Bear River Valley Heritage Center

621 Charlevoix Avenue

The Bear River Valley Heritage Center is the white building in the center of the picture on the left.  A meat market was operated there by Hosmen and Wheeler in the 1890s. Later, the place became a little city hall. The fire wagon could roll out the east door. The team of horses was also stabled there, with hay kept in the loft.  A tower was built onto the hose house to hang the canvas hoses to drain. A jail cell was put in the basement. At some point the tower was removed and the building was used as the Third Ward voting place. Today it is owned by the City of Petoskey and is used by the 1913 Railroad Club to display their model trains.

The 1901 Sanborn Insurance map shows the location of the tower.