▁Michigan . ▁ ▁Major ▁high ways ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁White ▁P ige on ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁by ▁European ▁Americans ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Land ▁Office , ▁located ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁White ▁P ige on , ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁surv iving ▁U . S . ▁Land ▁office ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Michigan . ▁Following ▁the ▁c ession ▁of ▁Native ▁American ▁lands ▁in ▁this ▁area ▁by ▁leaders ▁of ▁regional ▁tribes , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁sold ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁acres ▁of ▁land ▁in ▁Michigan ▁for ▁$ 1 . 2 5 ▁an ▁a cre ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁to ▁sett lers ▁of ▁Western ▁Michigan . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁local ▁Pot aw atom i ▁chief ▁W ah b em eme , ▁which ▁means ▁White ▁P ige on . ▁He ▁was ▁buried ▁in ▁the ▁town , ▁with ▁a ▁mem orial ▁stone ▁mark ing ▁his ▁grave . ▁This ▁gra ves ite ▁is ▁now ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁legend , ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁gather ing ▁of ▁the ▁chief s ▁in ▁Detroit , ▁W ah b em eme ▁heard ▁plans ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁settlement ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁White ▁P ige on . ▁The ▁chief ▁was ▁a ▁friend ▁to ▁the ▁white ▁sett lers ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁see ▁harm ▁come ▁to ▁them , ▁so ▁he ▁set ▁out ▁on ▁foot ▁and ▁ran ▁almost ▁ 1 5 0