Wacousta

Before there was a Wacousta, the settlement of Waterloo was the place to be on the Looking Glass River in Watertown Township.

The Waterloo Joint Stock Company was formed in July 1837 for the purpose of laying out a town along the Looking Glass in portions of sections 7, 8, 17 and 18. A saw mill and grist mill were built along with a store, but the company subsequently failed and ownership of the land passed through a variety of hands before N.I. and Nelson Daniels arrived from New York State in 1848. They rebuilt both mills and opened a store which was quickly followed by others, resulting in a thriving village.

After learning that a post office with the name of Waterloo already existed, early settlers suggested Wacousta - the name of an Indian maiden who folklore attributes with saving the fort at Detroit during the Conspiracy of Pontiac in 1763.

Wacousta General Store still uses the motto, "Everything from soup to nuts," of its predecessor that was originally owned by Lloyd Saxon and Carl Miller. The building that now includes a restaurant and ice cream parlor has seen many owners over the years - but has remained in continuous operation.

The Methodist-Episcopal Church of Wacousta was organized in 1866. The original church was built in 1867. A new building was constructed in 1916, and it has undergone renovations at various times in following years.

A claim to fame for Wacousta comes from the Masonic and Eastern Star Lodge - the Masons formed in 1883, and the OES began in 1894. Monthly fish fries at the Masonic Hall sometimes drew crowds of 800-900 guests.

Growth has been spurred in recent years by subdivisions which are located along the Looking Glass - Looking Glass Brook Road, Summers Lane, Riverside Drive, Hawthorne Hills and others.

Historical information taken from the 1980 Clinton County History.