Charles Henry Hackley (January 3, 1837 – February 10, 1905) was an American philanthropist who made his fortune in the

lumber industry The wood industry or timber industry (sometimes lumber industry -- when referring mainly to sawed boards) is the industry concerned with forestry, logging, timber trade, and the production of primary forest products and wood products (e.g. furnitu ...

Biography

The son of Joseph H. Hackley and Salina Fuller Hackley, Charles Hackley was born in

Michigan City, Indiana Michigan City is a city in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City Combined sta ...

on January 3, 1837. He was an important figure in the history of

Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expa ...

. With his father, he arrived in Muskegon in 1856 from Indiana to work on the creation of the early Michigan roadways. Later he became the owner of many acres of cutting grounds throughout Michigan. Later on (with business partner Thomas Hume) he opened the Hackley-Hume Lumber Mill on Muskegon Lake in 1854. He married Julia E. Moore in 1864. After many successful years the mill of operation, the mill closed in 1894, after most of Michigan's

Lower Peninsula The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the S ...

had been effectively deforested. While many lumber mill owners moved their operations to the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

, Hackley remained in Muskegon and focused on urban revitalization of that city. A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, he held several public offices, such as Muskegon County treasurer, member of the common council, member of the Muskegon board of public works, and president of the school board. He died from heart disease in Muskegon on February 10, 1905.

Philanthropy

Hackley became Muskegon's biggest philanthropist. In his own words: "A rich man to a great extent owes his fortune to the public. He makes money largely through the labor of his employees....Moreover, I believe that it should be expended during the lifetime of the donor, so that he can see that his benefactions do not miscarry and are according to his intent....To a certain extent, I agree with Mr. Carnegie....that it is a crime to die rich." Hackley was much more than a philanthropist. He and his business partner, Thomas Hume, were strong supporters of the city of Muskegon. Armed with funding from the Muskegon Industrial fund, they were able to convince several companies to open shop in Muskegon (most notably, Brunswick, Central Paper Co (now Sappi Fine Paper) and Continental Motors (now L-3 Communications Inc.)). Growth of these companies would later provide thousands of jobs to Muskegonites for much of the twentieth century. Hackley is not only credited with his gifts to the city but also stopping the ebb of people leaving Muskegon for jobs elsewhere after the lumber industry folded. Charles_Hackley_House

Both Hackley's and Hume's homes are still standing. After a major restoration in the mid-1990s, they are open for tour to community visitors. Also open for tour is The City Barn, which served as the pairs stable for horses and equipment. In addition, a replica of the building that housed the C. H. Hackley Hose Company No. 2 also serves as a museum. All are part of the Muskegon County Museum which is located downtown. Hackley also founded the neighboring city of

Muskegon Heights Muskegon Heights is a city in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,856 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The city is surrounded o ...

. His portrait was painted in 1904 by artist Herbert A. Collins. The painting was hung in the then newly completed Hackley Hospital.Biography of Herbert Alexander Collins, by Alfred W. Collins, February 1975, 4 pages typed, in the possession of Collins' great-great grand-daughter, D. Dahl of Tacoma, WA

Legacy

Hackley was a lifelong philanthropist. Despite donating enormous sums of money in his lifetime, Hackley still managed a net worth of over $18,000,000 (roughly $600,000,000 in 2022). Hackley's gifts to the city of Muskegon alone were valued at $12.0 million in 1905 (nearly $400,000,000 in 2022 equivalent). They included: * Hackley Public Library – site, building, contents, and an endowment * Hackley Art Gallery – site, building, contents, and an acquisition fund (renamed Muskegon Museum of Art) *

Hackley Park Hackley Park is a municipal park in Muskegon, Michigan. In 1890, it was built on land donated by Charles H. Hackley to honor the memory of soldiers who fought in the Civil War. It is bounded by Clay & Webster, and Third & Fourth in the Muskegon ...

– park, statues, and soldier's monument * Hackley Manual Training School and Gymnasium – site, building, and equipment * Hackley School, later home to Muskegon Community College, renamed Hackley Administration Building * Hackley Athletic Field (renamed Hackley Stadium – seats 10,000 for Muskegon High School football games) * Hackley Hospital – site, buildings, medical supplies and equipment, and an endowment * City of Muskegon – Poor Fund Endowment * Julia E. Hackley Educational Fund Endowment * Muskegon Humane Union Endowment * C. H. Hackley Hose Company No. 2

References

External links

Charles H. Hackley biography

Muskegon County Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackley, Charles 1837 births 1905 deaths People from Muskegon County, Michigan 19th-century American philanthropists Michigan Republicans