Reverend Tibbits and Hanchett, about 1830, platted the Village of Coldwater, established the first church, donated land for the first school, and furnished land to those who by profession or trade were needed in Coldwater.
The hamlet grew into a village and the village became a city officially in February of 1861 when Michigan's Governor Austin Blair signed his name to the new charter incorporating the Village.
Coldwater saw its first "iron horse" in December of 1850 when the first passenger train arrived in Coldwater.
In the early days of the community, small, general stores were adequate for the needs of the residents; however, in 1877, J.B. Branch and Company opened Coldwater's first department store.
When manufactured gas became popular as a fuel, heat, and source of light, the Coldwater Gas and Light Company was formed in 1860 to manufacture and distribute natural gas to area consumers. The company erected its first gas manufacturing plant a year later.
An unusual Coldwater cultural and entertainment center of note was constructed in 1882--the Tibbits' Opera House--built by a very determined and farsighted citizen, Mayor Bart S. Tibbits.
The elegant Tibbits' Opera House matched those found in the large Eastern cities. Operas, plays, vaudeville shows and other entertaining programs were featured attractions.
Tibbits also owned his own excursion boat and in 1866 he built a toboggan slide in Coldwater for the recreation and entertainment of its citizens.
By the turn of the century, the City had outgrown its original charter; a new City Charter was drafted and signed into law by Governor Warren in 1905. Six passenger trains a day now passed through Coldwater on the Lake Shore Michigan Southern Railroad.
Telephones were introduced into Coldwater by the Wolverine Telephone Company (now the General Telephone Company of Michigan) in 1902.
A modern hospital, Wade Memorial Hospital, was opened to the public for the first time on November 6, 1921. Sixteen years later it was destroyed by fire with no loss of life. Residents of Branch County went to work to obtain a new hospital for Coldwater and in 1939 the ultra-modern Branch City Community Health Center was opened to the public.
Land for the City's beautiful Parkhurst Park was bequeathed to the City in memory of General Parkhurst in the late 1920's.
A new era in transportation occurred in 1934 when the City Council leased Legg Airport to establish its own municipal airport."
In the same publication, there is the following information about Coldwater Township:
"During the early settlement of the township, the presence of Indians was not uncommon, several bands of Pottawattamies still continuing to roam the forest and plant their wigwams within sight of their white neighbors. They kept up a regular system of trading with the settlers, and gradually became very familiar in their relations with them.
The township was first set off, and organized in the spring of 1833. The name is said to be a translation of the Indian word for Coldwater Lake, which is extremely low in temperature."
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