St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

In 1832, Job Davis purchased 150 acres of land along the Paw Paw River between what is now Coloma and Watervliet. Davis planned to harvest the stand of trees at this location to make hand-split wooden shingles. Later that same year, a man named Levi Ballengee bought 80 acres of land from Davis with the intention of building a lodging house for the shingle makers he anticipated would be flocking to work for Davis, a failed venture. 

The following year, Ballengee advertised for a shingle maker. Stephen Gilson of Chautauqua, New York—en route to Chicago and staying in Berrien Springs for a few days when he heard of the need for a shingle maker—went to work for Ballengee, assisting him in getting out 125,000 shingles their first season. The men worked together during that winter and by spring the news of their operation had spread, leading to the formation of a small settlement that became known as “Shingle Diggings,” more commonly referred to as “Shingle Diggin’s.” In 1837, Gilson bought the shingle mill from Ballengee. However, by 1838, the timber for making shingles was exhausted. Shingle Diggin’s was no more.

Another New York native, Gilson Osgood, was one of the early day promoters of what is now Coloma. His brother Moses Osgood was the first settler to stay in this area to do farming, arriving in 1836.  Gilson Osgood followed his brother, arriving to the area in the 1841 where he became acquainted with Stephen Gilson.

Gilson Osgood and Stephen Gilson joined in 1849 to build a waterpower mill on Tannery Creek near the current Lions Park. A short time later Stephen Gilson sold out his interest. Osgood also built a shanty-like building just north of Red Arrow Highway and across from the mill. He moved his family into the rear of the building and opened a store in the front. Although the stock of goods was limited, it served a great need and many settlers gathered for the opening day.

Cash money being scarce, farm products and furs were used as a medium of exchange for store goods, a form of trade known as “dickering.” It is claimed that 90 percent of the first day’s business was done by dickering, so the idea was born that “Dickerville” would be a fine name for the new, growing town.

Meanwhile, Stephen Gilson had left the area in 1850 for California in pursuit of the Gold Rush, taking his son Warren and daughter-in-law Laura with him and leaving the rest of the family in Dickerville. By all accounts this venture was successful. While in search of gold, they stayed in the village of Coloma, California. 

Stephen Gilson returned to Dickerville in 1855. About this same time, the U.S. government was seeking to establish mail service. Most folks did not feel that Dickerville was a very dignified name for the growing community. At the suggestion of Gilson’s daughter-in-law Laura, he put forward the name “Coloma” which was accepted, ending Dickerville’s short lifespan.

The coming of the railroad in 1871 moved the location of Coloma’s business center near the railroad tracks that cross North Paw Paw Street where the heart of Coloma remains today.

Original source can be found here.