Grosse Ile Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Grosse Ile Township is a general law township of Wayne County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The township is situated on several islands in the Detroit River
, but the largest island is also referred to as simply Grosse Ile
. The name comes from French
Grosse Île, meaning "Big Island". The population was 10,371 at the 2010 census.
, the township has a total area of 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²), of which 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²) is land and 8.7 square miles (22.5 km²), or 47.4%, is water.
Grosse Ile is the largest island on the Detroit River. The township of Grosse Ile is actually composed of twelve islands, although the community is most often identified with the main island (which residents simply refer to as "The Island"). Grosse Ile's main island is technically composed of two islands.
The tip of the main island's northern section is named Hennepen Point in honor of the 17th century French explorer Father Louis Hennepin
. It is uninhabited and separated from the remainder of the northern section by an unnamed canal that cannot be navigated in a power boat.
The southern section of the main island is separated from the northern section by the Thorofare Canal, which runs on a diagonal course from east to west connecting the main channel of the Detroit River
with the Trenton Channel of the river. The southern section of the main island is connected by bridges to Elba Island, Upper Hickory Island (also known as Meso), Hickory Island, and Swan Island, which are all inhabited.
Not far from the shoreline of the main island in the river lie Calf Island, Celeron Island (charted as Tawas Island), Dynamite (also known as Powder House Island), Fox Island, Stony Island, and Sugar Island, which are all uninhabited. Stony and Celeron are owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Calf Island is owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The other islands are privately owned. Mamajuda Island
lies off the northeastern tip of Grosse Ile and only appears during times of low water level.
Two bridges connect the main island to the mainland of Michigan. The bridge on the north end of the island is called the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge
(off-white color). The bridge on the south end of the island is officially named the Wayne County Bridge
(light green in color), but is commonly called the "Free Bridge" by locals.
Indians deeded the island to prominent Detroit merchants, brothers William
and Alexander Macomb. Although the Potawatomi Indians, like most Native Americans
, did not believe in the European legal concept of land ownership, they did consider the island to be part of their ancestral lands. The Potawatomi Indians called the island Kitcheminishen.
Historians assume that the Macomb brothers believed that by purchasing this deed through the transfer of items of value, they had in fact obtained full ownership rights. In any case, the Macomb brothers are considered to be the founders, and first legal owners, of Grosse Ile, because the Potawatomis, and later the United States government, respected the Macombs' perceived rights to take possession of the island.
Today, recognition of the Macomb brothers' historical importance is found in numerous places in the community. The central business district of Grosse Ile is located along Macomb Street which was named in their honor. A monument commemorating the day that the tribal chiefs and elders signed the deed to the Macomb brothers is located near the shoreline of the Detroit River
at the foot of Gray's Drive. The original deed, which was written on parchment
, is currently stored in the Burton Historical Collection within the Detroit Public Library.
There are at least two homes still standing on the island that were built during the 19th century by a descendant or relative of the Macomb brothers. The Rucker-Stanton House on West River Road was built in 1848 by the great-grandson of William Macomb. The Wendell House on East River Road was built in the late 1860s by the John Wendell whom married the granddaughter of William Macomb.
Westcroft Gardens, a Michigan Centennial Farm located on West River Road, is operated to this day by descendants of the Macombs. Westcroft, which is open to the public, features a nursery well-known for growing and selling hybrid azalea
s and rhododendron
s. During the Halloween season they have haunted hay rides in the back of the farm called "Phantom Forest." In the winter and around the Christmas season they have Christmas hayrides which take you through the woods full of lights. Westcroft is one of the oldest farms in Michigan still owned by the same family. Most of the original buildings at Westcroft Gardens are still standing to this day and well preserved.
The flags of three nations—France, England, and the United States—have flown over Grosse Ile since the first Europeans, French explorers, visited the island during the late 17th century. The early French explorers named the island as la grosse ile—the "big island" in French. The British, whose control of Michigan was established in 1763 after their victory in the French and Indian War
, anglicized the spelling to "Grosse Isle". This form was commonly used until early during the 20th century when local residents succeeded in an effort to re-establish the French version as the official name of the community. To the dismay of historic preservationists and long-time residents, it is still common for the uninformed to mispronounce the name of the community.
Catholic priest and missionary Father Louis Hennepin
accompanied fellow French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
on the ship Le Griffon
in exploring the Great Lakes
in 1679. The Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
on Grosse Ile maintains that Father Hennepin came ashore and said mass at a location on the east shore of the island near the present site of St. Anne's Chapel. While there apparently is not written proof of this specific event, Father Hennepin did write in his journals about the fruit orchards and wild animals on Grosse Ile, so historians assume that, at the very least, he explored the island first-hand. The north end of Grosse Ile is named Hennepin Point in his honor.
Grosse Ile played a minor role in the founding of the city of Detroit by the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Cadillac and his convoy of 25 canoes sailed down the Detroit River and camped on the shore of Grosse Ile during the evening of July 23, 1701. On the morning of July 24, Cadillac returned upriver and reached a spot on the shore near the present intersection of West Jefferson and Shelby streets in Detroit, where he claimed French possession of the territory under the authority of King Louis XIV.
Although Grosse Ile maintained its own name and identity as a community beginning in the 18th century, it did not obtain status as an independent unit of government until October 27, 1914, when the Wayne County Board of Supervisors agreed to separate the island from Monguagon Township
. The first supervisor of Grosse Ile Township was Leonard H. Wilton.
s to travel between Grosse Ile's islands and the mainland in Michigan and Canada. Early residents of European heritage primarily used sail-powered vessels
to travel to and from the islands. By the late 19th century Grosse Ile was known as a popular destination for recreational boaters. During this time period Sugar Island, which is one of the twelve islands commonly considered to comprise Grosse Ile, featured an amusement park, dance pavilion and bathing beach. Paddle steamer
s regularly carried people seeking recreation from Detroit and other points along the Michigan side of the Detroit River to Sugar Island.
During this era and into the early 20th century, a number of wealthy residents from Detroit and other nearby towns built summer homes along the shoreline (mainly on the southern end) of Grosse Ile in order to enjoy views of the Detroit River or Lake Erie
. The interior section of the island was sparsely populated, as most of the land was undeveloped woodlands or part of farms. The residential population of Grosse Ile only totaled 802 during the 1920 U.S. Census. The majority of homes were located around the perimeter of the island and a number of main roads that crossed the community in either a north-south or east-west direction.
In 1894, the federal government funded and constructed a series of channel range lights to assist ships to avoid shallow areas in the Detroit River and its shoreline. The northernmost of the channel range lights was the Grosse Ile Light, which is presently the only lighthouse remaining on the island. The original 1894 Grosse Ile lighthouse resembled a water tower
on stilts as it was constructed on wooden pilings along with a 170 feet (51.8 m) walkway to shore. It was rebuilt in 1906 to become the classic white structure which today is one of the most iconic landmarks on the island.
The image of the lighthouse is considered a symbol of Grosse Ile and can be found on the masthead of the Ile Camera community newspaper and many other places. The lighthouse's beacon was turned off in the 1940s, and the structure is no longer an important navigation aid for lake freighter
s, although small boaters still refer to the location.
In 1965, the Grosse Ile Township purchased the lighthouse from the U.S. Department of the Interior for $350 with funds provided by the Grosse Ile Historical Society (GIHS). The GIHS was given the responsibility to preserve and maintain the lighthouse. The GIHS annually holds a tour of the lighthouse during a weekend each fall which is the only time of the year that it is open to the public.
Island resident Cameron Waterman invented the outboard motor
and successfully tested his invention in the ice-filled Detroit River off the shore of Grosse Ile during February 1905. Following the successful testing of his invention, he established the Waterman Marine Motor Company in Detroit. The company eventually manufactured and sold up to 1,000 outboard motors per year until Waterman sold the business in 1917. During the fall of 2005, the GIHS celebrated the 100th anniversary of Waterman's invention by hosting a public exhibition featuring fully restored Waterman outboard motors which are highly collectible and very rare.
During the Prohibition
era, Grosse Ile became a crossing point for bootleg
gers illegally importing alcoholic beverages from Canada
. They typically arrived to the island via small speed boats. During the winter months, some daring smugglers
drove cars across the frozen river.
During the 1920s and 1930s, a small airport on the southern end of Grosse Ile was the location of historic early aviation activities. The Curtiss-Wright
Flying Service operated a flying school at the airport. The Aircraft Development Corporation built the world's first all-metal airship
, the ZMC-2
, for the Navy in a large hangar. Amelia Earhart
is rumored to have stopped at the airfield on occasion.
Grosse Ile was the home of a U.S. Navy base for forty years. The U.S. Naval Air Station Grosse Ile opened in 1929 after three years of construction of seaplane
and dirigible facilities. During World War II
, the naval base developed into an important center for military flight training
. The base was expanded considerably to accommodate large numbers of American and British fliers who trained on the island. Former President George H. W. Bush
was stationed at the base for training during 1945 for about two months.
During the height of the Cold War
, in 1954, the U.S. Army installed an Ajax-Nike missile
base at the airfield which was functional until it was decommissioned in 1963. The Navy closed the base during November 1969, and it was deeded in 1971 by the federal government to the township government for civilian use as a municipal airport.
Today, the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport
is primarily used for general aviation, and occasionally is a temporary docking area for blimp
s that visit southeastern Michigan to fly over major sporting events. The USEPA
Large Lakes Research Station also occupies one of the buildings on the airport grounds. The airport campus is the home of Grosse Ile Township Hall, which was moved to this location from Macomb Street in 2000, and a number of private businesses. In addition, the airport has been the site of public airshows.
, the founder and head of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company that was the foundation for the later establishment of Oldsmobile
by General Motors Corporation, built a grand summer estate on Elba Island in 1916, which caught fire due to electrical mishaps in 2005, however was restored by the current owner and still stands today. John Kelsey, founder and president of the Kelsey Wheel Company, was a summer resident of Grosse Ile and one of the key organizers of the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club which was established in 1919.
Charles and William Fisher, co-founders of the Fisher Body
Company that later became a division of General Motors
, built large summer homes at the north end of Parke Lane (one remains today). General William S. Knudsen
, president of General Motors Corporation from 1937 to 1940, lived during the summer in an old remodeled farm home that later became the clubhouse for Water's Edge Country Club. Knudsen Drive and the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Hall on Macomb Street were named in his honor.
During the 1920s Henry Ford
, founder and president of the Ford Motor Company
, bought a sizable tract of land between West River Road and the Thorofare Canal. Although he never built a home, he did sell pieces of his property to Ford employees. Ford's controversial personnel director, Harry Bennett
, built the famous "Pagoda House" on West River in 1939. Grosse Ile resident John Karmazin, Sr.
, who lived on the island from 1926 until his death in 1977, invented the automotive radiator
pressure cap, obtained more than fifty automotive-related patents, and founded the Karmazin Products Corporation
which produced automotive and heavy construction equipment components in the city of Wyandotte
from 1946 until 2000. Jack Telnack
, former Global Vice President of Design at the Ford Motor Company, lived on the island during the 1980s when he was credited with designing the very popular Taurus
model.
In 1929, at the age of five, J. Robert "Bob" Beyster
moved to Grosse Ile where his father was a general contractor. He attended Trenton Slocum Truax High School, served in the U.S. Navy in World War II
, and graduated from the University of Michigan
with a Ph.D. in physics. Dr. Beyster went on to found Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC), which by 2007 had more than 44,000 employees and annual sales in excess of $8 billion.
Heinz Prechter
, the German-born, but American-spirited inventor of the automobile sunroof
, made the island his residence from the 1970s until his suicide in 2001. During the late 1960s, Prechter founded the American Sunroof Company (ASC) headquartered in the city of Southgate
. ASC became one of the largest private sector employers headquartered in Downriver
Detroit. At the time of his death, Prechter was widely regarded to be the most successful and influential businessman in Downriver, as he was a friend of many prominent leaders in industry and government, including President George W. Bush
.
Grosse Ile has also been the home of Michiganders with distinguished service in civilian government and the military. Colonel Thornton Fleming Brodhead (1822–1862) was one of the island's most prominent residents in these fields of endeavor. Colonel Brodhead and his wife, Archange Macomb Abbott, lived on East River Road. Colonel Brodhead was, at various times, editor and part owner of the Detroit Free Press
, a Michigan state senator, and postmaster
at Detroit. He served in the Mexican–American War
and led the First Michigan Cavalry in the American Civil War
. The colonel was mortally wounded at the Second Battle of Bull Run
in 1862.
where they were put back on a rail track so they could travel to Buffalo
and other points east. Canada Southern operated trains on this route for about ten years before ceasing service due to financial difficulties.
After Canada Southern ended its operations, the Michigan Central Railroad
operated a train that enabled Grosse Ile residents and visitors to travel between the island and Trenton
. Train service in Trenton provided people a means of regularly traveling to Detroit and other cities in the region. In 1904, the Michigan Central Railroad built a small brick and stone depot along the tracks near East River Road on the east side of the island.
Today, the depot is well-preserved and serves as a community museum operated by the GIHS. The depot and the nearby old U.S. Customs House (moved in 1980 from Macomb Street to its present location), also owned and maintained by the GIHS, are the only structures in the National Historic District along East River Road that are regularly open to the public. In addition, the district features Saint James Episcopal Church
, the oldest church building on the island, constructed during 1867 in part with funds provided by a freed slave named Elizabeth Denison
. The district also includes six homes, built during the 1840s to 1860s period, that provide outstanding examples of architecture, particularly Gothic Revival and Jacobethan
Revival, from this era.
Train service peaked during the early 20th century, but rapidly declined after Edward W. Voigt's Grosse Ile Bridge Company opened the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge
on November 27, 1913 (Thanksgiving Day). The bridge, which is privately owned, is on the west side of the island and connects to the city of Riverview
. After automobile traffic crossing the bridge became the most popular means of traveling to and from the island, the Michigan Central Railroad ceased daily passenger service during early 1924 and stopped occasional freight train service to the island in 1929.
During 1931, the county government converted the Michigan Central Railroad's defunct rail bridge crossing the Trenton Channel into the Wayne County Bridge
for use by vehicular, bike and pedestrian traffic. The rail tracks across the island were replaced by a roadway that is now known as Grosse Ile Parkway. The Wayne County Bridge is commonly referred to as the "Free Bridge" by residents because of the absence of a toll for crossing.
Today, about three-quarters of the vehicle traffic going to and from Grosse Ile travels over the Wayne County Bridge, while one-quarter crosses the Toll Bridge. The Toll Bridge has been hit twice by lake freighters, causing it to close temporarily (first in 1965, then again in 1992). The Wayne County Bridge was closed to vehicle traffic for major renovations between May 2, 2007, and December 21, 2007. During the 2007 county bridge closure period, the Toll Bridge provided the only route for vehicles to travel to and from the island.
While the shoreline areas of Grosse Ile feature the majority of historically significant places and structures, approximately a dozen 1920s era homes in the Jewell Colony subdivision, located in the middle of the island, are listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places. Jewell Colony was the first planned subdivision on the island.
As a result of its unique natural setting, strong community values, historic preservation, highly-rated schools and close proximity to major employers in Metro Detroit
, Grosse Ile experienced a significant increase in the rate of residential development during the last half of the 20th century. By the 1980 census, the population of Grosse Ile had rocketed to approximately 9,300—an increase of about 106% from the 1960 census.
Fearing that the natural character and small-town charm of the community was being forever destroyed by this housing boom, during the early 1990s the Grosse Ile Township established the "Open Space Program" funded by a voter-approved dedicated local property tax to buy undeveloped land. The township's Open Space Program succeeded in acquiring large tracts of environmentally sensitive land which helped to slow the pace of development, preserve the environment and protect housing values. Grosse Ile's Open Space program is considered to be a national model for market-based growth management in a small town.
In 1993, a group of community-minded citizens established a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
named the Grosse Ile Land & Nature Conservancy to aid in the protection and stewardship of the diverse natural resources on the island. The Conservancy soon acquired by donation a number of environmentally important woodland and wetland areas.
The U.S. EPA granted stewardship responsibilities to the Conservancy for a 40.5 acres (16.4 ha) marsh and upland area on the federal government-owned section of the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. This tract of land, which at one time was the location of the Navy's seaplane base and later the Army's Nike missile base, has been restored to its natural state featuring rich biodiversity and rare coastal wetlands. Named the Nature Area by the Conservancy, this land is periodically used by local teachers and Boy Scout groups
to teach children about nature and the importance of conservation.
Presently, Grosse Ile is a community of about 10,371 residents. Many seek to balance environmental conservation, historic preservation, small town suburban living, and new development in a manner that makes it a very desirable place to live. In fact, Money magazine named Grosse Ile one of the "Top 100 Best Places to Live" in 2009.
Festival") takes place around Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. On the same site as Islandfest, the Grosse Ile Youth Recreational Association (GIYRA), a 501c3 charity, runs a haunted house
every Halloween
. When not dressing up as chainsaw-wielding maniacs, GIYRA coordinates the youth sporting events for the island children. The sports currently offered by GIYRA are Football and Cheer, Flag Football, Basketball, Baseball and Softball.
In addition to sporting events sponsored by GIYRA, the island houses an indoor tennis facility. The six courts are inside an old hangar at the city's municipal airport. Recently, the Tennis Center was taken under new ownership. The courts have been refinished, and there are other extensive renovations taking place.
The Grosse Ile Soccer Association coordinates the township's soccer league.
Grosse Ile's community theatre, The Islanders, is Downriver's oldest theatre club and one of the oldest civic theatre groups in the state of Michigan. The club has been active on Grosse Ile since 1925, when friends and neighbors needed an outlet for wholesome entertainment during the long Michigan winters. The first major play was produced on May 21, 1926, by a group of 40 founding members.
Grosse Ile social clubs include the Grosse Ile Yacht Club, the Ford Yacht Club, the Elba-Mar Boat Club, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, West Shore Golf Course, Water's Edge Golf Course and the Grosse Ile Rotary Club (founded in 1947).
serves the township.
On the island, there are two elementary schools: Parke Lane Elementary which serves grades K-2nd, and Meridian Elementary which serves grades 3rd-5th. The Grosse Ile Middle School enrolls students in 6-8, and Grosse Ile High School
(GIHS) provides college preparatory education for grades 9th-12th. Their mascot is the Red Devil. In 1999 the former middle school was demolished in favor of a new and more up-to-date building. In the process, the historic adjacent school, built in 1911, was demolished amid much controversy. The controversy centered around the desire of many township residents to preserve a historic structure in which many life long residents had received their education, and had been the original school building for the island as well.
In 2001, Grosse Ile was ranked the highest out of 88 school districts in Michigan by The Detroit News
.
(CDP) in the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places (like cities and villages) as well on the list of county subdivisions (like other townships). The final statistics for the township and the CDP were identical.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 10,894 people, 4,122 households, and 3,293 families residing in the township. The population density
was 1,133.9 persons per square mile (437.7/km²). There were 4,335 housing units at an average density of 451.2 per square mile (174.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.23% White, 0.36% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population.
There were 4,122 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.8% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 34.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $87,062, and the median income for a family was $96,226. Males had a median income of $71,777 versus $42,430 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $42,150. About 1.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.
The township is considered to be the safest community in Michigan, due in part to its uniqueness as an island community, surrounded by water, with only two bridges connecting it to the mainland.
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The township is situated on several islands in the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
, but the largest island is also referred to as simply Grosse Ile
Grosse Ile (Michigan)
Grosse Ile is the largest island in the Detroit River and is the most populated island in the state of Michigan. It is on the American side of the river and is part of Wayne County. The island is approximately 9.6 mi² and has a population of 10,894...
. The name comes from French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Grosse Île, meaning "Big Island". The population was 10,371 at the 2010 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²), of which 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²) is land and 8.7 square miles (22.5 km²), or 47.4%, is water.
Grosse Ile is the largest island on the Detroit River. The township of Grosse Ile is actually composed of twelve islands, although the community is most often identified with the main island (which residents simply refer to as "The Island"). Grosse Ile's main island is technically composed of two islands.
The tip of the main island's northern section is named Hennepen Point in honor of the 17th century French explorer Father Louis Hennepin
Louis Hennepin
Father Louis Hennepin, O.F.M. baptized Antoine, was a Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Recollect order and an explorer of the interior of North America....
. It is uninhabited and separated from the remainder of the northern section by an unnamed canal that cannot be navigated in a power boat.
The southern section of the main island is separated from the northern section by the Thorofare Canal, which runs on a diagonal course from east to west connecting the main channel of the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
with the Trenton Channel of the river. The southern section of the main island is connected by bridges to Elba Island, Upper Hickory Island (also known as Meso), Hickory Island, and Swan Island, which are all inhabited.
Not far from the shoreline of the main island in the river lie Calf Island, Celeron Island (charted as Tawas Island), Dynamite (also known as Powder House Island), Fox Island, Stony Island, and Sugar Island, which are all uninhabited. Stony and Celeron are owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Calf Island is owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The other islands are privately owned. Mamajuda Island
Mamajuda Island
Mamajuda Island , sometimes identified as Mama Juda Island, is an American island in the Detroit River. It is located just east of the northern tip of Grosse Ile and about 500 feet west of the Canada–United States border. The island is part of Grosse Ile Township in Wayne County, Michigan...
lies off the northeastern tip of Grosse Ile and only appears during times of low water level.
Two bridges connect the main island to the mainland of Michigan. The bridge on the north end of the island is called the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge
Grosse Ile Toll Bridge
The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River connecting Grosse Ile Township, Michigan to the mainland in Riverview, Michigan which is located in Wayne County, Michigan.-History:...
(off-white color). The bridge on the south end of the island is officially named the Wayne County Bridge
Wayne County Bridge
The Wayne County Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel in the Detroit River. Located in Wayne County, it connects Grosse Ile Township to mainland Trenton. It is one of two bridges connecting the island of Grosse Ile to the mainland — the other being the tolled Grosse Ile Toll...
(light green in color), but is commonly called the "Free Bridge" by locals.
Founding and early times
Grosse Ile historians consider the beginning of ownership and governance of the community by residents of European heritage to have begun on July 6, 1776, when the PotawatomiPotawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
Indians deeded the island to prominent Detroit merchants, brothers William
William Macomb (merchant)
William Macomb was a merchant and political figure of Upper Canada.He was born in northern Ireland around 1751 and came to North America with his family in 1755...
and Alexander Macomb. Although the Potawatomi Indians, like most Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, did not believe in the European legal concept of land ownership, they did consider the island to be part of their ancestral lands. The Potawatomi Indians called the island Kitcheminishen.
Historians assume that the Macomb brothers believed that by purchasing this deed through the transfer of items of value, they had in fact obtained full ownership rights. In any case, the Macomb brothers are considered to be the founders, and first legal owners, of Grosse Ile, because the Potawatomis, and later the United States government, respected the Macombs' perceived rights to take possession of the island.
Today, recognition of the Macomb brothers' historical importance is found in numerous places in the community. The central business district of Grosse Ile is located along Macomb Street which was named in their honor. A monument commemorating the day that the tribal chiefs and elders signed the deed to the Macomb brothers is located near the shoreline of the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
at the foot of Gray's Drive. The original deed, which was written on parchment
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
, is currently stored in the Burton Historical Collection within the Detroit Public Library.
There are at least two homes still standing on the island that were built during the 19th century by a descendant or relative of the Macomb brothers. The Rucker-Stanton House on West River Road was built in 1848 by the great-grandson of William Macomb. The Wendell House on East River Road was built in the late 1860s by the John Wendell whom married the granddaughter of William Macomb.
Westcroft Gardens, a Michigan Centennial Farm located on West River Road, is operated to this day by descendants of the Macombs. Westcroft, which is open to the public, features a nursery well-known for growing and selling hybrid azalea
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
s and rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s. During the Halloween season they have haunted hay rides in the back of the farm called "Phantom Forest." In the winter and around the Christmas season they have Christmas hayrides which take you through the woods full of lights. Westcroft is one of the oldest farms in Michigan still owned by the same family. Most of the original buildings at Westcroft Gardens are still standing to this day and well preserved.
The flags of three nations—France, England, and the United States—have flown over Grosse Ile since the first Europeans, French explorers, visited the island during the late 17th century. The early French explorers named the island as la grosse ile—the "big island" in French. The British, whose control of Michigan was established in 1763 after their victory in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, anglicized the spelling to "Grosse Isle". This form was commonly used until early during the 20th century when local residents succeeded in an effort to re-establish the French version as the official name of the community. To the dismay of historic preservationists and long-time residents, it is still common for the uninformed to mispronounce the name of the community.
Catholic priest and missionary Father Louis Hennepin
Louis Hennepin
Father Louis Hennepin, O.F.M. baptized Antoine, was a Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Recollect order and an explorer of the interior of North America....
accompanied fellow French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
on the ship Le Griffon
Le Griffon
Le Griffon was a 17th century sailing ship built by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in his quest to find the Northwest Passage to China and Japan....
in exploring the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
in 1679. The Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
on Grosse Ile maintains that Father Hennepin came ashore and said mass at a location on the east shore of the island near the present site of St. Anne's Chapel. While there apparently is not written proof of this specific event, Father Hennepin did write in his journals about the fruit orchards and wild animals on Grosse Ile, so historians assume that, at the very least, he explored the island first-hand. The north end of Grosse Ile is named Hennepin Point in his honor.
Grosse Ile played a minor role in the founding of the city of Detroit by the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Cadillac and his convoy of 25 canoes sailed down the Detroit River and camped on the shore of Grosse Ile during the evening of July 23, 1701. On the morning of July 24, Cadillac returned upriver and reached a spot on the shore near the present intersection of West Jefferson and Shelby streets in Detroit, where he claimed French possession of the territory under the authority of King Louis XIV.
Although Grosse Ile maintained its own name and identity as a community beginning in the 18th century, it did not obtain status as an independent unit of government until October 27, 1914, when the Wayne County Board of Supervisors agreed to separate the island from Monguagon Township
Monguagon Township, Michigan
Mongaugon Township, is a former township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Quarries here were worked by the French before 1749. American forces defeated British and Indian forces at the Battle of Monguagon during the War of 1812...
. The first supervisor of Grosse Ile Township was Leonard H. Wilton.
Trenton Channel and boating
As an island, boating has been both a means of transportation and recreation since the first residents lived in the community. Native Americans used canoeCanoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s to travel between Grosse Ile's islands and the mainland in Michigan and Canada. Early residents of European heritage primarily used sail-powered vessels
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
to travel to and from the islands. By the late 19th century Grosse Ile was known as a popular destination for recreational boaters. During this time period Sugar Island, which is one of the twelve islands commonly considered to comprise Grosse Ile, featured an amusement park, dance pavilion and bathing beach. Paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
s regularly carried people seeking recreation from Detroit and other points along the Michigan side of the Detroit River to Sugar Island.
During this era and into the early 20th century, a number of wealthy residents from Detroit and other nearby towns built summer homes along the shoreline (mainly on the southern end) of Grosse Ile in order to enjoy views of the Detroit River or Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. The interior section of the island was sparsely populated, as most of the land was undeveloped woodlands or part of farms. The residential population of Grosse Ile only totaled 802 during the 1920 U.S. Census. The majority of homes were located around the perimeter of the island and a number of main roads that crossed the community in either a north-south or east-west direction.
In 1894, the federal government funded and constructed a series of channel range lights to assist ships to avoid shallow areas in the Detroit River and its shoreline. The northernmost of the channel range lights was the Grosse Ile Light, which is presently the only lighthouse remaining on the island. The original 1894 Grosse Ile lighthouse resembled a water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
on stilts as it was constructed on wooden pilings along with a 170 feet (51.8 m) walkway to shore. It was rebuilt in 1906 to become the classic white structure which today is one of the most iconic landmarks on the island.
The image of the lighthouse is considered a symbol of Grosse Ile and can be found on the masthead of the Ile Camera community newspaper and many other places. The lighthouse's beacon was turned off in the 1940s, and the structure is no longer an important navigation aid for lake freighter
Lake freighter
Lake freighters, or Lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that ply the Great Lakes. The best known was the , the most recent and largest major vessel to be wrecked on the Lakes. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. In the mid-20th century, 300 lakers worked the...
s, although small boaters still refer to the location.
In 1965, the Grosse Ile Township purchased the lighthouse from the U.S. Department of the Interior for $350 with funds provided by the Grosse Ile Historical Society (GIHS). The GIHS was given the responsibility to preserve and maintain the lighthouse. The GIHS annually holds a tour of the lighthouse during a weekend each fall which is the only time of the year that it is open to the public.
Island resident Cameron Waterman invented the outboard motor
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
and successfully tested his invention in the ice-filled Detroit River off the shore of Grosse Ile during February 1905. Following the successful testing of his invention, he established the Waterman Marine Motor Company in Detroit. The company eventually manufactured and sold up to 1,000 outboard motors per year until Waterman sold the business in 1917. During the fall of 2005, the GIHS celebrated the 100th anniversary of Waterman's invention by hosting a public exhibition featuring fully restored Waterman outboard motors which are highly collectible and very rare.
During the Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
era, Grosse Ile became a crossing point for bootleg
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
gers illegally importing alcoholic beverages from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They typically arrived to the island via small speed boats. During the winter months, some daring smugglers
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
drove cars across the frozen river.
Aviation and military
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
Flying Service operated a flying school at the airport. The Aircraft Development Corporation built the world's first all-metal airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
, the ZMC-2
ZMC-2
The ZMC-2 was the only successfully-operated metal-skinned airship ever built. Constructed at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile by The Aircraft Development Corporation of Detroit, the ZMC-2 was operated by the U.S. Navy at Lakehurst, New Jersey from 1929 until its scrapping in 1941...
, for the Navy in a large hangar. Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
is rumored to have stopped at the airfield on occasion.
Grosse Ile was the home of a U.S. Navy base for forty years. The U.S. Naval Air Station Grosse Ile opened in 1929 after three years of construction of seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
and dirigible facilities. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the naval base developed into an important center for military flight training
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
. The base was expanded considerably to accommodate large numbers of American and British fliers who trained on the island. Former President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
was stationed at the base for training during 1945 for about two months.
During the height of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, in 1954, the U.S. Army installed an Ajax-Nike missile
Project Nike
Project Nike was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. The project delivered the United States' first operational anti-aircraft missile system, the Nike Ajax, in 1953...
base at the airfield which was functional until it was decommissioned in 1963. The Navy closed the base during November 1969, and it was deeded in 1971 by the federal government to the township government for civilian use as a municipal airport.
Today, the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport
Grosse Ile Municipal Airport
Grosse Ile Municipal Airport is a public airport located two miles south of the central business district of Grosse Ile, in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. It is owned by the Township of Grosse Ile.Although most U.S...
is primarily used for general aviation, and occasionally is a temporary docking area for blimp
Blimp
A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is a floating airship without an internal supporting framework or keel. A non-rigid airship differs from a semi-rigid airship and a rigid airship in that it does not have any rigid structure, neither a complete framework nor a partial keel, to help the airbag...
s that visit southeastern Michigan to fly over major sporting events. The USEPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
Large Lakes Research Station also occupies one of the buildings on the airport grounds. The airport campus is the home of Grosse Ile Township Hall, which was moved to this location from Macomb Street in 2000, and a number of private businesses. In addition, the airport has been the site of public airshows.
Pioneers, inventors and prominent residents
A number of pioneers, inventors and influential executives in the automotive industry have made Grosse Ile their residence over the years. Ransom E. OldsRansom E. Olds
Ransom Eli Olds was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1894, and his first gasoline powered car in 1896...
, the founder and head of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company that was the foundation for the later establishment of Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
by General Motors Corporation, built a grand summer estate on Elba Island in 1916, which caught fire due to electrical mishaps in 2005, however was restored by the current owner and still stands today. John Kelsey, founder and president of the Kelsey Wheel Company, was a summer resident of Grosse Ile and one of the key organizers of the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club which was established in 1919.
Charles and William Fisher, co-founders of the Fisher Body
Fisher Body
Fisher Body is an automobile coachbuilder founded by the Fisher brothers in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan; it is now an operating division of General Motors Company...
Company that later became a division of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, built large summer homes at the north end of Parke Lane (one remains today). General William S. Knudsen
William S. Knudsen
William Signius Knudsen was a leading automotive industry executive. His experience and success as a key senior manager in the operations sides of Ford Motor Company and later General Motors led the Franklin Roosevelt Administration to commission him as a Lieutenant General in the United States...
, president of General Motors Corporation from 1937 to 1940, lived during the summer in an old remodeled farm home that later became the clubhouse for Water's Edge Country Club. Knudsen Drive and the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
Hall on Macomb Street were named in his honor.
During the 1920s Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
, founder and president of the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, bought a sizable tract of land between West River Road and the Thorofare Canal. Although he never built a home, he did sell pieces of his property to Ford employees. Ford's controversial personnel director, Harry Bennett
Harry Bennett
Harry Bennett , a former boxer and ex-Navy sailor, was an executive at Ford Motor Company during the 1930s and 1940s. He was best known as the head of Ford’s Service Department, or Internal Security. While working for Ford, his union busting tactics, of which The Battle of the Overpass was a prime...
, built the famous "Pagoda House" on West River in 1939. Grosse Ile resident John Karmazin, Sr.
John Karmazin, Sr.
John Karmazin, Sr. was an American engine component inventor and business founder.Born in Tman, Austria-Hungary , Karmazin emigrated to the United States in 1903 and became an American citizen...
, who lived on the island from 1926 until his death in 1977, invented the automotive radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
pressure cap, obtained more than fifty automotive-related patents, and founded the Karmazin Products Corporation
Karmazin Products Corporation
The Karmazin Products Corporation was founded in Wyandotte, Michigan during 1946 by John Karmazin, Sr. The company produced radiators, oil coolers and many other heat transfer devices that were primarily used in heavy construction equipment, tractors and trucks....
which produced automotive and heavy construction equipment components in the city of Wyandotte
Wyandotte, Michigan
Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,883 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 7.6% from 2000. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and is part of the collection of communities known as...
from 1946 until 2000. Jack Telnack
Jack Telnack
Jack Telnack was the former global Vice President of Design of the Ford Motor Company from 1980 to 1997. After his training at the Art Center College of Design, Telnack began working as a designer for Ford in 1958, and became the head stylist of the Lincoln-Mercury Division in 1965...
, former Global Vice President of Design at the Ford Motor Company, lived on the island during the 1980s when he was credited with designing the very popular Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
model.
In 1929, at the age of five, J. Robert "Bob" Beyster
John Robert Beyster
Dr. John Robert Beyster is the founder of Science Applications International Corporation, the largest employee-owned research and engineering company in the United States. He was Chairman of the Board until his retirement in July 2004, and also served as Chief Executive Officer until November 2003...
moved to Grosse Ile where his father was a general contractor. He attended Trenton Slocum Truax High School, served in the U.S. Navy in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
with a Ph.D. in physics. Dr. Beyster went on to found Science Applications International Corporation
Science Applications International Corporation
SAIC is a FORTUNE 500 scientific, engineering and technology applications company headquartered in the United States with numerous federal, state, and private sector clients...
(SAIC), which by 2007 had more than 44,000 employees and annual sales in excess of $8 billion.
Heinz Prechter
Heinz Prechter
Heinz Prechter a German born entrepreneur who founded the American Sunroof Company was a quintessential entrepreneur, legendary visionary, community leader and philanthropist. He was a close friend and avid fundraiser for the Bush Family .-Early life:Born in 1942 in Kleinhöbing, Germany, Mr...
, the German-born, but American-spirited inventor of the automobile sunroof
Sunroof
An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...
, made the island his residence from the 1970s until his suicide in 2001. During the late 1960s, Prechter founded the American Sunroof Company (ASC) headquartered in the city of Southgate
Southgate, Michigan
Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,047 at the 2010 census.Southgate was the last city to incorporate from the former Ecorse Township, gaining city status in October 1958...
. ASC became one of the largest private sector employers headquartered in Downriver
Downriver
Downriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 suburban cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan south of Detroit along the western shore of the Detroit River....
Detroit. At the time of his death, Prechter was widely regarded to be the most successful and influential businessman in Downriver, as he was a friend of many prominent leaders in industry and government, including President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Grosse Ile has also been the home of Michiganders with distinguished service in civilian government and the military. Colonel Thornton Fleming Brodhead (1822–1862) was one of the island's most prominent residents in these fields of endeavor. Colonel Brodhead and his wife, Archange Macomb Abbott, lived on East River Road. Colonel Brodhead was, at various times, editor and part owner of the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
, a Michigan state senator, and postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
at Detroit. He served in the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
and led the First Michigan Cavalry in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The colonel was mortally wounded at the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
in 1862.
Railroads and bridges
Grosse Ile was directly connected to the mainland of Michigan during 1873 when the Canada Southern Bridge Company, a subsidiary of the Canada Southern Railroad Company, established a railroad to the island which carried both passengers and freight. The company laid tracks across Grosse Ile and built bridges over the Detroit River that enabled trains to be transferred to a ferryboat on Stony Island (one of the islands near the east shoreline of Grosse Ile's "main island"). Once on the ferryboat, the train cars were taken to OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
where they were put back on a rail track so they could travel to Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and other points east. Canada Southern operated trains on this route for about ten years before ceasing service due to financial difficulties.
After Canada Southern ended its operations, the Michigan Central Railroad
Michigan Central Railroad
The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada...
operated a train that enabled Grosse Ile residents and visitors to travel between the island and Trenton
Trenton, Michigan
Trenton is a small city in Wayne County in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,853...
. Train service in Trenton provided people a means of regularly traveling to Detroit and other cities in the region. In 1904, the Michigan Central Railroad built a small brick and stone depot along the tracks near East River Road on the east side of the island.
Today, the depot is well-preserved and serves as a community museum operated by the GIHS. The depot and the nearby old U.S. Customs House (moved in 1980 from Macomb Street to its present location), also owned and maintained by the GIHS, are the only structures in the National Historic District along East River Road that are regularly open to the public. In addition, the district features Saint James Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, the oldest church building on the island, constructed during 1867 in part with funds provided by a freed slave named Elizabeth Denison
Lisette Denison Forth
Lisette Denison Forth was an African-American woman from Michigan who was born a slave. She worked as a maid and became a landowner and philanthropist.-Early life:...
. The district also includes six homes, built during the 1840s to 1860s period, that provide outstanding examples of architecture, particularly Gothic Revival and Jacobethan
Jacobethan
Jacobethan is the style designation coined in 1933 by John Betjeman to describe the mixed national Renaissance revival style that was made popular in England from the late 1820s, which derived most of its inspiration and its repertory from the English Renaissance , with elements of Elizabethan and...
Revival, from this era.
Train service peaked during the early 20th century, but rapidly declined after Edward W. Voigt's Grosse Ile Bridge Company opened the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge
Grosse Ile Toll Bridge
The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River connecting Grosse Ile Township, Michigan to the mainland in Riverview, Michigan which is located in Wayne County, Michigan.-History:...
on November 27, 1913 (Thanksgiving Day). The bridge, which is privately owned, is on the west side of the island and connects to the city of Riverview
Riverview, Michigan
Riverview is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,486 at the time of the 2010 census.The city is a suburb in the Metro Detroit area, located along the shore of the Detroit River. Riverview incorporated as a village in 1922 and as a city in 1959...
. After automobile traffic crossing the bridge became the most popular means of traveling to and from the island, the Michigan Central Railroad ceased daily passenger service during early 1924 and stopped occasional freight train service to the island in 1929.
During 1931, the county government converted the Michigan Central Railroad's defunct rail bridge crossing the Trenton Channel into the Wayne County Bridge
Wayne County Bridge
The Wayne County Bridge is a swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel in the Detroit River. Located in Wayne County, it connects Grosse Ile Township to mainland Trenton. It is one of two bridges connecting the island of Grosse Ile to the mainland — the other being the tolled Grosse Ile Toll...
for use by vehicular, bike and pedestrian traffic. The rail tracks across the island were replaced by a roadway that is now known as Grosse Ile Parkway. The Wayne County Bridge is commonly referred to as the "Free Bridge" by residents because of the absence of a toll for crossing.
Today, about three-quarters of the vehicle traffic going to and from Grosse Ile travels over the Wayne County Bridge, while one-quarter crosses the Toll Bridge. The Toll Bridge has been hit twice by lake freighters, causing it to close temporarily (first in 1965, then again in 1992). The Wayne County Bridge was closed to vehicle traffic for major renovations between May 2, 2007, and December 21, 2007. During the 2007 county bridge closure period, the Toll Bridge provided the only route for vehicles to travel to and from the island.
Modern times, growth and preservation
Grosse Ile is considered to be one of the best locations along the Detroit River to observe commercial shipping and pleasure boat traffic. Lake freighters and ocean going ships traveling to destinations around the Great Lakes regularly pass near the east side of the island where the main channel of the Detroit River separates Grosse Ile from Canada.While the shoreline areas of Grosse Ile feature the majority of historically significant places and structures, approximately a dozen 1920s era homes in the Jewell Colony subdivision, located in the middle of the island, are listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places. Jewell Colony was the first planned subdivision on the island.
As a result of its unique natural setting, strong community values, historic preservation, highly-rated schools and close proximity to major employers in Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
, Grosse Ile experienced a significant increase in the rate of residential development during the last half of the 20th century. By the 1980 census, the population of Grosse Ile had rocketed to approximately 9,300—an increase of about 106% from the 1960 census.
Fearing that the natural character and small-town charm of the community was being forever destroyed by this housing boom, during the early 1990s the Grosse Ile Township established the "Open Space Program" funded by a voter-approved dedicated local property tax to buy undeveloped land. The township's Open Space Program succeeded in acquiring large tracts of environmentally sensitive land which helped to slow the pace of development, preserve the environment and protect housing values. Grosse Ile's Open Space program is considered to be a national model for market-based growth management in a small town.
In 1993, a group of community-minded citizens established a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
named the Grosse Ile Land & Nature Conservancy to aid in the protection and stewardship of the diverse natural resources on the island. The Conservancy soon acquired by donation a number of environmentally important woodland and wetland areas.
The U.S. EPA granted stewardship responsibilities to the Conservancy for a 40.5 acres (16.4 ha) marsh and upland area on the federal government-owned section of the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. This tract of land, which at one time was the location of the Navy's seaplane base and later the Army's Nike missile base, has been restored to its natural state featuring rich biodiversity and rare coastal wetlands. Named the Nature Area by the Conservancy, this land is periodically used by local teachers and Boy Scout groups
Scouting in Michigan
Scouting in Michigan has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.- Early history :...
to teach children about nature and the importance of conservation.
Presently, Grosse Ile is a community of about 10,371 residents. Many seek to balance environmental conservation, historic preservation, small town suburban living, and new development in a manner that makes it a very desirable place to live. In fact, Money magazine named Grosse Ile one of the "Top 100 Best Places to Live" in 2009.
Culture
Originally held on Macomb Street, the annual "Islandfest" (formerly "AzaleaAzalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
Festival") takes place around Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. On the same site as Islandfest, the Grosse Ile Youth Recreational Association (GIYRA), a 501c3 charity, runs a haunted house
Haunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
every Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. When not dressing up as chainsaw-wielding maniacs, GIYRA coordinates the youth sporting events for the island children. The sports currently offered by GIYRA are Football and Cheer, Flag Football, Basketball, Baseball and Softball.
In addition to sporting events sponsored by GIYRA, the island houses an indoor tennis facility. The six courts are inside an old hangar at the city's municipal airport. Recently, the Tennis Center was taken under new ownership. The courts have been refinished, and there are other extensive renovations taking place.
The Grosse Ile Soccer Association coordinates the township's soccer league.
Grosse Ile's community theatre, The Islanders, is Downriver's oldest theatre club and one of the oldest civic theatre groups in the state of Michigan. The club has been active on Grosse Ile since 1925, when friends and neighbors needed an outlet for wholesome entertainment during the long Michigan winters. The first major play was produced on May 21, 1926, by a group of 40 founding members.
Grosse Ile social clubs include the Grosse Ile Yacht Club, the Ford Yacht Club, the Elba-Mar Boat Club, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, West Shore Golf Course, Water's Edge Golf Course and the Grosse Ile Rotary Club (founded in 1947).
Education
Grosse Ile Township SchoolsGrosse Ile Township Schools
Grosse Ile Township Schools is a school district in Grosse Ile Township, Michigan.In 2001, Grosse Ile was ranked the highest out of 88 school districts in Michigan by the Detroit News.-Schools:* Grosse Ile High School* Grosse Ile Middle School...
serves the township.
On the island, there are two elementary schools: Parke Lane Elementary which serves grades K-2nd, and Meridian Elementary which serves grades 3rd-5th. The Grosse Ile Middle School enrolls students in 6-8, and Grosse Ile High School
Grosse Ile High School
Grosse Ile High School is a public high school located in Grosse Ile Township, Michigan serving ninth through twelfth grades. The mascot of the school's sports teams is the Red Devil. Its current principal is James Stewart. The current vice principal is Joel Fabris....
(GIHS) provides college preparatory education for grades 9th-12th. Their mascot is the Red Devil. In 1999 the former middle school was demolished in favor of a new and more up-to-date building. In the process, the historic adjacent school, built in 1911, was demolished amid much controversy. The controversy centered around the desire of many township residents to preserve a historic structure in which many life long residents had received their education, and had been the original school building for the island as well.
In 2001, Grosse Ile was ranked the highest out of 88 school districts in Michigan by The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
.
Demographics
The U.S. Census Bureau also defined Grosse Ile Township as a census-designated placeCensus-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places (like cities and villages) as well on the list of county subdivisions (like other townships). The final statistics for the township and the CDP were identical.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,894 people, 4,122 households, and 3,293 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,133.9 persons per square mile (437.7/km²). There were 4,335 housing units at an average density of 451.2 per square mile (174.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.23% White, 0.36% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population.
There were 4,122 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.8% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 34.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $87,062, and the median income for a family was $96,226. Males had a median income of $71,777 versus $42,430 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $42,150. About 1.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.
The township is considered to be the safest community in Michigan, due in part to its uniqueness as an island community, surrounded by water, with only two bridges connecting it to the mainland.