Hardman's General Store

Grove Post Office 1894-1897

Grove was a settlement at the corners of Cypress and 120th Ave. The settlement needed a name for the post office and since there was already an Ensley Post Office at Ben Ensley's Farm it was given the name of Grove. The name was changed to Ensley Center at a later time. The building was built by the Ensley Cooperative Company and was a store. On the other corner was Cook's Store owned and operated by George F. Cook.

The Grove Post Office was commissioned on November 6, 1883 with George F. Cook as post master. The post office at that time, and after, was in Cook's Store. On August 16, 1894 the post office was moved to the Kinney/Hardman store. On July 17, 1897, George F. Cook became Postmaster again. The post office was then moved to the Cook's Store. The office was discontinued on Sept. 14^th., 1903, with the mail going to Sand Lake Post Office in Kent County. The post office at Ben's Ensley's Farm was also discontinued in 1903 with the mail going to the Howard City Post Office.

In the 1890's the second floor of the store was used as a hall for meetings and dances.

On January 12, 1893, Thomas J. Kinney (Thomas Kinney's son and John Kinney's grandson) bought the store you see above. The former owner was the Ensley Cooperative Company of the Township of Ensley, whose directors were: Andrew Flynn, William H. Cook, Melvin A. Cox, Norman Jones , and Leman A. Robinson. Thomas and his wife, Nellie, operated this store from 1893 until 1900. During this time, Thomas was the post master of Grove and clerk of the township. He became postmaster on August 16, 1894. For three years the store in the picture was the post office and for three years it housed the township library. In 1900 he sold it to his sister, Maggie Hardman. She operated the store until her death in 1922. She left the property to Lena West.

           Thomas J. Kinney

Below are several old and new pictures

Hardman's General Store

Around 1900

Notice the tree just planted on the right and then look at the tree in the pictures below.

I am not sure on the date of this picture, maybe the 1930's

As you can see it is a gasoline station/store, notice the old style gasoline pump (on right).

Also notice that the tree (on right) has grew a bit more.

(Photo courtesy of the White Cloud Public Library)

(Photo Enhancement by Verduin Webs)

This is how it is today, notice the tree

(Photo taken by Verduin Webs)