|
Happy Summer! It was great to see many of you in town this past weekend … it was active and the atmosphere electrifying. It doesn’t get much better than enjoying the music and fellowship in the Ville.
Today, we continue our summer theme talking about where Northvillians cooled off in summers past. Some of these spots include the gravel pits in the area, which harken back to the glacier age that carved out our topography. Over the years, many of us in the Ville swam in the heat of summer at these locations.
Additionally, many Northvillians take refuge by going “Up North” to enjoy all the lakes and rivers OR by jumping in at local swimming spots. Some of these nearby cooling zones include the Northville Swim Club (since the 1960’s), Meadowbrook (over the past 100 years) and other pools in the area. Early local history, dating back to the 1870’s, tells us that the Northville Fish Hatchery on 7 Mile provided a swimming area for Northvillians in one of their 14+ ponds.
There was also a small body of water that is still in the back of Rural Hill Cemetery where many of the local adventurous boys (including my father) swam in the early 1900’s. After WWII until the 1960’s, there was even a county splash park and wading area across from Custard Time.
Before looking at our timeless cooling zones, let’s see today’s happenings:
- Mill Race Village is now open Sundays, 1-4 PM – Stroll the newly bricked lane, visit the blooming gardens and historic buildings.
- Upcoming Music/Concerts/Events – Chamber/DDA Link, Maybury Link, Marquis Link, Northville Winery Link, NOMI Link, Genitti’s Link, Tipping Point Theatre Link
- The Beautification Commission seeks members – Meets on the second Tuesday monthly and serves as an advisory body, promoting & administering projects on behalf of the City, and committed to uphold the aesthetic standards of public and private properties. Link
- Commander Ed Huyck of the Northville VFW Post 4012 was interviewed by CBS Detroit about efforts to improve our Veterans area of Rural Hill Cemetery (our little Arlington). See link for info on how to support the project. Link
TASK FORCE MEETINGS
- Bicentennial Task Force Mtg - 8/21, 7:00 PM City Hall (Rick Sharpe – Chair)
- Cemetery Restoration Mtg – 8/11, 7:00 PM City Hall (David Marold- Chair)
INFO FOR CITIZENS …
Projects Around Town
- Ford Field – Phase I: Waterfall at Ford Field. Phase II (now): Scrub tree’s being cleared, new DTE poles installed and renovations happening this week. (Vista overlook, fencing, staircase upgrades, ADA entrance). New playscape & Bathrooms to follow.
- Riverwalk – Riverwalk/Pathway system starting at the Downs – Rocks and timber bolstering taking place on river. DTE Substation building cleared for Riverwalk. Bridge embankments at the Downs constructed and the entombed river will flow above ground in the new channel by end of summer and the entire 10 Acre+ park will be ready by fall.
- Downs Initiative – September move in for Townhomes / Infrastructure continues.
- Farmers’ Market – This placemaking area was made possible by the City & Township working together (550 7 Mile). Thursdays, 8am - 2pm. Additional events here: Car shows, (2nd Saturday monthly), drive-in movies, festivals, carnivals. etc.
- Grants that Support Northville’s Community Initiatives – Link
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WAYS NORTHVILLIANS HAVE COOLED DOWN IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER …
Our town, as you know by now, is a home for the Rouge River, with three tributaries converging in the Ville (Johnson Creek, Randolph Brook leading to the Rouge system). We also have the only natural lake in Wayne County, Curtis Lake (also once called Silver Springs Lake/Yerkes Lake). And, being the highest point in the county, the water runs down river, dropping hundreds of feet to the Detroit River into the Great Lakes.
In the four historic sections of town, opportunities to cool down were as follows:
Orchard Heights
- Beginning in the 1870’s, as I alluded at the start, Northvillians in the Orchard Heights area would go to the Northville Fish Hatchery to swim in one of their many ponds.
- Finally, at the end of Eaton Drive at Seven Mile, there was an additional pond where Joe Denton Park is today. This spring-fed pond once connected to the City’s water supply.
Cabbagetown
- Locals cooled down in the Mill Pond created by the dammed-up Rouge River (Northville was one of the first milling areas in Michigan, then it transitioned to manufacturing & production during the Industrial Revolution; today, we are reinventing ourselves with a network of Riverwalk pathways).
- Many folks had homes on the banks of the Rouge River that runs through Cabbagetown to keep cool in the summers and for the relaxation of running water.
- Lake Success on Griswold (a remnant of the gravel pit days) was a swimming spot.
Bealtown
- The Rouge River also runs through the Bealtown area (named after Mr. Beal who owned the largest School and Church furniture business in the world, right here in Northville.) Last century, the river running through Northville Downs was entombed underground to provide more land for the Wayne County Fair at the Downs. Today, we are uncovering the river and constructing an adjacent pathway and greenspace on either side.
- Johnson Creek connects to the Rouge here. After WWII, Wayne County built what we would call today a “splash park” as you enter the parkway across from Custard Time. When I was a kid, there were still remnants of this splash park.
Historic District
- The Randolph brook winds its way from Oakland County through to our historic area where a waterfall system at Ford Field exits it into the Rouge River. In the early 1960’s, at the edge of the district (8 Mile & Randolph), the Northville Swim Club took shape. Our family were charter members, and I have fond memories of cooling off there.
- Next door to the Swim Club at the old High School (Hillside School grounds), a modern indoor pool was built in the late 1960’s which offered open swim times for the public.
Glacier-made Pits – Northvillians would also cool down at nearby gravel pits. Thousands of years ago, the glaciers “slowed down” ever so slightly, edging their way through Northville, leaving gravel deposits. Once dug out, these large craters would fill with spring water. I remember hearing stories from my father and grandparents about swimming in the Northville gravel pits. Today, we call one Blue Heron Pointe, and the other is called Highland Lakes. The Taft Road area was home to an additional gravel pit.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and cool off by walking close to our flowing waterways at Fish Hatchery Park, Ford Field, Mill Race Village and Hines Drive.
Keep that Northville Summer Faith & Enjoy the Rivers that run through it!
Brian Turnbull
Motorsport Mayor – Northville
|