PORTLAND, MICHIGAN; City of Two Rivers, and Kelland's Boyhood Home

 Famous American author Clarence Budington Kelland was born in Portland,  Michigan, on July 11, 1881.  The actual birthplace on the southwest corner of the plat known as Powers Park has been destroyed, but the family home for most of the ten years that C. B. Kelland lived in Portland is still a private residence on Lincoln Street.   

In one of his earliest novels, "The Steadfast Heart", he gives a verbal picture of the Portland he remembered, although he called his village, "Rainbow".  Many of the characters in the story are also thinly veiled Portland residents.

In October of 1987, a memorial stone was dedicated to Kelland's birthplace.  The stone is located beyond the left field fence at Powers Park.  It was purchased and donated to the city by Donald and Elmere Wright, former owners of the land.

The first  Clarence Budington Kelland Store was located in downtown Portland, in the Art of Giving Gift Shop and Bakery (107 W. Bridge St. 517/647-0031); the same building that housed Mr. Kelland's mother's millinery shop in the 1880's. The store featured Kelland books, magazines, mugs, T-shirts and videos based on Kelland's stories.

These Kelland articles are still available for purchase. Contact proprietor Michael Judd at judd_michael@yahoo.com for additional information.

THE KELLAND HOMETOWN TOUR
A tour of Kelland's boyhood home.