Landmarks & Historic Sites

Fish Creek

The natural waterway that powered Hubbardston's sawmills during the lumber era and shaped the village's early economic development.

Maple River Crossing

A hazardous pioneer crossing on the Maple River that early settlers had to navigate to reach the Hubbardston area.

Hubbardston Dam

19th century

A dam on Fish Creek that once powered local sawmills and later served as a small hydroelectric site.

The Four Corners

The intersection of Main Street and Washington Street — the historic center of village life in Hubbardston.

McKenna Road Area

Named for the McKenna family of County Monaghan, one of Hubbardston's founding Irish clans. The road name preserves their legacy on the landscape.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

1868-69

Gothic Revival wood-frame church built 1868-69, the largest in Ionia County. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Shiels Tavern Building

1878

Built in 1878, home to Michigan's oldest continuously licensed bar under the same name. The original bar and back bar are still in use.

Hubbardston Village Park

The staging area for the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade and a central community gathering space.

Township Hall

The seat of local government for Hubbardston Township, hosting board meetings, elections, and community functions.

American Legion Hall

Home of Walter T. Roach American Legion Post 182. A key venue for the St. Patrick's Day celebration and community breakfasts.

Parish Rectory

1908

Built in 1908 and designed by Detroit architects Donaldson & Meier. The residence for pastors of St. John the Baptist Church.

Hubbardston Post Office

The United States Post Office serving Hubbardston and surrounding areas under ZIP code 48845.

St. John the Baptist Cemetery

1884

Consecrated in 1884 on land donated by five founding Irish families. A key genealogical resource for Hubbardston's Irish heritage.

Old Pioneer Cemetery

The earliest burial ground in the Hubbardston area, predating St. John the Baptist Cemetery. Resting place of the township's first settlers.

Parish School Site

1917

Site of St. John the Baptist School (1917-1965), designed by the same Detroit firm that built the rectory.

John Cowman Farm Site

1849

The Section 11 farm where John Cowman, the first Irish settler, established the foundation of Hubbardston's Irish community in 1849.

Glass Cabin Site

c. 1836

Site of the Ansel D. Glass cabin, found burned with three bodies inside in March 1838. The mystery was never solved.