This weekend, family and friends will celebrate the farm's founding.
In 1860, Henry Crapo was already a busy man. While serving as mayor of Flint, he operated a saw mill in town. Then he bought a swamp in present day Gaines Township, drained it and began to farm the land. Crapo, who later was elected governor of Michigan, imported four Hereford steers to his property.
"This farm was the largest Hereford farm in North America. It was the only farm in North America that had it's own private railroad depot," said Bill Morgan of the Swartz Creek Historical Society.
The farm stayed in the family for almost 100 years before being sold to a developer in 1955. The centerpiece was Henry Crapo's house.
"It was a gigantic house. It was built in 1864 by a Swartz Creek carpenter and five Swedish carpenters," Morgan said.
The farm house burned in 1975. After the farm was sold, the land was subdivided and a number of houses went up. But that won't keep people from celebrating the Farm's 150th anniversary.
"Descendants of Governor Crapo are coming from France, Montreal, Canada, Carson City Nevada, Maine, Florida and North Branch, Michigan.
A tour will take the public to sites like an Indian burial ground, which is receiving new headstones and a fence. "We're really happy to see it come back in a dignified manner," said Morgan
The tour will also visit the only structures left from the Crapo farm-a silo and barn foundations.
"Well be coming to this silo to place a wreath in memory of the four owners," Morgan said.
While the Crapo farm has faded away, tour participants will be reminded how important it once was to the Flint area.
You're invited to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Crapo Farm.
The program starts at 10:30 Saturday morning at Mary Crapo School in Swartz Creek.
