City of Omer Digital Collection
Most of these images are only minimally identified. If you recognize any of the people, places, events or dates, please contact us. Your information and stories will help improve our archives for future generations.
Click on the photo to start a gallery. Navigate forward and backward manually. Photo captions/descriptions accompany the photos, and also are in PDF format accessed by the links below the galleries.
1880s Omer Awaits Development Ad
From an item reproduced in the 1970 Omer Harvest Festival booklet, this Omer Business Men's Association ad is believed to have been written in the 1800s to advertise its transportation, cultural, business opportunities & natural resources.
1892 G A R Hall Masquerade Ball Invitation
Circa 12 Feb 1892. This is the cover of the following invitation card.
1892 GAR Hall Masquerade Ball Invitation
Circa 12 Feb 1892. This is the content of the previous invitation card. "Yourself and ladies respectfully invited..." to Grand Army of the Republic (Civil War Union veterans) ball. Committee members: E O Richie (Au Gres), J B Davis (Standish), Jas. Sanborne (Maple Ridge), Thos. Fraser (Sterling), Peter Hanlan (Prescott), Frank Eliott (Au Gres), O Kilmer (Pine River), W G Jennings (Saganin[g]), Capt Geo. Crocket (Au Gres), Mart. Jennings (Arenac), Louis Tovatt (Sterling).
1970 Omer Harvest Festival Booklet
"Did You Know –" item mentions Joan Anderson Gates as 1951 county Onion Queen crowned by Charleton Heston; Doctor Staley as being noted for "the most famous outside Christmas decorations in Michigan."
Documents (5)
Captions/Descriptions
1907 Smith Hardware & Furniture Co Ad.
Company owned by Dr David T Smith. (Omer Progress)
1909 Fred Menzer
Licensed embalmer ad. (Arenac County Independent)
1919 Omer Farmers Elevator Commodity Price List
5 Jun 1919 As advertised in Arenac County Independent. East Michigan Farmers Elevator Co. "We are selling the famous Sleepy Eye Flour at $14.00 a bbl."
1919 Timber Island Resort Co
7 Aug 1919 Owen Glover rented the Lentz Fishery at Timber Island. (Arenac County Independent)
1931 Frederick L Vincent, Civil War Vet
Vincent enlisted into the New York volunteer cavalry in 1862 and was a member Custer's cavalry when the war ended in 1865. He died Feb 1932, age 88. (Arenac County Independent)
1932 Omer High School Graduates
Clockwise from left. Rachel Humerickhouse Weishuhn (secretary), Blanche Sullivan Siegrist (vp), Glen Marshall, Claude Fisher (president), Agnes Sevens Unger (treasurer), John Findlay, Raymond Mudge (advisor), Beldora Anderson Moat. (Photo courtesy Rachel Weishuhn & Joann Gulau).
1932 Mr & Mrs James Moore 50th Anniversary
1 Jun 1932 "Mr. and Mrs. James Moore, of Omer celebrated their golden wedding anniversary Feb 23. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have lived all of their 30 years of wedded life in Arenac County". (Arenac County Independent)
1933 Lone Star Station Holiday Ad
Dec 1933 Mobilgas & oil, candy, liquor & rest rooms. (Arenac County Independent)
1938 Omer Graduating Class
Reading from left. Standing row: John Borovsky, Anderson Ostrander, Alvin Ostrander (vp), Oliver Steward, William Marshall, Charles Stiehl (president).
Sitting row: Leona Greanya, Lillian Findley, F V Pettit (superintendent), Edythe Warren, Lillian Bugh (treasurer), Henrietta Hess (secretary). (Arenac County Independent)
Sitting row: Leona Greanya, Lillian Findley, F V Pettit (superintendent), Edythe Warren, Lillian Bugh (treasurer), Henrietta Hess (secretary). (Arenac County Independent)
1942 Omer HS Valedictorian & Salutatorian
Jun 1942 Edward Trombley (valedictorian), Olive Ostrander (salutatorian). (Arenac County Independent)
1942 Underwood Inn Holiday Ad
23 Dec 1942 No individuals are mentioned but the uncertainty of business during war time is reflected. (Arenac County Independent)
1944 Wheeler Farm Holiday Ad
20 Dec 1944 "Arenac's First Onion Farm" (Source unknown)
Grace Chapter No 41 75th Anniversary (Date unknown)
Reading from left. Standing: Mrs Ida Searns, Mrs Hilda Dreyer. Seated: Mrs Elizabeth Wolfe, Mrs Luella Britt. Not present: Mrs Lilla Buel, Mrs Alice Adair.
W C Sterling & Son Pole Yards (Date unknown)
Of Omer. Sterling owned pole yards in Bay City (transported there "for quick orders") while the Omer yard was stored to take advantage of less expensive railroad through rates. (Source unknown)
News clippings (15)
Captions/Descriptions
Circa 1890 Picnic at Omer Dam
Group in right foreground seining in river. Man & 4 boys with seines in right foreground, 4 at left. Street and trestle bridge from left to right crowded full of men, women & children. House in background. No individuals identified.
Circa 1890 Sucker Seining on Rifle River
Over 30 men, women & children fishing off the bank. River over dam in right background, barn in left.
1890s Proximity of Organizational Structures
First on left: Methodist Church. Left background: First county courthouse turned Masonic Temple. Far right background: Eventually became the Omer Hospital.
1896 Omer School Primary Class
Pupil names are listed but not identified as to specific person in photo, and some names are missing. Miss Bullock, Gladys McDonnell, Burt Larabee, Tom Gillis, Tom Gorrie, Harry Brown, Arthur Brown, Roy Bradley, Freddie Vincent, Davie Henry, Chris Muench, Willie Muench, Isabella Henry, Mida Vincent, Eric Huckle, () Lamblain, Roy Brown, Dell McPherson, Viola Snyder, Ruth Pacquette, Jennie Stebbins, Edith Sanford, () Britton, Linda Topp, Belle Savage, Agnes Gorrie, Eleanor Kent, Viola Pratt, Maggie Snyder, Jennie Britton, Leona McDonell, Maude Alexander, George Larabee, Johnnie Gorrie, Amos Brown, Burt Gillis, Elmer Lamorie, Dale Taylor, () Perkins, George Sanford, Sam Sanford, Rollie Lamorie.
1906 Fred Carscallen & Chris Gorrie
Carscallen on left, Gorrie in rowboat on right on Rifle River.
After 1907 Roscoe Warren & Siblings
Reading from left: Richard Warren (died 1908, drowned in the Rifle River), Marinda Carscallen, Myrtle Warren, Truman Warren & Roscoe Warren. (Photo courtesy of Warren's granddaughter Kristine Sellers)
1908 Omer School Students
Very large group of adults & students of all ages posed standing and seated on lawn at corner of building.
Circa 1908 Rural City Street Scene
Cattle roaming street & drinking from water trough. Edward "Pop" Gleason walking with his collie. 2 women standing on porch. Woman and man on sidewalk. Omer House Hotel with railed porch & balcony in left background.
After 1910 Roscoe Warren & Ida Cassmore
After 1910. (Photo courtesy of Warren's granddaughter Kristine Sellers)
1914 Omer After Fire
The fire destroyed at least 40 buildings. Two years later the dam burst during a flood
1914 Omer Street Ater Fire
4 Nov 1914 Citizens in street amid smoking building. Most of the city had burned. Photo by H S Mills.
1914 Omer's Great Fire
Omer after the great fire of 4 Nov 1914, looking SE from what is now the Co Road Commission's Omer location at 116 Bridge St.
Circa 1916-19 Ed Trombley
In WWI uniform with rucksack and rifle. Label reads: "Ed Trombley Ed was Master of Mandolyn and Coronet Bands He was Teacher at Omer High School. He was Killed in WWI"
1917 Roscoe Dudley Warren
Family history says Dudley was employed 3 days in the main post office but was unhappy working "behind bars: so returned to Omer. He was an Omer rural mail carrier 1928-63. (Photo courtesy of Kristine Sellers)
1919 Omer/Au Gres July 4th Baseball Game
Field of unidentified players & spectators.
After 1919 Roscoe & Ida (Cassmore) Warren
Roscoe & Ida were married 19 Feb 1920 in Standish. )Photo courtesy of Warren's granddaughter Kristine Sellers)
1920s Gendron Family Home
Photo judged to be in the 1920's. Exact location of home unknown. Family members not identified.
After 1920 Roscoe Warren Family
Roscoe & Ida with son Richard & daughter Edith. (Photo courtesy of Richard Warren, daughter Kristine Sellers)
1920s-30s Omer Street Scene
Cars along street of stores, among the The Underwood Inn, post office & J A Mea[?]. Gas pump in front of post office.
Circa 1921 Street Paving Crew
At least 12 in paving crew with implements. Machinery in background, horse team hitched to flat bed wagon with man moving bags.
1922 The Great Ice Storm
Caption says "Omer was nearly destroyed when this 1922 storm ravaged the little town."
1922 After the Great Ice Storm
Caption says "The ice storm of 1922 destroyed much of Omer."
Circa 1923 Omer School Primary Class
Date unknown. 21 Pupils, none identified.
1924 M-10 Bridge Over Rifle River
Caption states its cost was $50,000 (equal to $785,967.88 in 2022).
1927 Holland's Store
Department store.
Circa 1927 Bertrand Sylvester Holland Store
Holland standing in interior of dry goods store.
1928 Omer School Secondary Class
Reading from left. Man furthest back: Ralph Fuller (teacher).
Back/1st row: Delores Allen, (), Harold Roe, Orville Greanya, Walter Nowak, Charlie Eastman, Ray Jolly, (), Dick Payea, Jasper Fuller, Julian Nowak.
2nd row: Martha Schultz, Margaret Underwood, June Priest, Anna Warren, Gladys Matuzak, Sigred Idstrum, Henrietta Schultz, Bernice Roe, (), Helen Jolly, Mrs Ruth Elmerson (teacher).
Seated/3rd row: Audrey Marshall, Mary Dubay, (), Verna Kent, (), (), Margaret Borovsky, Margaret Warren.
Back/1st row: Delores Allen, (), Harold Roe, Orville Greanya, Walter Nowak, Charlie Eastman, Ray Jolly, (), Dick Payea, Jasper Fuller, Julian Nowak.
2nd row: Martha Schultz, Margaret Underwood, June Priest, Anna Warren, Gladys Matuzak, Sigred Idstrum, Henrietta Schultz, Bernice Roe, (), Helen Jolly, Mrs Ruth Elmerson (teacher).
Seated/3rd row: Audrey Marshall, Mary Dubay, (), Verna Kent, (), (), Margaret Borovsky, Margaret Warren.
1936-37 Omer Kids Basketball Team
3 boys, 6 girls. 4 girls named but not matched with girl in photo: Sigreed Ikstrum, Henrietta Schultz, Anna Warren, Gladys Matuzak.
1938 Three Omer HS Juniors
From left to right: Blanche Sullivan 28 May 1938. (Omer HS Jr), Rachel Humerickhouse (Omer HS Jr, later Mrs Weishuhn), friend Belva Williams.
1939 Omer School
Building viewed from street. Group of individuals on left side of steps.
1943 Omer School Primary Class
Reading from left. Top/1st row: Jim Steward, Floyd Holland, Stanley Strelecki, Jack Stiehl, Joann Hopp. 2nd row: Ann Osier, Virginia Kozlow, Helen Bogasky, Harold Boyer, Nelson Reynolds. 3rd row: Martin J Strelecki, Nettie Strelecki, Martin W Strelecki, Lloyd Bell, Norma Bell. Bottom/4th row: Betty Walker, Buddy Bailiff, Duncan Baikie, Donald Alsobrook, Mrs Weishuhn (teacher). (Source unknown)
1970 Omer Hospital
Winter scene.
1971 Omer Centennial Harvest Festival Queen Contestants
Reading left to right: Kathy Kroczaleski of Sterling; Peggy Abbott ("Miss Arenac"), daughter of Mr & Mrs Clifton Abbott of Arenac; Sharon Shinn, daughter of Mr & Mr Ray Shinn of Standish; Marlene Peterson, daughter of Mr & Mrs LeRoy Peterson of Turner; Paula Cavalry [Caverly?], daughter of Mr & Mrs Alex Cavalry of Omer; Peggy Walker of Au Gres, daughter of Judge & Mrs Ken Ralph; Cindy Geiger, daughter of Mr & Mrs Clark Geiger of Twining. Kathy Proulx of Au Gres was 1970 Festival Queen.
2014 Lawrence McHugh House
As it stood in 2014. McHugh was Arenac Co's 1st prosecuting attorney.
Willis Beaver Blacksmith Shop (Date unknown)
2 men standing in doorway of shop. Carts and wheels parked to right of building, plow on porch.
Anna Carscallen on the Rifle River (Date unknown)
Anna standing in boat with County Poor Farm in background. Ann married George Carscallen, who built a water-powered sawmill in what is now Omer.
Carscallen Brothers (Date unknown)
From left: William Carscallen, George Carscallen, Fletcher Carscallen. Circa 1866, George, a farmer and mill owner, & George Gorrie built a water-powered sawmill on the Rifle River known as Rifle River Mills. This lumber settlement eventually became the city of Omer.
Wading in the Rifle River (Date unknown)
Wading in the Rifle River. 3 children wading with dog. Trestle bridge and buildings in background.
Episcopal Church (Date unknown)
Episcopal Church (also used by Presbyterians) from across Rifle River. Unidentified piece of machinery on near side of river.
James Jump's Store (Date unknown)
Store, dirt street, board sidewalk.
Log Drivers on Rifle River (Date unknown)
Log drivers aka river pigs try to keep logs from jamming as they float downriver to Omer sawmills.
Main Street (Date unknown)
View looking eastward. Omer Hot & Cold Lunch on right, car at gas pump. Unidentified individuals on street & sidewalk, in car, seated in four-in-hand horse-drawn public transport & on horseback.
Man with Pike (Date unknown)
Unidentified man posing in front of Omer Hot & Cold Lunch with large fish. Freemans' Ice Cream sign beside sidewalk.
Michigan Paving Brick Plant (Date unknown)
Factory and kilns on the Rifle River. Bricks from this plant create the entrance walk into the Arenac County Historical Museum in Au Gres.
Michigan Paving Brick Plant (Date unknown)
Full view of side of building with wood gangplank leading to factory upper level. Man seated on rise in left foreground.
Bay Munro (Date unknown)
Omer Postmaster. Munro with foot on ottoman, tying shoe.
Old Iron Bridge Over Rifle River (Date unknown)
Old Iron Bridge Over Rifle River. Person walking across, woods in distance. Caption says "Existing Bridge in Omer Michigan Taken from New Bridge Looking North."
Omer Bank (Date unknown)
Curved, rounded front brick building with clock and cupola. [Phail?] store, shoes store sign. Horse team hitched to wagon. Telephone poles in foreground.
Two Views of Omer Bridge (Date unknown)
Top view from up/down river, bottom view from near road approach. (Photo courtesy of Steve & Janet Pavlik)
Prep to Build Omer Depot (Date unknown)
Lumber bundles on site. Homes in background.
Omer Depot Completed (Date unknown)
Logs at side of track to be picked up. Several mean apparently waiting to load it aboard.
Omer Hospital OR (Date unknown)
Nurses with patient (visage out of camera view). Left: Doris Stover, right: Eva Staley.
Omer Hot & Cold Lunch (Date unknown)
2 men standing at outside counter, man seated smoking pipe, man walking down brick sidewalk.
Omer House Hotel (Date unknown)
Omer House Hotel with 2 women sitting on a porch that wraps the street sides. Individual on porch, two on sidewalk.
Omer Roller Mills (Date unknown)
A Kent & Co. 3 unidentified individuals standing on porch or loading dock.
Women Boating in Omer Village Park (Date unknown)
4 women (two with umbrellas) in rowboat near bank. Caption reads "An afternoon on the Rifle River Omer Village Park. Boats rented for a nick[el]. The last park attendant was Dan Roe."
Railroad Bridge Construction (Date unknown)
Approximately 6 men standing on various parts of partially-build bridge, one man with bicycle at right, two women at far left.
S N Weinberg & Co Dept Store (Date unknown)
Store apparently housed the Post Office. Car in front. Standing in front of store from left to right: Helen Matuzak, Roscoe Warren, Charlie Roth.
Smith's Hospital (Date unknown)
3 women sitting on porch of hospital.
W C Sterling & Son Pole Yards (Date unknown)
In Omer. Sterling owned pole yards in Bay City (transported there "for quick orders") while the Omer yard was stored to take advantage of less expensive railroad through rates. (Source unknown)
Moving Rosco Warren's House (Date unknown)
Raised on moving trailer.
Photos (62)
Captions/Descriptions
Old US-23 Omer Bridge (Date unknown)
Old bridge on US-23 over Rifle River.
Postcards (2)
Captions/Descriptions