History of Cross Village

1930 WPA Project
To earn extra money during the Great Depression, Cross Village Odawa participated in the Work Project Administration’s Michigan Indian Handicrafts project.
Photo: Yvonne Walker Keshick

Perched on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan’s northeastern shore, Cross Village, having celebrated its tri-Centennial several years ago, is thought to be the oldest settlement of continuous occupation in Michigan. This remote area, known as the Land of the Crooked Tree, has been a home and trading center to the Native American Ojibwa (Chippewa) and Odawa (Ottawa) people dating back to the 1670s. Jesuit missionaries arrived in the 1740s; the large white cross they erected on the bluff led to the town’s modern name ‘Cross Village.’ Once a thriving fishing and lumber community, fire destroyed most of Cross Village in the early 1900s. What was left of the village experienced a slow decline as agriculture and fishing became less viable and the lack of year round employment opportunities lured area youth elsewhere.
In the spring of 2007, citizens concerned about the future of Cross Village and its residents agreed to address the problem. When they consulted the Cross Village Master Plan and citizen survey conducted in 2003, three major concerns surfaced:

• Community deterioration due to chronic unemployment
• Losses of agricultural lands and open spaces
• Loss of cultural identity

Strategic planning committees were formed to develop solutions. It was decided that a non-profit organization dedicated to providing long term solutions to the area's chronic unemployment was the best way to address the challenge. A Board of Directors and officers were chosen, and the Cross Village Rug Works was incorporated and endorsed by the State of Michigan on August 17th, 2007 and achieved its 501c3 non-profit status by early spring, 2008.
Research revealed that people indigenous to the Cross Village area have been weaving natural fiber floor coverings for centuries. It was also learned that a successful “rug works” program, implemented in the 1930s in Cross Village, helped alleviate the economic suffering of area residents who were taught to craft braided rugs for sale to the burgeoning tourist trade. Studies indicated the projected success once again of such a facility in Cross Village. Therefore, the decision was made to establish a rug works in Cross Village as a cottage industry for the purpose of providing self-sustaining skills and employment for underprivileged residents through an innovative, multi-faceted mission addressing these issues:

• Relief from chronic unemployment through education and skills building
• Preservation of the area's agricultural community
• Preservation of cultural resources through documentation and education

The Cross Village Rug Works Board of Directors selected a staff and six Artisans to begin production for the new rug works program. After completing extensive Apprenticeships, Cross Village Rug Works Artisans will handcraft high quality textiles and floor coverings from locally produced natural fibers. These offerings will express the beauty, tradition and spirit of this unique and special area of Michigan.