04/19/2017
A little family history.......
A throwback Thursday tribute to one of Old Mission's first families - the Kroupa Family!
"Leopold & Petronella Kroupa along with their sons Charles, Ferdinand, Ludwig & John arrived from what is now the Czech Republic (formerly Bohemia) in 1852 with little except $16,000 worth of gold bullion. They endured many hardships making their way to Chicago and then up the Old Indian Trail to Traverse City and then on to Bowers Harbor on the Old Mission Peninsula. When they arrived in the area, forestry was flourishing and the now cleared land was available for farming. They first grew potatoes but then Peter Dougherty of the Presbyterian Foreign Missionary proved to the settlers that the peninsula provided the perfect soil and climate to grow cherry trees. All four of the sons became cherry growers in the area and today, descendants of at least three of the sons are still growers. Furthermore, there are a number of 5th generation Kroupa growers and a few 6th generation growers with the promise of a 7th generation."
