43. Mr. House’s Fruit Stand

Location: 3480 Blue Star Highway
Date: 1860s – 1960s

Edwin R. Kasten, Edwin House, and dog Cherry pose among blooming fruit trees, circa 1946

One of the earliest and most successful fruit farms north of the Kalamazoo, the Riverside Fruit Farm specialized in cherry, peach and honey production. In 1878, the farm sent a record 3,000 pounds of honey to the Chicago market and boasted more than 1,000 peach trees and 500 quince trees in production. Edwin House took over the farm in 1897 when his father unexpectedly died. Edwin was innovator, embracing modern fruit management. He invented “Early Bird” tree bands to protect trees from damaging codling moths. He pioneered the practice of roadside fruit marketing to the newly-emerging automobile traveler. In 1922, he predicted that “pure fruit juices properly preserved will take the place of drinks made from coat tar derivatives” and developed “House’s Cherry Cider.” Renamed “House’s Cherri-Mix” to avoid confusion about the term “cider,” the early soft-drink was popular across the Midwest.