Vandalia, Michigan, is an extremely unique and prideful place. It boasts a population of just 280 people – a number that has been steadily shrinking for the past decade. The village is part of the Penn Township, forming a near-perfect square of land bordering Highway M-60 within Cass County.
Vandalia and Cass County have a storied history, originally inhabited by Potawatomi Indians. When European settlers arrived in the 1820s, they formed the county and named it after the territory's governor, Lewis Cass. The one-square-mile area known as Vandalia started up around 1848 when people started developing the land and designated a postmaster for the colony. The village was formally incorporated in 1875. Despite its small size, Vandalia packs a lot of fun into that single square mile.
Since 2009, it has been participating in Underground Railroad Days, a celebration of the area's heritage. The Underground Railroad Society of Cass County gives guided tours, walking people through the history of the 1847 Kentucky Raid when slave catchers from Kentucky captured fugitive slaves from Cass County farms. A crowd of over 300 Quakers, freed former slaves, and abolitionists gathered, prepared to fight off the Kentuckians, but the Quakers calmed the situation before things escalated to violence. Thirty-four fugitives, along with the nine captured former slaves, fled for Canada on the underground railroad.
The Railroad Days aren't just about history, though. There's also music, poetry, arts and crafts, and a church service. Plus, the Bonine House is open for tours. The house belonged to Quaker James Bonine, who came to Cass County in 1843 and created a home with the property set aside for Freedmen and freedom seekers. Next to the house is Bonine Elk Park, which once was home to a herd of elk and buffalo. James Bonine was also responsible for building the first Quaker meeting house made of brick. The URSCC purchased the properties in 2010 and is now restoring the home and Carriage House across the street. Together, the two make up some of the best examples of Victorian architecture in the region.
The village is also close to several great retreats. Less than ten miles away, the Swiss Valley Ski and Snowboard Area bring people from all over the country to check out the fantastic snowy slopes. Swiss Valley also puts on one heck of a party on the weekends, bringing in great food and live music to their on-site beer garden. The resort also hosts ski classes for people just starting out, even offering special sessions for homeschoolers and their families.
About 15 minutes from Vandalia, you can visit Marcellus VFW Post 4045, a Veterans Organization chartered in 1946 and dedicated to helping and honoring service members who fought in foreign wars. The post isn't just solemn commemorations, though. It also often hosts dinner parties with live music, chili cook-offs, and dart competitions. Vandalia may not be big, but it is a strong, proud community, and it's one Stratex Pest Control is honored to serve. Michigan is beautiful, but we still get our fair share of bugs and animals wandering where we don't want them. If you've got a pest problem, call Stratex today.