Historic Michigan Golf Business Destroyed By Fire

A Michigan mill that has maufactured wood golf rakes and wood flag sticks since the 1870s was destroyed this past Thursday (March 28, 2013) by fire.

Cheesebrough Corporation, in Freeport, Michigan was the oldest manufacturing facility in the state.

A description of the company from their website:

Cheesebrough has been shipping durable outdoor goods around the globe over the past three centuries, at one time by the boxcar and now in much smaller boxes of cardboard. Though a “thin reed” of our former selves, we enjoy using our artistic bent in our craft, in hope we can add beauty and satisfaction to our lives and yours.  Each of our small number of clients is important to us and the continued operation of this old American company.  If we, or anything we build, gives reason to disappoint you, please call and allow us to make it right.

Unlike the typical golf industry suppliers that compete in offering “price point” goods manufactured in far away lands, we are a relic of the days when American craftsmanship and quality was the envy of the nations.  We operate much the same now as when the mill started in the early 1860’s, using simple machines to “rough in” the basic shapes of our products, and handwork for final shaping and finishing. It is a somewhat tedious system by modern standards, and fewer seem willing to live under its quality demands.  It does allow us to offer products that are easily recognized as crafted not manufactured, and that by American craftsmen.

I’m almost certain that I’ve seen their products at Treetops’ Tradition in Gaylord. I was impressed with them at the time and you can see a couple of photos here.

More on the fire here.