ColeGrove-Woodruff Camp No. 22
Marshall, Michigan
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil (SUVCW) is a patriotic and educational organization similar to the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) whose purpose is to perpetuate the memory of the Soldiers, Sailors and Marines who served in the Union armies and navies during the Civil War.
We are the Colegrove-Woodruff, Camp No. 22, Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. We are the descendants of soldiers, sailors or marines who served in the Army or Navy of the United States of America during the War of the Rebellion of 1861 to 1865.
Marshall's G.A.R. post was named after the first local man to die in the war, Private Calvin Colegrove, who was killed at the Battle of First Bull Run in 1861. It's official name was Colegrove Post No. 166. The Post was started in October 1883 and continued for 41 years. The reports sent to Department Headquarters in Lansing by this post still exist at the State Archives. From these records, it was possible to make a list of all the members.
Practically every Civil War veteran in the Marshall area was a member of Post No. 166. The last meeting was held in 1924. The last surviving member was Arthur J. Phillips who died in 1934.
During the first 18 years, meetings were held at various halls rented for the occasion. In 1902 the Post built their own meeting hall, the landmark G.A.R. Hall on Michigan Avenue.
This building was built in 1902 at a cost of $3,000. It served as a meeting place for the members of Colegrove G.A.R. Post No. 166. It remains today the best preserved G.A.R. hall in Michigan.
The cannon on the lawn was added in 1906. It is a 30-pound Parrott (heavy artillery) and used during the Civil War.
Post No. 166 met regularly in this hall between 1902 and 1924. Afterwards, the hall was rented for use as a church, a dance studio, and an ice cream parlor. When Marshall's V.F.W. Post was organized after World War II, they used the hall for their meetings.
In 1977, the Marshall Historical Society bought the building from the City of Marshall for $1. Since then, they have restored the building and transformed it into a historical museum and archives for local history.
The museum features an excellent collection of Civil War items donated by local families. It is open in the summer on weekends. Contact the Marshall Historical Society for further information.