Book excerpt: It was a time in history when news and rumors could travel no faster than a trotting horse, yet Americans were keenly aware of the progress being made in the west. By the time the Erie Canal was open for business, wagons were ready to roll. With babies and belongings in hand, these soon-to-be pioneers bid a forever sort of goodbye to their homes and their loved ones. If what they'd heard was true, good things awaited them in the newly rebranded Michigan Territory. Particularly desirable was the White Pigeon Prairie, known for its breath-taking beauty and its plentiful resources of fresh water, fertile soil, and wild game. This book outlines the development of a community and follows the lives of some of the most interesting families to pass through the area. Whether they stayed for three years or for thirty, they left footprints that should not be swept away. The prairie that became the village was a vital part of Michigan's history that is little remembered today. As much as I hope the reader is entertained, I also hope to bring a renewed enthusiasm for exploring and preserving history, wherever you may be.