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The Village
of Homer was
incorporated
in 1871, but
its rich
history
dates back
to the hardy
pioneers who
settled
here. Powel
Grover,
William
Wintersteen
and two
brothers,
Richard and
Henry
McMurtrie,
were the
first
pioneers to
come to
Homer. It
was
mid-April
1832, and
they walked
all the way
from Luzerne
County,
Pennsylvania
to settle on
land three
miles east
of the area
that later
became the
Village of
Homer.
Milton
Barney
arrived from
Lyons, New
York later
in 1832,
purchased
land along
the
Kalamazoo
River, and
the next
year brought
his family
to the area
where he had
built a log
house, a
store and a
small saw
mill using
waterpower
from the
river. He
built the
first hotel,
served as
the first
postmaster,
and started
the state’s
first
wildcat
bank. This
cluster of
buildings
was the
beginning of
Barneyville,
the
village’s
original
name that
was changed
to Homer in
1834 because
James
Hopkins and
others from
Homer,
Cortland
County, New
York wanted
the area
named after
their
previous
home.
From the
beginning,
Homer has
had a proud
history of
innovation
in
agriculture,
business and
industry,
education
and
community
development.
Its services
and
infrastructure
have evolved
to meet the
needs of
area
residents
now and in
the future.
The sign on
the village
water tower
proclaiming
Homer Is
Home
reflects the
spirit and
commitment
of the
community.
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