This web site serves to help gather, preserve and distribute information about the history and people of Boyne Falls and Boyne Valley Township. We plan to continuously update the information presented and hope that all of you can help contribute to the future success and growth of our web site.

We need input from all of you as well as photos, news articles, and history tidbits that you would like to share. We are looking for old photos or newspaper articles of the town, people, railroad or logging era. If you have something to consider for submission, click on the contact page.

Continue to come back regularly to view updates. We will continue to tell the stories of the colorful history of Boyne Falls. From its earliest beginnings as a railroad stop, to the logging era, then as a sking meca and into today. We will keep you informed of the latest events and will continously update them as more resources become available. Sign up for automatic e-mail updates to stay up to date. Here are the latest updates:

Boyne Falls derived its name from the Boyne River with its falls or rapids at the location. "Uncle" John Miller, the first settler near the mouth of the river, named the area after his home in Ireland. The town of Boyne Valley was organized in 1873 and in the spring of 1874 the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad began operation. In 1893, Boyne Falls was incorporated as a village. William Nelson was the first postmaster.

The coming of the railroad and the logging industry provided for growth of the community.

The town was first plotted in 1873 by William Nelson and Joseph Powers. Originally the town was called Boyne Valley. The following year, in 1874, it was offically named Boyne Falls...click to continue reading.

The Boyne Falls Polish Festival has been an annual event since 1975. In 1974 a committee was formed to plan for the Bicentennial coming up in 1976. The Boyne Falls Bicentennial Committee, as it was known, sought ideas and donations from the community. The state of Michigan was also providing some matching funds to villages planning to participate in the nations birthday. Janet Rewald was the chariman. Help from the Chandler Hill Community Bicentennial Committee was sought. Judy Gigante from Chandler came over and consulted. click to continue reading festival history....

Click here to view Polish Festival Photo Galleries

Originally the Boyne Valley area was populated by a handful of one-room school houses spread throught the region. Their were five school districts, each with it own schoolhouse. School #2 burned in 1919. click to continue reading....

The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad was formed in 1854. It ran from Fort Wayne to the west. A branch headed north to Grand Rapids and gradually expanded northward over the next few years. The first section north of Grand Rapids was to Cedar Springs in click to continue reading....

The first post office in Boyne Falls was established shortly after the village was platted in 1874. William Nelson was the first postmaster. Later, Dan Judd became postmaster and was the first person in town to own an automobile. Mrs William (Effie) Fanning was an early postmistress. John Hausler was postmaster from 1935 through 1962. At that time, the post office was adjoining Snyders Store click to continue reading....

In the late 1800s, the Boyne Falls Catholic community had no church and had to rely on traveling Franciscan priests from nearby towns to conduct mass. Several parishes had been established in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties and those priests would travel to less-populated areas to hold mass. In Boyne Falls, mass was held in the home of Ursula Paszkewicz. Boyne Falls was growing rapidly in the late 1800s due to the logging industry and railroad. Boyne Falls needed its own church by the early 1900s. click to continue reading....