Rives Junction – The Gem of Jackson County

Rives Junction, sits quietly in Jackson County's Rives Township. I've been there many times and it always feels like I've traveled into the past...it has a calming effect.

Rives was settled in 1834 by Sam Prescott and Henry Fifield from New Hampshire. Soon, more and more settlers began moving to this community: the Whitneys, Drapers, Van Horns, Clarks, Berrys, and more families kept coming.

The community went though a couple of different names. When the first post office began operations in 1839, the area was dubbed “West Rives”. In March 1866, after enough homes popped up in the still-existing woods, the name was changed to “Eaton Rapids Junction”. Finally it was changed for good to Rives Junction (after the township) a couple of months later. Thanks to its post office, it was also listed as “Rives P.O.' for awhile.

The 'junction' part comes from the meeting of the Michigan Central Railroad branches, one from Jackson to Grand Rapids and the other to Saginaw. An interurban line also went through Rives Junction and the power station that was built to accommodate it still stands to this day.

It's a charming little community that is nestled off the beaten path in the Michigan countryside. It's worth a drive-through visit...take a look at some old photos below!