The story of Dowagiac's first 100 years may ring familiar to other small cities across the United States. After Dowagiac was established on a railroad line in 1848, new settlers arrived and had the opportunity to establish large-scale factories in the young village. This growth would last for a
full century, fueled by the Round Oak Stove Company and other manufacturers in the city. Because of its manufacturing base, immigrants moved to Dowagiac,...