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this is Michigan Minute uncovering the
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pioneering moments of the Great Lakes
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State In the early 1900s Caro Michigan
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was a major town in Tuscola County It's
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where industry agriculture and community
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came together to shape daily life
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Originally named Centerville the town
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1869 As the county seat Caro quickly
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grew into a vital hub balancing rural
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traditions with the forward push of
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Walking down State Street in those days
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you would see a lively downtown packed
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with bakeries general stores and
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Hudson's Bazaar with striped awnings
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shading display windows Horsedrawn
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wagons and the occasional early
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automobile clattered along unpaved roads
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reflecting a town caught between two
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eras Buildings like the Exchange and the
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Grand Hotel Montagu stood as landmarks
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of both hospitality and commerce hosting
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travelers businessmen and local
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gatherings KO's economy thrived on
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agriculture and manufacturing The WN
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Clark canning plant was a cornerstone
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employing many residents and processing
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vegetables from nearby farms Not far
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away the imposing sugar factory churned
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through thousands of tons of sugar beats
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each year Energy was also a growing
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industry The Carol Light and Power
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Company's water power plant provided
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electricity to homes and businesses
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while towering oil derks hinted at new
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opportunities beneath the soil Railroads
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role The Michigan Central Depot linked
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Caro to larger cities moving goods and
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passengers efficiently across the state
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The steady rhythm of arriving trains was
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familiar marking Caro as a vital stop in
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Michigan's growing transportation
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network Yet Caro's history wasn't only
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about industry and progress The town was
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home to the Tuscola County Poor Farm a
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facility designed to house the county's
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most vulnerable residents the elderly
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impoverished This institution pictured
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in your collection was a reminder of the
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era's limited social safety net
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Residents worked the land and performed
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chores as part of their upkeep
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reflecting a time when counties bore
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direct responsibility for welfare before
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the advent of federal programs Caro was
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a community that valued togetherness and
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recreation The Tuscola County Fair was
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the highlight of the year with its
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bustling midway packed with games food
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vendors and sideshow tents The ferris
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wheel and racetrack drew crowds across
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the region offering a break from routine
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life For those seeking quieter pastimes
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the Carol Golf Course with its simple
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welcoming clubhouse provided a green
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space for sport and relaxation under the
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shade of Michigan's towering pines Taken
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together we see a town full of contrast
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where prosperity and hardship coexisted
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and civic pride ran deep Whether at work
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in the fields gathering at the
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fairgrounds or waiting for a train at
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the depot the people of Caro forged a
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community that anchored Tuscola County
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well into the modern era This has been
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Michigan Minute Follow us for more
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