Kaleva
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Historic Markers
N 44° 22.405 W 086° 00.685
16T E 578760 N 4913823
Corner of Wuoksi and Aura
Waymark Code: WMXVV3
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 03/04/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member lumbricus
Views: 3

Finnish immigrants founded this little village in 1900. The name Kaleva is derived from the Finnish epic poem Kalevala. This poem was the source of street names in the original plat. The Evangelical Lutheran Church, known today as the Bethany Lutheran, was organized on January 12, 1902. On that same day the Temperance Society "Kalevatar" was organized. The Temperance Hall was built that year and served as a place of worship until 1913 when the church was built and as a community center until 1933. About the same time the Youth Society was organized, and a hall for meetings was built in 1904. The Finns took pride in their cultural heritage, founded a lending library, and instilled in their children a love for music, books and God and country. In 1901 the Finnish Publishing Company moved here from Brooklyn, New York, and the original building still stands.

Among the pioneers arriving in Kaleva in 1900 were the families of John Haksluoto, Jacob Lemponen, Kalle Hendrickson, Matti Kemppainen, Antti Myllyla, and John Palomaki. These settlers were mostly farmers and manual laborers. They possessed a distinctive quality of perseverance known as sisu. Life was a struggle. After arriving here, many were forced to clear land for homes and crops. Most homes had a sauna, and to a Finn, there is nothing comparable for reviving an overworked body and spirit. These pioneers along with people of other ethnic origins contributed to the development of Maple Grove Township, Manistee County, and to the culture and agriculture of Michigan. Today, Kaleva is a thriving community with profitable businesses and farms, good schools, and modern facilities.
Parking nearby?: yes

Registered Site #: L0524

Historical Date: Not listed

Historical Name: Not listed

Description: Not listed

D/T ratings: Not listed

website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a photo of your GPS at the marker. We'd prefer a photo of you with your GPS, but we realize that sometimes that's just not possible or preferable. Also include a bit about your visit to the marker.

NEW: Instructions for logging Missing Marker Visits.

If the Marker is missing, but still listed here, you must provide a photo of you at the actual item historically honored. (This should be the waymark's "default" image). Indicate in your log that you took your photo at the Historical Location instead of the marker, because the marker was missing. Please also still include a bit about your visit to the site.

Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Michigan Historical Markers
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
Historic Markers visited Kaleva 03/02/2018 Historic Markers visited it