From the day that Ezra Beardsley stopped to gaze at pretty Pleasant Lake and visualize his future along its shore, lakes have been a focal point for development of Edwardsburg.  The area was originally called Beardsley's Prairie the first settler in this charming village close to the Indiana state line. The native prairie grasses and wildflowers were a beautiful sight to view. 

Edwardsburg was the location of several important historical events.  Where the village now stands was the camping founds of Indian tribes and they held their councils of war and peace within a stone's throw of the place where a survey party took their observations to establish a base line for the survey of Southwestern Michigan land.  Cass County's first court session and the first Board of Supervisors' meeting were held in this village. The village was platted in 1831 by Alexander A. Edwards and named for Thomas Edwards.  Ontwa, the name of the township, was named for an Indian girl employed by Thomas H. Edwards, the first clerk of the township. 

The village grew rapidly until the 1850s when the Michigan Southern Railway went to Elkhart, Indiana and the Michigan Central to Niles.  In the 1870s the Peninsular Railroad now the Grand Trunk) was constructed through the village.

The Edwardsburg Museum proudly displays local history and is partially lodged in the boarding house connected to the Sherman Hotel.  A replica of the hotel was reconstructed in 2006 to expand the Museum which features special displays and programs on a monthly basis May through November.

Handy Local Information