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Bloomfield Blossoms: p. 122-123

Smith, Kay, 1925-

Bloomfield Township Public Library

Bagley, Amasa

Bagley's Corners (Bloomfield Township, Mich.)

County courts -- Michigan -- Oakland County (Mich.)

GB01a063

part of 'Bloomfield Blossoms' by Kay Smith

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THE BAGLEY TAVERN--IT RANG WITH GOOD TIMES Amasa Bagley was a very early Michigan pioneer, coming to the Territory by sleigh in the winter of 1817-18. He first bought land and planted crops south of Bloomfield, but in the summer of 1819 he resettled here and sent for his wife and five little daughters, as well as an older daughter and son-in-Iaw, the William Morrises. They bought a large tract of land south of what is now Long Lake Road and east and west of the Saginaw Trail, and put up their log house. Some time later, probably about 1832 or 33, it was replaced with a frame house of several rooms, and turned into a tavern. It became quite popular both for parties and for local government meetings. The annual Township meeting was held there in 1835, 36 and 37. The tavern gave the area its first name, "Bagley's Corners." At the first meeting of the Oakland County Court on July 17, 1820, Amasa Bagley was named as associate judge of the court, remaining in this position until statehood, and continuing in the same capacity for the rest of his life. William Morris was named sheriff at the same meeting. Judge Bagley, a bit of a wag, commented on his judgeship, inasmuch as he was in no sense a lawyer but a farmer, businessman and tavern-keeper that he guessed "judge- timber" was scarce in these parts. He and Morris went into several ventures such as setting up a brickworks, a gristmill and a sawmill, but they're mostly known for Bagley's Tavern. The Tavern still exists and in this Bicentennial Year was designated the first Historical Site in Bloomfield Hills.