Hastings Mutual Insurance Company Shares Milestone Anniversary with the Community
Hastings, Michigan, July 19, 2010: Hastings Mutual Insurance Company will open its doors to the community for an Open House event in honor of the company’s 125th anniversary on Saturday, August 28. The Open House celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in conjunction with Summerfest weekend activities.
During the Open House, guided tours of Hastings Mutual’s home office will be available and visitors can see the Wall of History that contains documents and artifacts dating back to the company’s incorporation in 1885. Following the tours, light refreshments and musical entertainment will be provided in the D. W. Windstorm Café.
Special guest, Jake the Fire Safety Dog will be at the Open House to demonstrate how to escape safely from a smoke filled trailer from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Jake is part of the non-profit charity E.S.C.A.P.E, Education Showing Children and Adults Procedures for Evacuation. Visitors will not want to miss this canine as he performs other fire safety techniques in the parking area at Hastings Mutual.
Hastings Mutual will be the official sponsor of the Hastings Trolley on Saturday August 28th. The Trolley will provide free transportation from our office to the courthouse, halting service during the parade which starts at noon. Please feel welcome to park at Hastings Mutual and ride the Trolley downtown to avoid Summerfest traffic.
“We are excited to share our 125th anniversary with members of our community at the Open House and throughout the weekend of Summerfest,” said Dan Hill, VP of Marketing. “Hastings Mutual has remained a strong and award winning company because of our local values and consistent financial responsibility. We are a proud to be a part of the city of Hastings and to celebrate our proud history at this milestone occasion.”
Hastings Mutual History
In 1885, Daniel Webster Rogers founded the Michigan Mutual Tornado, Cyclone and Windstorm Company, the first of its kind in the State of Michigan. D.W. Rogers founded the company after two cyclones ripped through the Barry County area in the early 1880s, destroying lives and property.
The company was first operated in the upstairs office of Rogers and Rogers Insurance on the Empire Block, where the Walldorff Brewpub is currently located. The company moved several times over the years including a stay on Jefferson Street. This historic office building was relocated to Charlton Park where it stands today. The company also occupied a location on State Street and Broadway that is now used as an office building for the City of Hastings. In 1961, Hastings Mutual moved into its current home on Woodlawn Avenue. The company’s success made it necessary to undergo two expansions, first in the ‘80s and again in the ’90s.
In 1920, the company changed its name to the Michigan Mutual Windstorm Company and is often referred to as the “Windstorm Company” to this day.
Throughout the years, the Windstorm Company has merged with over 15 insurance companies from surrounding areas. In 1959, it formerly reorganized as Hastings Mutual Insurance Company and became a general insurance company.
About Hastings Mutual Insurance Company
Hastings Mutual is an award winning, A. M. Best: A+ rated, regional Property Casualty insurance company. Hastings Mutual operates in six Midwestern states. The company, based in Hastings, Michigan, has been writing commercial, farm, and personal lines business through independent agents since 1885.
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