About 1880, the Starke Land and Lumber Company operated a sawmill on this
site. After the sawmill burned in 1906, the Starke Company converted its
lumbering operation to the Arcadia Furniture Company to better use the
remaining hardwood forests. The factory produced low- to medium-priced
bedroom furniture made chiefly from hard maple. In addition, they owned
and operated a general store (far right in the photo) and a railroad at
this location.
Today on the site, the cement block building with the Arcadia Marine
sign is the same building that used to house the furniture company's
Mirror Works. Here skilled craftsmen produced mirrors for bedroom suites
and custom-made mirrors.
The Arcadia Furniture Company was in business until 1952. It was the
township's largest employer, and it sustained the local economy for
decades. In 1959, the buildings were deeded to a poultry business who
installed automatic feeders and heaters. Fire destroyed the old factory
complex on April 17, 1960, but the cement block building survived. Today
the site serves as a campground.