"Forget past mistakes.  Forget failures.  Forget everything except what you're going to do now, and do it.”

- William C. "Billy" Durant

Our Stories

Featured Story

William C. "Billy" Durant

Carriage and Automotive Entrepreneur
A man of ceaseless energy and exciting ideas

Don Coleman

Football star who busted through all boundaries and rose to the top of the game 

Grand Funk Railroad

Hard-driving 1970's rock band that sold out Shea Stadium faster than the Beatles

PEOPLE, PLaces, and Events.

Biographies of people who influenced our community, places of importance in the county, and events that shaped it.

The people who made Genesee County are among the most compelling in American history.  Indeed, it’s  a collection of talent that traverses the rich span of time to gather into a mosaic of stories that will surprise, shock, motivate, educate, and entertain you in the most unexpected ways.  

Our website is a work in progress, and since history is always being made, it probably always will be!   Return to this site regularly to read new biographies, updated history finds, interviews, articles, links, and more. 

The bold, black titles found within the categories can be expanded to learn more.  Start the journey that is both fun and enlightening!

People, Places, and Events

Titles in bold black indicate link to more information.

People

Indigenous People:
Anishinabek/Ojibwe/Chippewa
​Ottawa

Early Settlers:
Jacob Smith
​
Business Leaders and Innovators:  
Fred Aldrich
​William Atwood
​William Ballenger
A. G. Bishop
David Dunbar Buick
Albert Champion
Louis Chevrolet
Walter P. Chrysler
​Lloyd Copeman
Henry H. Crapo
​Harlow Curtice
J. Dallas Dort
​William C. "Billy" Durant
Tom Gores
Phil Hagerman
A.B.C. Hardy
​Clarence Kelly Johnson
Charles Kettering
​Walter Marr
Arthur Mason
​Charles Stewart Mott
Charles Nash
​William Patterson
Eugene Richard
Alfred Sloan
​W. F. Stewart
​Robert Whaley
James Whiting

Politics
Governor Josiah Begole
Henry H. Crapo
William M. Fenton
Floyd Mcree
Alfred Summerfield
Olivia 'Libby" Maynard
​James Sharp

Social Innovators
James Hurley
Frank Manley
Ester Cram Marsh
Dr. John Wesley Moore
Elizabeth Welch

Sports
Jim Abbott - Olympic Baseball, MLB
Scott Aldred - MLB
Tom Alward - NFL
Eldon Auker - MLB
​Carl Banks - NFL
​Floyd Bates - Harlem Globetrotters
Charlie Bell - NBA
Roger Bernard - Boxing
John Bero - MLB
Doug Blom - Boxing
Leroy Bolden - NFL
Steve Boros - MLB
Tony Branoff - Football
Lloyd Brazil - Football
Wayman Bitt - NBA
Buick Racing Team - Auto Racing
"Wild" Bob Burman - Auto Racing
Leon Burton - AFL
Tony Burton - Football
Chris Byrd - Boxing
Steve Bysco - Bowling
 Brian Carpenter - NFL
Brandon Carr - NFL
Albert Champion - Cycling
Lynn Chandnois - NFL
​Louis Chevrolet - Auto Racing
Mateen Cleeves - NBA
Don Coleman - Football
Ollie ​Craven - Bowler
Shawn Cronin - NHL
André Dirrell - Boxing
Anthony Dirrell - Boxing
Jim Doyle - Softball
Ellis Duckett - NFL
Tonya Edwards - WNBA
​Grant Fisher - Track and Field
John Fisher - Wrestling
Terry Furlow - NBA
Lamar Gant - Weightlifting
Geena Gall - Olympics, Track and Field
​Howard Gilroy - Bowler
Jeff Grayer - Olympic Basketball, NBA
George Guerre - Football
Jeff Hamilton - MLB
Chuck Hanneman - NFL
Mark Harris - Basketball
Courtney Hawkins - NFL
George Hoey - NFL
Dave Hoskins - MLB
Jerry Hosnery - Water Skiing
Mark Ingram, Jr. - NFL
Mark Ingram, Sr. - NFL
​Darryl Johnson - NBA
Dennis Johnson - NFL
Erwin Kitzler - Archery
​Paul Krause - NFL
Ed Krupa
Sophie Kurys - Baseball
Kyle Kuzma - NBA
Rick Leach - MLB
Jock Leslie - Boxing
Todd Lyght - NFL
Roy Marble - NBA
Bart Markel - Motocross
Eugene Marve - NFL
John Mathews - Olympic Wrestling
Joe Mays - MLB
Bruce McIenna - NFL
Javale McGee - NBA
Pamela McGee - Olympic Basketball
Paula McGee - Olympic Basketball
Linell McKinney - WBL
Mike Menosky - MLB
​Bud Messenger - MLB
Brent Metcalf - Wrestling
Michael Miller - NFL
Hank Minarik - NFL
​Larry Mitchell - MLB
Booker Moore - NFL
Deanne More - Softball
Monte Morris - NBA
Jim Morrisey - NFL
Ken Morrow - Olympics, NHL
Craig Morton - NFL
Deanna Nolan - WNBA
Scott Parker - Motocross
Ricky Patton - NFL
Clarence Peaks - NFL
Morris Peterson - NBA
Jim ​Podoley - NFL
Joe Ponsetto - Football
Bob Powell - NFL
Ron Pruitt - MLB
Brian Rolston - NHL
Thomas Rawls - NFL
Bobby Reed - MLB
Merv Rettemund - MLB
Sue Novara-Reber - Cyclist
​Bobby Reynolds - NHL
Greg Reynolds - Golf
Russ Reynolds - NFL
Glen Rice -NBA
André Rison - NFL
Jeanette ​Robinson - Bowler
Bob Rowe - NFL
Jon Runyan - NFL
​Mike Secrest - Cycling
​Jack Seltzer - Golf
Dan Severn - Wrestling, MMA
Clarissa Shields - Boxing
Dan Skuta - NFL
Antonio Smith
Robaire Smith - NFL
Steve Smith - CFL/NFL
Jay Springsteen - Motocross
Pam Stockton-Brady - Badminton
Barry Stokes - NFL
Paul Staroba - NFL
Bob Suci - NFL
​Leo Sugar - NFL
Frank Szepanski - Bowling
Justice Thigpen - NBA
Jesse Thomas - NFL
Stacey Thomas - WNBA
Tim Thomas - NHL
​Trent Tucker - NBA
Daryl Turner - NFL
Eric Turner - Basketball
Brad Van Pelt - NFL
Coquese Washington - WNBA
​George Washington-NFL
​Herb Washington - MLB
​Mala' Vai Washington - Tennis
​Jennie Weiss - Golfer
​Mickey Weston - MLB
Brent Williams - NLF
Reggie Williams - NFL
Bill Yambrick - Football
​Lonnie Young - NFL

Arts and Entertainment
Grand Funk Railroad
Question Mark and the Mysterians
Ready for the World
The Velvelettes
Bob Bell
Sandra Bernhard
M.C. Breed
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Tony Burton
Terry Crews
Rachel DiPillo
Bob Eubanks
Ernie Gilbert
Kasey Kasem
Nancy Kovack
Sherm Mitchell
​Frank Price
Colonel Edward Thomson

Military
4th Calvary
102nd U.S. Colored Troops
Fenton Light Guards, 8th Regiment
Flint Union Grays, F. Co. 2nd Infantry
Sara Emma Edmonds
​Stockton's Independent, 16th Infantry
Colonel Thomas B.W. Stockton

Other Notables
​Alexis de Tocqueville and Gustav de Beaumont
Branoff Family
Dutch Bower
Proper Champion
​William Craft
Enos DeWaters
Mildred Doran
​Jerome Eddy
Michael Gorman
​Larry Gustin
​Corey Foote
Hamady Brothers
John and William McDonald 
​Dr. Robert McMahan
​George Maines
Ruth Rawlings Mott
​Arabella Rankin
​Bill Thomas
​Francis Wilson Thompson
Clarence H. Young

Places

​Flint
Robert P. Aitken Farm House
Applewood Estate
Atwood Stadium
Autoworld
Berston Fieldhouse
Buick Motor Company
Capitol Theatre Building
Carriage Town
Chevy-in-the-Hole
​Civic Park Historic District
​College and Cultural Center
Community Presbyterian Church
​Coney Islands
Court Street United Methodist Church
Dresden Hotel
​Drive-in's
Durant Automobile Factory/Fisher Body/GM Tech Center/Diplomat Pharmacy
Durant-Dort Carriage Company Headquarters National Landmark
Durant Garage
Durant Hotel
Eastside Neighborhood
Dryden Building
Elks Lodge Building
​Factory One
​First Chevrolet Factory
First Buick Factory
First Methodist Episcopal Church
First National Bank and Trust Co.
Flint Arches
Flint High School
​Flint Central High School
Flint Golf Club
Flint Masonic Temple
Flint Sit-Down Strike Marker
Flint Wagon Works
Fourth Ward Evangelical Church
​Frederick Miner House
Genesee County Courthouse and Jail
​Glenwood Cemetery
GMI (Kettering)
 Golden Leaf
Henry H. Stevens Moving
Hurley Hospital
IMA Safetyville
IMA Auditorium
Jacob Smith Trading Post
​Kearsley Park
​Longway Planetarium
McLaren Hospital
Michigan School for the Deaf
Morris A. Knight House
Mott Foundation Building
Charles W. Nash House
Northbank Center
Oak Park Methodist Episcopal Church
Old Calvary Cemetery
William A. Paterson Factory Complex
Pere Marquette Train Station
Quinn Chapel A.M.E Church
Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
St. Joseph's Hospital
Jacob Smith/Fred A. Aldrich
​Smith-Bridgeman's
Stockton House
St. John Street Neighbor
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Todd Tavern
Vehicle City (Designation)
Robert J. Whaley House
Willson Park

Argentine
Argentine Cemetery
Argentine Mill

Burton
Little Missouri Neighborhood

Clio
Clio Depot
McLean House
Thetford Township Hall

Davison
Kitchen School Building
Charles A. Uptegraff House
Christopher B. Uptegraff House
Woolley Building

Forest Township
Smith Hill Cemetery

Fenton
Dibbleville
Fenton Downtown Historic Site
Fenton Grain Elevator
Fenton Hotel
Fenton Mill
Fenton Old Town Historic District
Fenton United Methodist Church
Old Prospect Hill Cemetery
St. Jude's Episcopal Church
George W. Wilmot House

Flushing
First Methodist Episcopal Church
Flushing Community Center
Harrison Homestead
Daniel O'Sullivan House/Halfway House
Toledo, Saginaw and Mackinaw Railroad Flushing Depot
Amos M. Woodruff House

Grand Blanc
Congregational Church of Grand Blanc
​Consolidated School System
John West Davison Farmstead
First Baptist Church
William A. Perry House
​Perry Farm
Whigville
​
Linden
Linden Downtown Historic District
Linden Grist Mill
Linden Presbyterian Church
James H. Murray House

Mount Morris
Crossroads Village
First United Methodist Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Voiture 1116 - 40 et 8

Mundy Township
Mason's Tavern

Otisville
E. S. Swayze Drugstore
West Forest United Methodist Church

Swartz Creek
Crapo Farm
Horace Gilbert/Morgan and Enos Miller House
Swartz Creek Cemetery

Events

50 Millionth Buick
2016 Democratic Presidential Debate
Back to the Bricks
​Beecher Tornado
Bobby Crim Festival of Races
The Buick Open
Birthplace of General Motors
​DeTocqueville's Visit
First Buick Test Drive
First White Settlers: Grand Blanc
​F.D.R. Visits Flint
John F. Kennedy Visits Flint
​Presidential Visits
Sit-down Strike
Central vs. Northern Thanksgiving Day Games
​The Who Play Atwood Stadium
Treaty of 1819
War of 1812 - Michigan History
​

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