HISTORICAL TIMELINE - The Making of Frankenmuth

Significant dates in history:

• 1845… Frankenmuth settled.
• 1854… Frankenmuth township created.1856… Exchange Hotel built (today Zehnder’s Restaurant)
• 1862… Cass River/Geyer’s Brewery built.
• 1868… Local German mutual aid insurance organization created, later developed into today’s Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company.
• 1874… Star of the West Milling Company formed joining hundreds of flour mills across rural 19th century Michigan. Today, Star of the West is just one of a handful of mills operating in 20th Century Michigan.
• 1880 – 1900… Fischer Hotel (later Bavarian Inn), Kerns Commercial House, Stahl’s Eagle Hotel, Goetz Hotel, and Hotel List built.
• 1899… Mrs. Kern (Commercial House) served “all you can eat” chicken to a bridal party from Saginaw.
• 1899… Frankenmuth Brewing Company founded. Later became Carling Brewing Company, Carling-National, and G. Heileman Brewing Company.
• 1901… State decrees separation of local tax support from St. Lorenz Lutheran School.
• 1904… Village of Frankenmuth Incorporated.
• 1927… Zehnder’s purchased Exchange Hotel.
• 1945… Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland founded.
• 1950’s… I-75 constructed, providing easy access to the area. A dike was built along the bank of the Cass River, controlled annual floods allowing expansion of the downtown area.
• 1957… Rupprecht’s Sausage was the first building built in the “Alpine-style” architecture. The building was built in 1948. It is now Willi’s Sausage.
• 1958/59… Zehnder family redecorated the Fischer Hotel in the “Alpine-style” architecture, renaming it the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn.
• 1959… City of Frankenmuth incorporated.
• 1959… Bavarian Inn Grand Opening (later developed into annual Bavarian Festival.)
• 1960 & current… More buildings adopt Alpine-style architecture.
• 1962… Frankenmuth became third city in America to join the People-to-People program. Frankenmuth chose Gunzenhausen, Germany, as Sister City.
• 1963… Civic Events Council formed to organize and manage Bavarian Festival.
• 1969… Location of Bavarian Festival moved to Heritage Park.
• 1970’s… Bavarian Mall opened on north end of Frankenmuth spurring continued development of north end of town.
• 1976… Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland built new building on south end of Frankenmuth spurring development of south end of town.
• 1977… Marv Herzog and Harold Mitas organized the first Summer Polka Fest.
• 1977… A Main Street Historic District was formed to encourage preservation of existing architecture and use of “Bavarian” architecture in new construction.
• 1980… Frankenmuth Holz Brücke (covered bridge) constructed. Largest covered bridge built in America in 75 years.
• 1980-81… Old St. Lorenz School/Frankenmuth Middle School converted to School Haus Square shopping mall.
• 1982… Nickless-Hubinger Flour Mill opened third Flour Mill on that site.
• 1982… Zehnder’s Restaurant opened their newly expanded bakery area.
• 1982… Edelweiss addition to Bavarian Inn Restaurant.
• 1982… Horse Carriage Tours established in Frankenmuth.
• 1984… Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth purchased Frankenmuth Golf & Country Club.
• 1986… Bavarian Inn Lodge opened phase one (100 rooms.)
• 1987… Twenty five years of Sister City visits and programs celebrated.
• 1987… Roof Garten Lounge and Doll & Toy Factory addition to Bavarian Inn Restaurant.
• 1987… Geyer Brothers Brewery purchased, remodeled and opened as Frankenmuth Brewery.
• 1988… Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth purchased Bavarian Haus Motel.
• 1989… Bavarian Inn Lodge opened phase two (98 additional rooms.)
• 1989… Frankenmuth Riverboat Tours opened.
• 1990… Frankenmuth Agricultural Park opened (Frankenmuth Cheese Manufacturing Company, Frankenmuth Pretzel Company, and Gepetto’s Restaurant.)
• 1990… G. Heileman Brewery closed.
• 1990… Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce hosted First Annual Oktoberfest.
• 1991… Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland opened new expansion (total building space now 201,243 square feet.)
• 1992… Fortress Golf Course opened.
• 1992… Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth hosted first annual Zehnder’s Snowfest.
• 1992… Frankenmuth/Gunzenhausen celebrate 30 years of Sister City visits and programs.
• 1992… Zehnder’s Bavarian Haus Motel addition complete (indoor pool, courtyard, a total of 137 rooms.)
• 1993… Bavarian Festival celebrates 35th Anniversary.
• 1994… Maypole Structure installed at Chamber of Commerce Building.
• 1994… Herbert L. Keinath Memorial Fountain Schulpture Enhancement Project completed and dedicated.
• 1995… Frankenmuth celebrated its Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) throughout the year.
• 1995… Bavarian Inn Lodge opened Phase three (156 additional rooms).
• 1995… Drury Inn opened creating the fourth hotel property in Frankenmuth.
• 1995… The Frankenmuth Women’s Club constructed the Veteran’s Memorial in Willkommen Park.
• 1995… The Frankenmuth Historical Museum undertook a complete renovation of its exhibits creating a more firsthand experience of Frankenmuth’s beginnings.
• 1996… June 21 at 11:10pm a tornado hits Frankenmuth. 10 homes are destroyed, many others damaged as well as many businesses. No loss of life was sustained
• 1997… First Annual Clam & Lobster Fest.
• 1998… Frankenmuth 2000 begins construction.
• 1998… The Rummelplatz opens its facility.
• 1998… Bavarian Inn Lodge adds $3 million dollar meeting & convention area.
• 1998… Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company purchases St John’s Church, properties, and the Geyer house.
• 1999… Fairfield Inn by Marriot opens bringing the fifth hotel property to Frankenmuth.
• 1999… First Oktoberfest Parade.
• 1999… Covenant Health Care constructs new medical facility.
• 1999… Frankenmuth Credit Union constructs new facility.
• 1999… Frankenmuth Clock Company constructs new facility patterned after a Bavaria, Germany building.
• 2000… Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland expansion of their shipping department.
• 2000… Removal of the G. Heileman Brewing Company for the Phase 1 of the Frankenmuth River Place.
• 2001… River Place opens July 2001.
• 2001… Ground breaking for the SpringHill Suites.
• 2001…Michigans’ Own Military and Space Museum adds additional exhibit space.
• 2001…Frankenmuth School District buildings begin capital improvement process.
• 2002...Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland Expansion.
• 2002…Completion of the Frankenmuth 2000 Hospitality Plan.
• 2002…SpringHill Suites by Marriott opens bringing a sixth hotel property to Frankenmuth.
• 2002…Grandpa Tiny’s Farm relocates Dehmel Road bridge to property.
• 2003…Sullivan’s Black Forest Brau Keller opens.
• 2003…Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce remodels public restroom facilities.
• 2003…Frankenmuth Historical Association dedicates Norine Kern town clock.
• 2003…Bronner Performing Arts center dedicated.
• 2003…Frankenmuth Brewery reopens & acquires “Riverview Queen” riverboat, renaming it “Pilsener Princess.”
• 2003…Frankenmuth Auto Fest celebrates 20th anniversary.
• 2003…Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce holds first annual “Wein & Stein” event.
• 2004…Frankenmuth Fire Department celebrates 100th anniversary.
• 2004…First Lumberjack Festival held.
• 2004…Beyer Road Bridge reopens as a pedestrian bridge across the Cass River.
• 2004…First Blues Bash on the Cass event held.
• 2004…Groundbreaking takes place for Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark.
• 2004…Groundbreaking takes place for the Harvey Kern Community Pavilion in Heritage Park.
• 2004…Weiss Street streetscaping project completed.
• 2005…Dedication of the Harvey Kern Pavilion.
• 2005…Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark opens.
• 2005…First Christkindlmarkt held.
• 2006…Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce celebrates it centennial anniversary.
• 2007…Marv Herzog Hotel opens. This 38-room hotel, built by the Drury Inn corporation, is the 7th lodging facility in Frankenmuth, bringing the total number of overnight guestrooms to 809.
• 2008…Frankenmuth Post Office renamed “Postamt” in German with Hummel figurine artwork added.
• 2008…Tim Horton’s restaurant opened.
• 2009…Frankenmuth Brewery re-opened under new ownership.