built to give Central's teachers-in-training real experience. 1903 – Mount Pleasant's fi rst automobile appeared in town. 1908 – The Borden Condensed Milk Factory opened in Mount Pleasant. 1909 – Island Park was established in Mount Pleasant. HISTORICAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLARKE HISTORICAL LIBRARY

• Cover