Blissfield Downtown Historic District

Blissfield was originally settled in 1825, and brew slowly over the next few decades. The arrival of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad in the late 1830s spurred some development, but it was not until the 1860s and 1870s, when surrounding landowners began an extensive program of land clearing, that the settlement enlarged substantially. Blissfield incorporated as a village in 1875, and the same year a disastrous fire swept through the commercial district, destroying nearly all the buildings. The earliest buildings in the current district date to the rebuilding after the fire. In 1884, the village mandated that all new buildings in the business district be fireproof.[4]

The downtown continued to grow through the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th. Farther into the 20th century, the village's economy transitioned from agricultural to industrial. After World War II. there was a building boom, but as with many small towns, the 1950s and 60s saw a slow decline in the commercial district as businesses closed or moved elsewhere. However, the Blissfield business district reinvented itself, transitioning to antique stores, gift shops, craft centers, and other specialty shops which attracted an out-of-town clientele. This business model continued into the 21st century.[4]