The City of the Village of Clarkston celebrates its 180th birthday with cake and ice cream in Depot Park, 1-5 p.m., Oct. 7.
In 1832, 180 years ago, Butler Holcomb settled his family here after moving from Herkimer County, New York. He built Clarkston’s first mill in 1833 on the east branch of the Clinton River in what is now Depot Park.
He sold it to Jeremiah and Nelson Clark in 1838, and they built a dam and a new gristmill, leading to more settlement and construction. In 1842, a map was made of the town named Clarkston with lots drawn in place. The village was incorporated by Oakland County Board of Commissioners in 1884.
Clarkston historians pegged the 1832 date in the late 1970s, when plans for installation of village signs were drawn up. The signs, which say ‘Welcome to Village of Clarkston Established 1832? were installed in 1981, just in time for sesquicentennial celebrations in 1982.