BYERS HOMESTEAD

The Byers homestead, a historically significant piece of property sites on the bank of the Huron River within the Village of Commerce. The site was listed on the State Register of Historic Sites on May 28, 1977 because the farmhouse occupies the site of a log cabin built by Abram Walrod, the first European settler in Commerce Township, in 1825 and also because the current buildings have been relatively unchanged. The Township purchased the property in 1998. The property contains a barn, which is used as a country store, a duck barn, a pantry (“Grandma’s Pantry”), a storage barn, an outhouse and the primary residence, which was originally built in 1930.

The Byer’s Country Store is open to the public throughout the year and is the home to many antiques, teddy bears and candy items. Additionally, visitors to the country store buy small bags of corn to feed the ducks. This has been a favorite past time of area residents for many, many years. The “Friends of Byers” is a group of volunteers formed in 1995 whose statement of purpose is to “Preserve the historic Byers Homestead as a cultural, educational and recreational resource.” The friends are responsible for the coordination and preservation and maintenance of the site. They hold special events throughout the year including an ice cream social and fall clean up. Anyone interested in more information about the Byer’s Homestead or joining the Friends of Byers can call the Township Planning Department at 248-960-7050.