Paradise township was organized in April 1870.
There are three villages in the township, Mayfield, Kingsley and Summit, only one, however, Kingsley, being incorporated. All are located on the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, and were started about the time the road was built.
At a very early day Gibbs Brothers built a saw-mill at Mayfield, and later a grist-mill. The grist-mill was destroyed by fire some years since. The manufacture of lumber and shingles was carried on by the firm for many years extensively. About four years ago the firm was dissolved and the business wnet into the hands of James L. Gibbs, who continued it until his death, since which time it has been conducted by his widow, Mrs. Addie A. Gibbs. The saw-mill was destroyed by fire only a few months since. The population of the village does not now probably exceed one hundred. There is a Methodist Episcopal church located at this point.
Summit, which is about nineteen miles southeast of Traverse City, has a population of about two hundred and fifty. The village has three general stores, one school building of two rooms, a Methodist Episcopal church, and a flouring-mill, with a capacity of thirty five barrels per day. There are nine school buildings, containing a total of twelve rooms, in the township of Paradise.
The village of Kingsley was first laid out into lots by Mr. J. Kingsley from a porton of his homestead on section 8. Subsequently Dr. M. S. Brownson laid out lots on property adjoining on the west, which he recorded as the village of Paradise. In the year 1893 both plats were incorporated as the village of Kingsley, and in March, 1894, a charter election was held, at which A. G. Edwards was elected president. The village has a population of about eight hundred, located in the midst of a fine farming community. There are in the village five church buildings, viz: Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, German Lutheran, Free Methodist and the Church of the Latter-Day Saints.
There are two saw-mills located within the village limits, that are doing a good business. One is owned and operated by Case & Crotser and the other by Wesley Dunn. Dr. M. S. Brownson owns and operates a flouring-mill, roller process, that has a capacity of seventy-five barrels per day.
One of the important institutions of Kingsley is the Brownson sanitarium, a large three- story building erected several years ago by Dr. Myron S. Brownson, and run by him, of late, with the assistance of his son, Dr. Jay J. Brownson. The building is fitted up with baths and all the necessary appliances for an institution of the kind, and is having a good patronage. There are three hotels in the village, the McCulley House, Cottage Hotel and Hotel Brownson. There are a number of general stores in the place, and the village, being in the midst of a good farming community, is a good market and shipping point for farm products, especially potatoes. Kingsley has two weekly newspapers, the Hustler and the Kingsley Echo. The Hustler was established in 1899 by Dr. M. S. Brownson. It is a six-column folio, devoted especially to local affairs and the interests of the village and county. It appears to be receiving a very good advertising patronage. The Echo was established in 1901. It is a six-column quarto, neatly printed and well filled with local news and advertising. It is also patronised to a considerable extent by Traverse City business men.
Secret societies of the town are as follows: Otto Lodge No. 324, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, owns a hall of its own in the second story of a building on Brownson avenue, where it holds it meetings. Rebekah Lodge No. 363 holds is meetings in the same hall. Strict Account Tent No. 662, Knights of the Maccabees, holds meetings on the first and third Saturdays of each month in a hall over L. D. Ensign's store. Kingsley Industrial Hive No. 416, Ladies of the Maccabees, meets in the same hall the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Camp No. 6789, Modern Woodmen of America, meets every second and fourth Saturday in each month.
From Sprague's History of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw Counties Michigan Edited and compiled by Elvin L. Sprague, Esq. And Mrs. George N. Smith. Published 1903 by B. F. Bowen