The Story of the Arcadia Furniture Company

If you were to examine the area at the north end of Lake Arcadia in Arcadia, Michigan, you would find little left of the Arcadia Furniture Company, but that's where it stood. The building referred to as "The Mirror & Glass Works" is still there. Concrete marks the foundation of the water tower's support structure. But gone are the factory, the sawmill, the warehouses, the offices, the train station, and piles of logs and processed wood.

Aerial View: Arcadia Furniture Company (looking northwest)
The building at the bottom of the picture just right of center is  the Mirror & Glass Works, which stands today. "Arcadia 1880-1980" by Arcadia Centennial Committee

"From Forest to Furniture"

Towns that sprung up around lumbering generally came and went with the forests, and if not for a fire, Arcadia may have had the same fate. On August 6, 1906 the Starke Sawmill burned down, and instead of simply rebuilding it, the company, guided by Charles J. Starke, the adopted son of Henry Starke, decided to replace the sawmill with a furniture company. Why? Precious hardwood would be used more slowly, and instead of sending raw lumber to other cities for processing, local people could be employed to do that... more jobs for more years. The Arcadia Furniture Company was born.

The company produced low- to medium-priced bedroom furniture made chiefly from native hard maple. The 1907 catalog, produced jointly with the Fox & Mason Furniture Company of Corunna, Michigan, included a variety of dressers, beds, and other pieces used in bedroom suites.

1909 catalog was the Arcadia Furniture Company's first catalog of its own and a symbol of the company's growth. At first the company supplied small furniture dealers in Michigan and bordering states, but eventually buyers for large stores in Chicago and New York were ordering Arcadia-made furniture. By the 1940's the company had 15 salesmen and designer Carl Eggebrecht of Grand Rapids.

The 1930 Factory

The factory grew to handle the demand for Arcadia Furniture Company furniture.

Dresser No. 583. 
Price: $12.00 Bedroom suite including this piece: $24.00. Source: 1907 Joint Catalog: The Fox & Mason Furniture Company and The Arcadia Furniture Company. Courtesy of Ruth Starke Burkhead

The 1930 blueprints list these buildings:

1. Boiler House
2. Engine Rm. and Machine Shop
3. Furniture Factory
4. Sawmill
5. Warehouse & Office
6. Veneer Dry Kiln
7. Veneer Storage
8. Dry Kiln
9. Fire Pump House
10. Oil Shed
11. Stock Room
12. Storage
13. Mirror & Glass Works

1906

August 6: Starke Land & Lumber Company sawmill is destroyed by fire.

August 21: President Charles Starke calls a special meeting of The Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co. "...for the purpose of deciding the future course to be taken in the business..." The stockholders decide to send Mr. John Monat on a trip to see if another lumbering company is interested in locating in Arcadia to work the company's timber, or if not, to make an offer to the Buckley-Douglas Lumber Co. of Manistee to sell the company's timber lands and the Arcadia & Betsey River Railway for at least $275,000 with a guarantee to continue operating the railroad to Arcadia. They also decided to sell all hemlock logs on hand, with the exception of about 300,000 ft., in case they decided later to rebuild the sawmill."

August 27: In another special meeting of the stockholders of The Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co., "Mr. Monat reported some success at Corunna with the Fox & Mason Co., who with proper assistance would entertain of locating a branch factory at Arcadia." Charles Starke and John Monat were asked "...to make best terms with said company to locate at Arcadia."

September 4: In another special meeting of the stockholders of The Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co., Charles Starke and John Monat reported "...that they had submitted a proposition to the From & Mason Furniture Co. for locating a furniture factory at Arcadia, and that the proposition was accepted by the Fox & Mason Furniture Co. with promises to sell the stock."

October 9: In still another special meeting of the stockholders of The Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co., the stockholders agreed to the following:

"Resolved that the Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co. shall not rebuild its saw-mill and factory at Arcadia, Michigan, which was destroyed by fire on August 3, 1906.

Resolved that this company offer the Steamer Arcadia for sale not less than $5,000 in cash, and that the president of the company is authorized to treat with parties, who may wish to purchase this property, and to transfer the same upon payment of the above amount.

Resolved that the Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co., offer its timber lands, as per schedule dated October 9, 1906, prepared by Chas. J. Starke, for sale together with the tracks and rolling stock, depots, ware-houses, and engine houses of the Arcadia and Betsey River Railway for the sum of $225,000.00 net, on condition and guarantee that Arcadia shall at all times have a rail-road connection with some rail-road via Arcadia & Betsey River Railway, and fair rates of freight to be maintained.

Further resolved, that the President of the Company with the assistance of John Monat is authorized to sell the above property at price named and to arrange a satisfactory terms for payment. The portion of the Arcadia and Betsey River Railway proceeds from such sale to be $75,000.00, and that of the Henry Starke Land & Lumber Company $150,000.00 net, without any commission.

Resolved, that the Henry Starke Land and Lumber Company transfer to John Monat the following ???-party: the west half 1/2 of block 12, all of block 13 and north 1/2 of block 14, except the sand hills on said property, but including the dry-kiln, ware-houses, log slides, chairs, fixtures, three new boilers in ??? roll-ways, docks, pumping station, fire pumps and boiler, with underground piping thereon, also two veneer lathes, one water heater, 40 cords hardwood bolts, 400 cords elm, and bassword slabs, the refuse heaps of saw-mill and factory partly on block 13 and mostly on block 3, Village of Arcadia, the one ware-house on block 26, two lumber sheds on blocks 2 and 3, Village of Arcadia, also one drag-saw, 1 veneer knife grinder, 1 drag-saw filing machine, 1 circular saw file machine, 1 differential block and carriages.

Also the north fifty feet of lot 8, block 1; part of lot 10, 50 x 125' on block 1; west 1/2 of lots 1 and 2, block 5; lots 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, block 4, Village of Arcadia, together with ??? dwelling houses thereon.

Said Jno. Monat to transfer this property to the Arcadia Furniture Co. and in part payment therefore receive from said company 1000 shares of its preferred capital stock and 900 shares of its common capital stock at a par value of $10.00 each, which said John Monat is to distribute as follows: to some person named by the stockholders of The Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co., to be held in trust for the stockholders of the said company as their interest may appear, or if decided upon to each stockholder of said Henry Starke Land & Lumber Co. as his or her interest may appear, 1000 shares of preferred and 2750 shares of common stock in the Arcadia Furniture Co. to M. A. Fox and Geo. D. Mason after carrying out certain agreements entered in connection with the Arcadia Furniture Co., 2400 shares common stock.

Further resolved, that the Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co. pay into the Treasury of the Arcadia Furniture Co. in cash the sum of $15,000.00 for which said Furniture Co. shall issue to some person named by the stockholders of the Henry Starke Land and Lumber Company to be held in trust for said stockholders as their interest may appear, or if as decided upon to each one of said stockholders of said Henry Starke Land and Lumber Co. as his or her interest may appear, 1500 shares of the preferred stock of said Arcadia Furniture Co, without any bonus of common stock, said bonus already being included in the 2750 shares of common stock to be transferred by said John Monat.

The balance of the common stock of the Arcadia Furniture Co., (850 shares) the said John Monat is to transfer to said Arcadia Furniture Co. as Treasury Stock, to be distributed as bonus to go with unsold preferred stock of said company, or in such manner as the board of directors of said company may designate."

1907 Joint Catalog Cover

1909 Arcadia Furniture Company Catalog

Pay Envelope: Employee 45
March 18, 1944 

1907

The sawmill is replaced by the Arcadia Furniture Factory. The Arcadia & Betsey River Railway carries Arcadia furniture to the rest of the world in addition to produce and other local goods.

The Arcadia Furniture Company and the Fox & Mason Furniture Co. in Corunna, Michigan publish a joint furniture catalog.

1908

The Arcadia Furniture Company publishes its first furniture catalog.

1917

The Arcadia Furniture Co. purchases 1000 shares of its common stock from Mrs. M. A. Fox for $1500.00.

1918

The Arcadia Furniture Co. purchases 200 shares of its preferred stock and 100 shares of its common stock from Mr. Carl Pickert for $2000.00.

1919

The Arcadia Furniture Co. purchases 250 shares of its preferred stock and 1125 shares of its common stock from Wm. F. ??? of Owosso for $5150.00.

1936

Arcadia & Betsey River Railway closes. Passenger revenue for the entire year: $3.00.

1953

The Arcadia Furniture Factory closes.