In 1937 US-31 was the main thoroughfare through western Michigan. Traffic headed for Chicago and points south, as well as any southern travelers headed north passed through Glenn. In those days Glenn was a thriving resort community with a farm implement company, several gas stations, one restaurant, and a grocery at the four corners.

There was no television and weather forecasting was limited to the noon radio broadcast of the Farm and Home Hour from Chicago. No one prepared for the snowstorm that struck the area on December 7, 1937. Within hours the traffic was at a standstill and the people began to take shelter in the restaurant and gas stations, and then began to spill into the schoolhouse and even private homes. Food supplies ran out until nothing was left but pancake flour. So the stranded motorists were served “pancakes with no sausage” for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the three days they were marooned.

The news of the stormbound travelers was picked up by the newswires. The whole country was aware of the situation in Glenn. For weeks following the storm inquiries came from all over the United States asking about the availability of pancakes in Glenn, and within a month the townsfolk were busy making plans for a festival to commemorate the “Storm of ‘37”. The festivals were ambitious undertakings attended by thousands. Each festival featured a Pancake Queen, carnival rides, exhibits, games and an appearance by Aunt Jemima, who flipped cakes all day long right along side the townsfolk in the big pancake tent. The festivals were discontinued with the start of WWII.

The community had more serious matters to attend to during the war. Attempts to revive those festival days were short lived. However, pancakes are available at the Glenn Restaurant seven days a week. Choose from Regular, Blueberry, Cherry, Pecan, Chocolate Chip, or Oatmeal. See you in the Pancake Town!

Adapted from the Glenn History by Jeanne Hallgren