page_title: Charles Mears
section_title: Western Michigan development
hierarchical_section_title: Charles Mears / Western Michigan development
caption_attribution_description: English: 1839 Michigan map.
context_page_description: Charles Mears was a Michigan lumber businessman, a Chicago, Illinois capitalist, and a developer of the western part of Michigan. Mears State Park in Pentwater is named after him.
context_section_description: Mears had a hand in developing many of the towns on the west coast of Michigan. His motive for doing this was because he owned thousands of acres of timber land and needed to transport the lumber from his sawmill operations to Chicago. He was well known for opening many harbors in towns of western Michigan to be able to transport his lumber.
  Mears built and sailed his own boats. He also constructed and operated his own sawmills for his lumber since he owned thousands of acres of timber in Michigan.
caption: Michigan map 1839
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