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JUNE 21 ISSUE ANSWERS: Eugene Mack was a farmer in Addison and Bruce Townships. His house still stands on the north-west corner of Mack Road and Dequindre Road. Eugene was born in the house and lived his whole life there. The photo above is of the Mack Door Hanger. Let his granddaughter, Mildred H. Schmidt, tell you about it. “In 1886, Grandfather applied for a patent on a barn door hanger, and apparently received it. They were manufactured in Romeo. It consisted of an iron bar for a track on which grooved wheels could roll. There must have been quite a few made because they have been reported on old barns that have been torn down. Before the hanger, barn doors were hinged. With the help of his brother, George, the patent was sold to an Iowa company. It was known as the Mack Door Hanger. There was a wooden overhang to keep ice from forming on it. Grandfather kept his oiled for easy rolling.” The Romeo Historical Society Archives displays three of the Mack Rollers. Because Eugene was a creative man he started his own local telephone company for the residences just west of Romeo. He maintained the lines and collected the subscriber’s money and paid the connection free to the main phone company. Mildred continues: “About 1906, some of the partners formed Mack Roadway Telephone Company. It started from the west end of Romeo and followed 32 Mile Road, but branched to the south, into Washington Township, as well as parts of Bruce and Addison. Charles and Ed Potter of Lakeville did the line work of climbing poles Thunder storms and ice storms were dreaded because of downed or tangled wires I remember going with Grandfather in the horse and buggy as he checked for tangles. Sometimes it was a limb over the wires. He had a bamboo fish pole in the back of the buggy that he used to untangle them.” Eugene Mack like many other Romeo citizens started businesses and brought the area into the 20th Century. The Manley Manufacturing Company made thrashing machines, the Grays made planters and Brabbs made road carts. Romeo was moving ahead. —R. Beringer, Romeo Historical Society staff

JUNE 21 ISSUE ANSWERS: Eugene Mack was a farmer in Addison and Bruce Townships. His house still stands on the north-west corner of Mack Road and Dequindre Road. Eugene was born in the house and lived his whole life there. The photo above is of the Mack Door Hanger. Let his granddaughter, Mildred H. Schmidt, tell you about it. “In 1886, Grandfather applied for a patent on a barn door hanger, and apparently received it. They were manufactured in Romeo. It consisted of an iron bar for a track on which grooved wheels could roll. There must have been quite a few made because they have been reported on old barns that have been torn down. Before the hanger, barn doors were hinged. With the help of his brother, George, the patent was sold to an Iowa company. It was known as the Mack Door Hanger. There was a wooden overhang to keep ice from forming on it. Grandfather kept his oiled for easy rolling.” The Romeo Historical Society Archives displays three of the Mack Rollers. Because Eugene was a creative man he started his own local telephone company for the residences just west of Romeo. He maintained the lines and collected the subscriber’s money and paid the connection free to the main phone company. Mildred continues:
“About 1906, some of the partners formed Mack Roadway Telephone Company. It started from the west end of Romeo and followed 32 Mile Road, but branched to the south, into Washington Township, as well as parts of Bruce and Addison. Charles and Ed Potter of Lakeville did the line work of climbing poles Thunder storms and ice storms were dreaded because of downed or tangled wires I remember going with Grandfather in the horse and buggy as he checked for tangles. Sometimes it was a limb over the wires. He had a bamboo fish pole in the back of the buggy that he used to untangle them.”
Eugene Mack like many other Romeo citizens started businesses and brought the area into the 20th Century. The Manley Manufacturing Company made thrashing machines, the Grays made planters and Brabbs made road carts. Romeo was moving ahead.
—R. Beringer,
Romeo Historical Society staff

Covering the villages of Armada and Romeo as well as the townships of Addison, Armada, Bruce, Oakland, Ray and Washington

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