Club History
OCT. 1970
In the late 1940`s - early 1950`s - out-of-town goose hunters were overrunning area farms with detrimental effects on wildlife populations. A group of local men - George Woodward, Mike Dalieden, Orville Atkins, Dutch Atkins, Charlie Dickinson, Skip Bale, and Art Paul got together with Charlie Clay from the Dowagiac Gun Club to see what could be done. It was decided to form a club named the Fennville Rod and Gun Club. The club was formed in 1954. The immediate goal of the club was to print and distribute signs requiring hunters to get permission from landowners to hunt. Early meetings were held at the American Legion Clubhouse. George Woodward was the first President. Early meetings and shoots were held at Walt Robbins property on 123rd. Claire Harrington tore down a school building in Douglas and donated it to the club, with the understanding that the club would rebuild it on our present site as our clubhouse, which was completed about 1956. The Fennville Rod and Gun Club had a small building where the pistol range is now located that was put up in approximately 1955. Originally they had just one trap field. The trap was both hand loaded and cocked. In 1973 electricity was added and the skeet fields were built. Bonds were sold to finance these improvements. In 1983 the north trap field was added, along with the bathroom addition. In 1985 the extra storage room was added on the west end of the building. The pole barn was added in 1991, and we`re still growing!
*10/2/2010 -The club has continued to grow since 1991. In 2005 the interior was remodeled with the pine siding you see today. The bar and wood stove with stone surround was installed in 2005 also. In 2007 the club modernized a bit and purchased two voice activated releases for the Trap fields. In 2010 the club added the "Gun Room" to the east, poured concrete around this addition as well as the slab at the Rifle Range, and built the covered Rifle Range with storage building. The Woodshed was also a 2010 addition.
*4/1/2020 - Since 2010 the club has continued to grow and improve. We have had lead recovery twice on the shot drop zone since then which has helped lead to many improvemnets around the club grounds. A third trap field was added on skeet field one. The roof was replaced on the clubhouse. The rifle range has had many improvements including safety protocols instituted to keep members safe while shooting. The parking lot received a new layer of gravel. new chairs were purchased for the club. The kitchen became licensed by Allegan County Health Dept. FRGC partnered with a CCW instructor to offer monthly CCW classes. 2019 saw a covered extention added to the west end of the building to be used for events. In early 2020 the club kitchen got a much needed facelift with all new equipment and paint. Summer 2020 will see the trap houses get new tops and fresh paint.
Submitted by J.D. Brake
*edited by M. Mills 2010
*10/2/2010 -The club has continued to grow since 1991. In 2005 the interior was remodeled with the pine siding you see today. The bar and wood stove with stone surround was installed in 2005 also. In 2007 the club modernized a bit and purchased two voice activated releases for the Trap fields. In 2010 the club added the "Gun Room" to the east, poured concrete around this addition as well as the slab at the Rifle Range, and built the covered Rifle Range with storage building. The Woodshed was also a 2010 addition.
*4/1/2020 - Since 2010 the club has continued to grow and improve. We have had lead recovery twice on the shot drop zone since then which has helped lead to many improvemnets around the club grounds. A third trap field was added on skeet field one. The roof was replaced on the clubhouse. The rifle range has had many improvements including safety protocols instituted to keep members safe while shooting. The parking lot received a new layer of gravel. new chairs were purchased for the club. The kitchen became licensed by Allegan County Health Dept. FRGC partnered with a CCW instructor to offer monthly CCW classes. 2019 saw a covered extention added to the west end of the building to be used for events. In early 2020 the club kitchen got a much needed facelift with all new equipment and paint. Summer 2020 will see the trap houses get new tops and fresh paint.
Submitted by J.D. Brake
*edited by M. Mills 2010
Share your Gun Club photos! We're looking for older pics you may have from the Gun Club - the further back the better! The new website has a spot on the Photos page that lets you email pics to the website. It would be nice if you would identify the people or year in the older pics. We'd like to build the photos on the History page. Current pictures are welcome too. Please keep in mind we may not be able to post all pictures received and the Board does reserve the right to crop or eliminate any that may not be appropriate!