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Grosse Ile Historical Society, 25022 East River, North Huntingdon, PA (2026)

05/29/2026

Hop on the bus and into Grosse Ile’s past! Free one‑hour narrated tours this Saturday at 2:00 and 4:00. History, landmarks, and great stories — all guided by our Historical Society docents. Sign up at the Historical Society booth at IslandFest - seats going fast!

05/27/2026

GROSSE ILE THROUGH THE DECADES
Join us for the 20th installment of our 250-year look at Grosse Ile's history.

Decade 20 - Progress, Preservation, and Community Spirit -1956–1965

The decade from 1956 to 1965 was a period of steady growth and rising community pride on Grosse Ile. Families were expanding, new institutions were taking shape, and national events—both hopeful and heartbreaking—left their mark on island life.

The 1956 donation of riverfront land by William Knudsen's family marked a key moment in community development. The donation led to the establishment of the Water’s Edge Recreation Complex.

Church life grew quickly during these years on our island, whose population had increased to 6,300. The Grosse Ile Presbyterian Church was chartered in 1957 with 114 members who first met in the Grosse Ile High School gym. A building fund allowed the congregation to purchase 6.5 acres at Horsemill and Parke Lane, lay a cornerstone in 1960, and dedicate a completed sanctuary and fellowship complex in 1961. A Casavant Frères pipe organ and rosewood cross, added in 1964, gave the church its lasting character. Meanwhile, St. Thomas Lutheran Church began as a mission in 1964, holding early services in Parke Lane Elementary before building its distinctive trimaran shaped church on Church Road. Earlier in the decade, in 1958, the new St. James Episcopal Church was dedicated, continuing a long tradition of worship on East River Road.

Civic life flourished alongside this growth. The Grosse Ile Historical Society was founded in 1959 to preserve the Island’s rich heritage. Just three years later, the island’s Military Stockade received its first official Historic Site marker—only the 23rd such designation in Michigan. The Historical Society would soon play another significant role in saving one of the Island’s best-known landmarks. In 1965, the Township purchased the historic Grosse Ile Lighthouse from the United States Department of the Interior for $350 using Historical Society funds. At a time when many Great Lakes lighthouses were being demolished, Island residents chose preservation instead, ensuring the lighthouse would remain a symbol of Grosse Ile for generations to come.

Up-to-date conveniences reshaped daily life. Gas mains were installed across the Island in 1963, and a long-awaited sewer system was completed in 1964, improving public health and supporting continued residential growth. New businesses followed: Nate’s Market opened in 1959, Richardson’s Service Station replaced Standard Oil, and islanders welcomed Dasher Drugs and a new Kroger in 1963. Pharmacist Earl Brown also opened a drugstore at East River and Macomb, creating another neighborhood gathering place. The new Township Hall on Macomb Street was completed in 1961, giving the community a civic home.

Education expanded to meet the needs of young families. Parke Lane Elementary opened in 1960, and in 1965, the classes shifted from the attachment to the 1911 Building to the new Grosse Ile High School on Grays Drive. During these years, the old Depot alternated between serving as the Township Offices and the Board of Education headquarters.

The Grosse Ile Naval Air Station remained highly active, training nearly 2,000 Naval and Marine reservists, many of whom would later serve in Vietnam. In 1960, one of the base’s most recognizable structures, the large, checkered hangar, was moved to West Road in Trenton and converted into a bowling alley, giving the landmark a surprising second life.

Community organizations also grew. The Grosse Ile Kiwanis Club was chartered in 1962, adopting its motto of improving the world “one child and one community at a time.” Two years later, local readers formed the Grosse Ile Book Club, continuing the Island’s tradition of civic involvement and lifelong learning. Leadership shifted as well: in 1964, Merle Solomon became Grosse Ile’s first—and still only—woman Township Supervisor.

National events touched the Island throughout the decade. The Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957, linking Michigan’s two peninsulas. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, inspiring many young Americans. His assassination in 1963 shocked the nation and deeply saddened island residents. And in 1964, Beatlemania swept across the country with the release of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” capturing the spirit of a rapidly changing era.

The decade closed with dramatic moments. The winter of 1965 brought “The Big Blizzard,” a storm Islanders would remember for years. That same year, the freighter John T. Hutchinson struck the Toll Bridge, causing considerable damage.

By 1965, Grosse Ile had become a community shaped by growth, civic pride, and preservation. New schools, churches, businesses, and public services strengthened daily life, while residents protected the landmarks and traditions that anchored their identity. Together, these efforts shaped the Island that would carry its character and sense of place into the years ahead.

NOTE ON SCOPE: As the 250th anniversary approaches, these pieces offer highlights from Grosse Ile’s past. They’re not meant to be exhaustive. Instead, they shine a light on moments that reveal the island’s spirit and invite you to wander deeper into its history.

05/20/2026

Once upon a time, the sound of train whistles helped shape life on Grosse Ile — we’re bringing that story back to life.

Join us June 14th for an afternoon of railroad‑themed games, museum exhibits, and a special 2 pm presentation on how rail travel connected our island to Canada and beyond.

It’s free, it’s local, and it’s a beautiful way to celebrate the history right under our feet.
Presentation seating is limited — reserve at [email protected].

Come be part of the story.

05/16/2026

GROSSE ILE THROUGH THE DECADES
Decade 19 - 1946 to 1955 - Post World War II Years

Join us for the 19th stop in our 250-year tour of Grosse Ile history.

The decade after World War II brought energy, rebuilding, and a renewed sense of community to Grosse Ile as the Island balanced small-town traditions with the demands of changing times. In 1946, post-war life settled back into familiar rhythms. Cliff Gronda opened his barbershop, quickly becoming a gathering place where neighbors traded stories and news. Local veterans organized VFW Post 7310, creating a lasting home for fellowship and remembrance.

The Island had its interesting moments—an island-wide manhunt erupted when two convicts escaped from the Milan Correctional Facility, drawing state and local officers into a tense search across the marshes and roads. That same year, the aging wooden bridge to Hickory Island was replaced with a more durable concrete span.

Local journalism also took root. Behind Richardson’s station, a small wooden building buzzed with activity as The Ile Camera—founded in 1945 by two ambitious high school students—was printed each week. When the young founders stepped back to focus on school, publishers Henry and Dorothy Hoch, historian Isabella Swan, writer Meg Bremer Jones, and artist Tommy Woodward kept the paper alive, helping it grow into a beloved community institution that spanned 70 years.

By 1947, civic life was flourishing. Grosse Ile’s first service club, the Rotary Club, received its charter under the motto “One Profits Most Who Serves Best,” setting a tone of volunteerism that would shape the community for decades. Sacred Heart Parochial School opened its doors to 107 students in grades one through six, marking a new chapter in local education. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Company engineers founded the Ford Yacht Club, offering boating and social activities for “families of moderate means” at the modest annual dues of $15.

Youth culture blossomed in 1948 when the Austerberry family donated their buildings and acreage to create the Island’s first Community Youth Center. Housed in a converted barn off Meridian Road, it quickly became a lively gathering place where teenagers listened to emerging rock-and-roll bands and danced on weekend nights.

In 1949, the Grosse Ile Yacht Club completed its new clubhouse on Peek a Boo Island, continuing a boating tradition that began in 1934. Earlier, an East River boathouse had been dragged over to Peek-a-Boo Island to serve as a temporary clubhouse.

As the 1950s began, Grosse Ile found itself connected to national trends and global events. In 1950, the Island hosted its first Navy Ball, featuring Tommy Dorsey’s famous band and filling the night with big band sound. The Grosse Ile Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star Memorial Marker honoring World War II veterans, reinforcing the community’s respect for service. That year also saw Grosse Ile prevail in its long dispute with Wyandotte over possession of Hennepin Point, and the census recorded a population of 3,906.

Sports and recreation continued to shape Island life. West Shore Golf & Country Club—whose clubhouse dated to 1946—had become a hub for local and regional players. Throughout the postwar decades, businessmen closed their shops on Thursday afternoons to play golf alongside athletes from the Lions, Tigers, and the University of Michigan.

National events also touched the Island. The end of the Korean War (1950–1953) brought relief to families with loved ones overseas, even as life on Grosse Ile continued to evolve. That same year, the Show Boat Tearoom—a beloved 1930s inn on West River Road—was destroyed by fire, and Elba-Mar Yacht Club was incorporated on land once part of the Olds Estate, its name drawn from the marshy shoreline near Elba Island. The original Grosse Ile Hardware Store also opened, adding everyday convenience for residents.

At the south end of the island, the U.S. Army installed an Ajax Nike missile base (Site D 51) as part of the nation’s expanding Cold War air defense network. Designed to intercept Soviet bombers, the site operated until 1963, offering a sobering reminder that global tensions reached even this quiet community.

By 1955, growth was reshaping the area. Downriver’s first major shopping center—Lincoln Park Plaza—opened at Fort and Emmons, signaling the rise of suburban retail.

Across these years, Grosse Ile balanced tradition with transformation. Schools, clubs, and community spaces grew; bridges and buildings were rebuilt; music, sports, and youth culture thrived; and, through it all, the Island’s sense of identity—rooted in service, community, and the river—continued to deepen as it moved confidently into the future.

NOTE ON SCOPE: In anticipation of the 250th celebration, we’re sharing guided glimpses of Grosse Ile’s history. They don’t attempt to tell every story, but they capture moments that help define the island. Let them spark your own discoveries.

05/07/2026

Decade 18 — 1936 to 1945 War Clouds, River Stories, and an Island Transformed

Enjoy our 18th chapter in this 250 year journey through Grosse Ile’s history.

The decade spanning 1936 to 1945 was a notable era for Grosse Ile, where the cozy traditions of island life collided with the staggering scale of global events. In 1936, Detroit’s city water line finally reached the Island, replacing a long-standing reliance on wells. That same year, one of the Great Lakes’ most beloved excursion steamers met a dramatic end. After departing Sugar Island, the SS Tashmoo struck a submerged rock and sank in the Detroit River. All 1,400 passengers were safely brought ashore, but the loss effectively ended the era of large excursion boats serving Sugar Island’s amusement park. Once famous for its roller coaster, grandstand, shady picnic grounds, and its enormous 14,000 square foot dance pavilion, the park soon closed.

Even as some traditions faded, others took root. In 1937, the Grosse Ile Yacht Club hosted its first Muskrat Dinner, a uniquely Downriver celebration that blended local flavor with community gathering. A year later, residents on Hickory Island organized the Hickory Island Yacht Club, reinforcing the Island’s deep and enduring connection to boating and river life.

Nature made its own memorable contribution in 1939, when a “spectacular” sleet storm coated the island in thick ice, halting daily routines and leaving an impression residents would recall for generations. That same year, a very different kind of landmark rose along West River Road. Harry Bennett, the powerful and controversial head of security for Henry Ford, constructed his striking Oriental-style estate—known as “the Pagoda.” Its dramatic architecture and waterfront presence made it one of the most recognizable homes on the Great Lakes. Stories circulated of hidden tunnels, escape routes, and elaborate defenses, fueled in part by Bennett’s notoriety following the violent 1937 Battle of the Overpass on Miller Road outside the Ford Rouge complex. While many tales were exaggerated, Bennett’s caution was genuine; he was known to avoid the front door, preferring quieter exits by boat or through concealed passageways.

By 1940, Grosse Ile’s appeal extended to many notable figures and traditions. Detroit Tigers catcher Mickey Cochrane built a home on land reportedly gifted to him by Henry Ford. Around the same time, the towering evergreen at Martin’s Corner became a beloved winter tradition, its holiday lights glowing brightly enough to be seen from Canada. At 25630 East River Road, the Hentig/Lowrie/Corbett House—standing on the site of an early stockade—became home to Sidney Corbett and his wife Lucy. His popular Detroit News column Pot Shots from a Grosse Ile Kitchen blended island history with recipes and local color. Around the same time, fellow Detroit News columnist H. C. L. Jackson—beloved for his humorous takes on civic life—became a familiar voice to Island readers, later commemorated with a street in the Potawatomi Woods subdivision.

In 1943, the Detroit Lions held their training camp at West Shore Golf & Country Club. They were coached by Gus Dorais, who—along with Knute Rockne—pioneered the forward pass. Notable Lions players included Heisman Trophy winner Frank Sinkwich and University of Michigan standout Bob Westfall.

As the world edged toward war, Grosse Ile found itself unexpectedly at the center of international aviation training. In 1941—just months before the attack on Pearl Harbor—the first 100 British cadets arrived at the Grosse Ile Naval Air Station. Over the course of the war, 1,800 British trainees would pass through the base. That same year, baseball legends Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth played a charity golf match at the Grosse Ile Country Club to support the U.S.O., drawing crowds eager for distraction during uncertain times.

In 1945, a young naval aviator named George H. W. Bush—future U.S. president—arrived at Grosse Ile for six weeks of training with Torpedo Squadron Ninety Seven. By the time World War II ended later that year, 225 Islanders out of a total population of 2,200 had served, and eleven had given their lives.

Daily life continued to evolve. In 1941, Ernie Richardson opened Richardson’s Gas Station, the Island’s lone full service station for many years. Four years later, a new generation stepped forward when teenagers Pam Marsh and Pat Lawrence published the first issue of The Ile Camera—the beginning of a homegrown publication devoted to preserving and sharing the community’s stories for years to come.

By the close of 1945, the Island was more connected, more visible, and more deeply woven into the wider world than ever before.

NOTE ON SCOPE: In honor of the upcoming 250th anniversary, we’re sharing a handful of moments from Grosse Ile’s story. They don’t cover everything — just scenes that help sketch the broader picture. We hope they encourage you to keep looking.

04/29/2026

DECADE 17: When Aviation Met Island Life (1926–1935)

Join us for this ten-year stretch - Installment 17 - of our 250-year look at Grosse Ile's history.

Between 1926 and 1935, the Island with a population of 1,500 was a whirlwind of innovation, high-flying adventure, and community spirit.

The mid-1920s marked a shift in Islanders' lives. In 1925, the Jewell brothers—Wayne, Frank, and Harry—purchased a former golf course to create Jewell Colony. This was not just a group of houses, it was one of the first planned communities in Southeast Michigan. Many of the Tudor Revival-style homes were later listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places. While Grosse Ile’s shoreline areas hold most of its historic landmarks, Jewell Colony stands out as a rare inland district of architectural significance.

Nearby, the Normandin family began platting the Stout estate into cottage lots in 1926. However, growth there was slower. For years, families on Stout and Gage streets lived as "dry" households, lugging drinking water in gallon jugs from Trenton because city water lines had not yet reached them. This rugged reality stood in stark contrast to the high-tech developments happening just down the road at the airport.

Grosse Ile spent this decade at the center of the aviation world. In 1927, excitement over air travel surged following Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight. The Aircraft Development Corporation established operations on Grosse Ile, constructing a massive hangar for an ambitious new project commissioned by the U.S. Navy.

That project became the ZMC-2, the world’s only all-metal-clad airship and a bold leap in aeronautical design. Aviation pioneer Orville Wright visited Grosse Ile, staying at the Island House to witness its launch. When the ZMC-2 took flight in 1929, it marked more than a successful experiment; over the next decade, its 2,000 hours in the air affirmed the Island’s place at the forefront of early aviation innovation.

In that same pivotal year, 1929, the U.S. Naval Air Station at Grosse Ile was officially commissioned. With civilian and military aviation now operating side by side, the Island stood at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field.

In 1931, Amelia Earhart arrived for summer flight training at the Naval Air Station (NAS). The airfield was a place of records, too; pilot Ruth Nichols took off from Grosse Ile in 1931 to set a new women’s air speed record.

For years, getting on and off the Island by car was limited to the toll bridge, but in 1931, everything changed. The Wayne County “Free” Bridge opened with a dramatic flourish: a plane flew over the bridge to cut the ceremonial ribbon. This made the Island more accessible than ever before.

In 1926, the Island’s cultural scene blossomed when the Islanders theater group staged their first production, beginning an 80 year tradition of local performances. The St. James Green’s Market, begun in 1928, became a popular annual event, continuing to this day. New organizations strengthened social life, including the Grosse Ile Book Club, the Garden Club, and the men’s singing group known as “The Howlers.” In 1934, the Burdeno brothers anchored a boathouse on the Lower Hickory Island side of the Peek-a-Boo channel to establish the Grosse Ile Yacht Club, laying the foundation for a lasting recreational institution.

In 1928, a brief earthquake lasting eight seconds startled residents. In 1932, the so-called “Great Rabbit War” saw 90 hunters march from one end of the Island to the other over a five-day period to thin a “fluffle” of rabbits that had been damaging gardens and crops. The original request was to invite 10,000 hunters, but cooler heads prevailed. The hunting took place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm while children were in school. The final score was 3,500 rabbits harvested and 2 hunters wounded. Later that year, the Township halted all rabbit hunting on the Island.

As the decade drew to a close in 1935, the foundations of contemporary Island life were firmly in place. The first “Grosse Ile Days” essay contest invited high school seniors to reflect on their community, nurturing a lasting sense of local pride. The opening of West Shore Golf & Country Club—where a round of golf cost just 75 cents—offered residents a new social anchor. Nearby in Dearborn, the arrival of The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village enriched the region’s cultural and technological landscape, reinforcing southeastern Michigan’s growing identity as a center of innovation.

Shaped by the growth of aviation, the formation of organizations, and the steady growth of neighborhoods, these milestones—spanning local traditions and national trends—came together to define an era that blended world-class ambition with unmistakable small-town charm, leaving a community both forward-looking and deeply rooted.

NOTE ON SCOPE: As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary, we’re offering selected windows into Grosse Ile’s history. These are by no means full accounts of each decade, but glimpses that help illuminate the island’s character. Consider them an open door to explore further.

04/24/2026

DECADE 16 - War, Wheels, and Waterways -1916 -1925
Take a look at the 16th piece in our ongoing 250‑year exploration of Grosse Ile’s past.

In 1916, the Grosse Ile chapter of the Red Cross formed even before the United States entered World War I, reflecting a rising sense of civic duty and national awareness. That same year, industrialist R. E. Olds—of Oldsmobile fame—built an elaborate mansion on Elba Island. Entered through a grand stone gateway, the home featured a pipe organ, solarium, marble staircase, swimming pool, and a top‑floor ballroom, signaling the arrival of prominent figures who viewed the Island as both retreat and showcase.

World War I left a lasting mark on the community. Forty‑nine Island men served, and in 1919, maple and elm trees were planted along Bridge Road as a Gold Star Memorial to those who lost their lives. The end of the war in 1918 was followed almost immediately by the influenza epidemic, which disrupted daily life so severely that more than half of the Island’s schoolchildren were absent at the height of the outbreak.

Transportation was also changing. For decades, schoolchildren had relied on horse‑drawn wagons and winter bobsleds, with attendance dropping whenever snow became too deep. In 1917, an automobile bus replaced these earlier methods, marking a practical shift toward mechanization. By 1918, fourteen miles of roadway had been opened across the Island at a cost of $200,000 - a major investment that improved travel and accessibility.

Progress, however, came with complications. New road materials such as tarvia (a coal‑tar or asphalt surfacing) drew public warnings in 1922 for being dangerously slippery and damaging to automobiles. Even more significant was the end of daily passenger train service in 1924. Freight deliveries continued for a time, but the railroad era was effectively over. The former rail line gradually became a roadway, and the rail bridge was repurposed as the Wayne County “Free” Bridge—clear evidence that automobiles, not trains, would define the Island’s future.

By 1919, Grosse Ile was more connected than ever. A regular motor bus service linked the Island to Detroit, described at the time as “a very great convenience.” That same year, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club was established, opening its first nine holes in 1920 and quickly becoming a social center. The Island’s earlier Casino building was relocated once again to serve as the clubhouse, continuing its long history as a gathering place.

The spirit of improvement extended beyond transportation and recreation. In 1920, Ernest Stanton, a fifth‑generation Islander, created Westcroft Gardens, a landscaped four‑acre horticultural park blending natural beauty with careful design. Civic life matured as well. In 1923, the Island hired its first policeman, reflecting both population growth and the need for formal public services.
Development continued in other ways. Swan Island was transformed in 1924 when marshland was dredged, filled, and subdivided into residential lots, with a bridge repurposed from Detroit’s Belle Isle providing access. That same year, a small ice cream shop opened at a site later known as the Airport Inn, hinting at the modest commercial growth that accompanied increased traffic.

Grosse Ile even found a place in early American cinema. In 1922, scenes from the silent drama The First Woman were filmed on the estate of Ransom E. Olds. The film starred Mildred Harris, a well‑known actress and the first wife of Charlie Chaplin. Interiors of the Olds residence appeared in several scenes, linking the Island to the rapidly expanding world of motion pictures. The film explored a young wife’s struggle between devotion to her husband and her own independence—an early‑1920s theme that added cultural resonance to its Grosse Ile setting.

National events also reshaped daily life along the Detroit River. With the ratification of Prohibition in 1919 and its enforcement beginning the following year, the region quickly became a center of illicit trade. Canada’s proximity made the river one of the busiest smuggling corridors in the nation. From 1920 to 1933, it is estimated that as much as 75 percent of all liquor smuggled into the United States passed through these waters. Bootleggers adapted to every season—using high‑powered boats in warm months and modified, liquor‑laden cars and trucks once the ice set in—turning the Island’s quiet waterways into a vital and often dangerous artery of the criminal underworld.

Even amid these dramatic changes, Grosse Ile maintained its appeal as a place of rest and retreat. In 1922, Helen N. Joy converted a large Elba Island home into a vacation residence for nurses from Detroit’s Grace Hospital. With orchards, gardens, rowboats, and a bathing beach, the property offered rest and recreation to 30–50 nurses at a time for more than three decades.

By the mid‑1920s, the Island stood at a crossroads between past and future. Roads replaced rails, automobiles replaced horses, and national events—from war to Prohibition—reached into everyday life. Yet through it all, Grosse Ile preserved its distinctive blend of rural landscape, growing community, and quiet prominence along the Detroit River.

NOTE ON SCOPE: These snapshots are guiding markers along Grosse Ile’s long timeline as we prepare for the 250th celebration. They don’t cover everything — just selected points that help trace the island’s path. We hope they spark curiosity and lead you to your own discoveries.

04/23/2026

A heartfelt thank‑you to Woodruff’s Downriver Stone Design for helping preserve a piece of our local history. The difference between the before and after photos is incredible. Your craftsmanship keeps our stories shining.

04/23/2026

Yesterday’s FANTASTIC presentation by Gerry Wykes at the Customs House offered a powerful journey through 12,000 years of Indigenous history in the Detroit River region. Using artifacts and visual storytelling, he traced how Native communities shaped this landscape from prehistoric times into the 18th century.

04/22/2026

This milestone belongs to all of us. We hope your organization will join the fun and help make the 250th unforgettable.

Grosse Ile Historical Society

05/29/2026

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05/20/2026

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