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Community History
After a trip of many miles through open countryside and farm land, one
reached a spot where an imposing brick gateway stood beside the road, guarded by
a row of toad-stool like rural mail boxes. A short distance behind the gate a
dozen or so substantial houses stood in brave and splendid isolation. These were
"bell weathers" built by an ambitious real estate concern which had
spoiled several good farms by laying pavements across the fields and staking out
lots to be sold to hardy pioneers.
Among the assets of this real estate company was a "sloganeer" with
a vivid imagination. There being no vestige of either "roses" or
"dales" he brought forth the poetic name of ROSEDALE PARK. The narrow strips of concrete, meandering across the fields, became dignified Glastonbury Road, Warwick Road, Bretton Drive, etc., etc. His crowning achievement was the sales slogan "OUT OF THE SMOKE ZONE - INTO THE OZONE". So potent was this siren call, that soon the lots were selling well and a dozen or so homes, mostly on or near Gainsborough Road, were being constructed to keep company with the original bell weathers, to be occupied by brave souls who loved the open spaces more than they feared mortgages. Among these pioneer families were the Herberts, Frank Day Smiths, Jake Judsons, Weavers, Art Sieberts, Cyril Brownes, Solars, Patricks, Nylands, Heibys and La Barres.
To those who know Rosedale Park only in its present charming form, a word
picture of its beginnings will be of interest. Most of the area was open and
treeless, save a small portion near our over our present Community House. The
stately elms, which today arch over our streets forming sylvan tunnels were then
tiny saplings planted along the streets as part of the real estate development.
For years, all of these had a distinct list toward the east, imposed by the
prevailing west winds, which swept across the empty acres. An open County ditch
ran along what is now Outer Drive, spanned at street intersections by culverts
and bridges. Water flowed freely in this stream and early residents used it as a
source of fish for stocking their fish ponds. Street lighting was provided by
widely spaced standards connected by overhead wiring. Mail was deposited by
rural carriers into boxes along the Lansing Road. There was no provision for the
disposal of garbage and other waste. Police protection was non-existent. Rosedale streets were equipped with fire hydrants, but the Detroit Fire Department had to be summoned by telephone and would not make a run unless assured a Fifty Dollar fee, backed by a responsible guarantee. Public transportation to and from the city was limited to Interurban cars, which ran infrequently and at irregular intervals. Schools were distant and overcrowded. Grocery and Department store were many miles away. Most of the early homes were located at considerable distance from each other and "neighbor" was a term reflecting spirit rather than proximity.
The early Rosedale residents, considering their previous mode of life, were faced by difficulties almost as serious to them as were those encountered by the hardy families who landed at Plymouth Rock. They were pioneers in a very real sense. The ordinary trials and difficulties of life deepened when the snows and cold of the winter season descended on the hapless settlers. After a night of heavy snow-fall, it was not uncommon for the householder to find himself and family completely isolated with miles of street and sidewalk under deep drifts.
Thoughts of that era, by the old-timers, bring forth the happy memory of a modern-self-appointed St. Christopher by the name of Charlie Kull. Charlie always arose early on snowy mornings, broke out his crude, home-made snow plow which he hitched to his Model T and with two or three youngsters to provide the necessary ballast, gleefully drove up and down the sidewalks until he had liberated every storm bound family in his section of the Park.
No chronicle of the early days can be complete without mention of the notorious Rosedale floods. These were not usually disastrous but occurred after every heavy rain, due to lack of adequate size storm sewers in the sub-division layout. Early residents made a practice of scurrying to the basement, whenever the rains came, to rescue their belongings from the coming flood. A real "humdinger" occurred in the summer of 1925 which not only filled the basements but covered much of the Park area with surface water many inches deep.
These somber conditions were brightened by many happy aspects of life among the early residents. Among these was the entertainment contributed by Al Norris every Saturday afternoon for the Park children. There being no form of public entertainment, such as movie houses available, Al made a practice of showing several fine current films in the original Club House every week. Another social high spot of the early days was the Sunday afternoon family skating party and pot luck supper. These affairs had their beginning quite informally when a few families took advantage of our first skating rink, and they became so popular that soon both the rink and Club House were used to capacity.
Rosemont Road looking south from Puritan Avenue
in September of 1948 Very early in the Park's history, the "Founding Fathers" having sold the bulk of their lots (at approximately twice present market value) withdrew from the scene and the residents found themselves with a multitude of serious problems in their laps. To the energy and spirit with which the pioneers faced and solved these problems, we owe the enjoyment and comfort of life in present day Rosedale Park. Thrown upon their own resources, they quickly developed a neighborly unity. In some respects individual resources were pooled in an almost communistic manner. The transportation problem, for example, was relieved of a good deal of its rigor by the fact that Rosedale automobiles were always available for Rosedale needs.
It was apparent that some form of organization was essential in dealing with the many problems which had to be solved. The Park, where the Community House now stands, dedicated by the sub-divider to community use, played no small part in welding the early residents into a community group. It is said that Harry Heiby and Clarence Weaver began it all with a horseshoe game in the park. The game became a habit, other men joined often accompanied by their wives. Presently, the ladies began to bring their sewing and lunch baskets and the Saturday afternoon picnic became an institution. Newcomers were invited to bring their lunch baskets and rarely failed to respond with enthusiasm. As autumn approached, a Saturday evening camp fire came to be the finale of the afternoon picnic.
Talk around the camp fire inevitably turned to the problems which were common to all. From this beginning, the first informal organization was formed with Jake Judson as president and C. L. Weaver as secretary. This action was taken in the fall of 1923.
At a meeting held on Friday, the 13th of September, 1924, it was decided to incorporate the North Rosedale Park Civic Association. Jake Judson was re-elected president and Clarence Weaver, secretary of the permanent organization. A constitution and by-laws were drafted, submitted to the Secretary of State and the incorporation was duly consummated within the following few days.
In the first flush of it's newly authorized legality, the association found itself faced by several pressing problems. These might be listed as follows:
1. The building of a suitably located primary school. 2. Transportation to and from existing schools. 3. Building of a Club House, for transaction of association business and development of social activities. 4. Legal action to obtain ownership of the park in the name of the Association. 5. Decision by the residents, whether to seek annexation to Detroit or to incorporate as a village. 6. Increase of membership and development of a social program. 7. Securing mail delivery to door in place of the R.F.D. 8. Street signs and house numbers. 9. More adequate police protection than that afforded by the sheriff's office.
Of all these problems, it was obvious that the school situation constituted the most pressing emergency. A School Committee, under the chairmanship of Cyril Browne, ably 'Seconded by Art Siebert, were regular attendants at meetings of the Redford School Board and succeeded in persuading that body that a school should be built in North Rosedale. To accomplish this, all the North Rosedale sub-divisions had to be brought into the Redford Union School District. This required the consent, not only of the residents of North Rosedale but also of residents south of Grand River, who had nothing to gain by the proposed annexation, but would lose an appreciable part of their tax income.
Gainsborough road looking east from Warwick road in Spring of 1923
For several weeks, a devoted band of faithful workers argued, pleaded and cajoled from house to house in South Rosedale in order to get the required signatures The school petitions were filed and granted in December of 1924. Although plans for the new school were started immediately, it was apparent that the building could not be finished in time for the school year of 1925-1926 and provision was made for a temporary building, to be located where the skating rink now is, on Glastonbury Road.
In the meantime, tax payers living in other parts of the Redford School District became alarmed at the increasing bonded indebtedness, of the district and started a movement to elect a new board, pledged not to build the new school. To meet this emergency, Art Siebert was made chairman of an electioneering committee to insure re-election of the incumbent School Board. On election day, every automobile in North Rosedale spent the day transporting voters to the polls in Redford High School. The existing Board was re-elected and community organization scored another victory.
Meanwhile, the problem of transporting children to three widely scattered schools (Grandmont, Burt and St. Marys) had to be met. A bus, previously used by the sub-dividers for this purpose, had been turned over to the association, together with the sum of $2,000 for its operation and maintenance, until the new school should be ready for occupancy. This seemed like a fine deal at the time and a transportation committee, headed by Frank Day Smith, proceeded to hire a driver at $30 a week.
Before the school year was well under way, members of the transportation committee began to wear an anxious look; before the year was over, the black haired members turned gray, and the gray haired members became bald. New tires had to be purchased. The bus froze and cracked the cylinder block. Garage repair bill fairly poured in. By March, the $2,000 was nearly exhausted and the committee completely so. Arrangement for further bus service was made with the D.S.R., and the Rosedale bus was presented to a grateful and unsuspecting Redford School Board.
A suitable site for the new school had been acquired on Puritan Road. Plans were drawn and erection pushed to completion of what is now Cooke School. Although the original building was but a fraction of the size of the present school, the planning seemed unusually ambitious for so small a community, then comprising about 125 families. When annexation to Detroit took place and bonded indebtedness was assumed by the city, Councilman Hall, crumgudgeon of the Detroit Council of that day is quoted as saying: "Detroit has a slogan - a seat for every child - but that bunch in the northwest demands a school for every child". Subsequent events have amply justified the original plans.
On March 29, 1939 ground was broken for the new Community House in North Rosedale Park. Ross Merchant, chairman of the Building Committee, operated the steam shovel, Frank W. Speicher, a member of the Civic Association, supervised construction. On August 11, 1939, less than five months later, the association held its first meeting in the new building.
North Rosedale Park Community House
This sounds easy. The actual facts were far different. A Ways and Means Committee and a Building Committee were appointed in 1936. It was decided to solicit funds from residents in the Park. Ray Kramer worked out a financing plan to issue bonds to each subscriber. The bonds were to be redeemed some twenty years later. In October, 1938, the financing plan of Ray Kramer was given final approval. Building plans were ordered and the collection of funds and erection of building proceeded rapidly. About $30,000 was raised by subscription, the donors being issued bonds redeemable without interest twenty years. later. The building cost $40,000.00 when completed. So, another debt was acquired. In 1940 and 1941 the Association raised $6,000 in additional funds. In 1941 Don Russell did an outstanding audit job on the items in the building program. An outsider would have charged at least $1,000 for the job. It was Don's contribution. Thank, you, sir!
The Community House was erected principally through the efforts of Ross Merchant, chairman of the Building Committee. Materials were secured at reasonable figures, and each fifty cents was made to do the work of a dollar. If Ross had not devoted his attention entirely to association affairs for many months, there would not now be so complete and beautiful an edifice as the new Community House. This was outstanding service to the entire community.
Late in 1936, as a result of four years of committee work on the part of Earl Laing and Arthur Squiers, the association was successful in securing an addition to the T. Dale Cooke school at a cost of $118,000. Work was started on the addition in 1937. The teaching facilities were greatly amplified and improved by this addition.
About 1944 a committee was appointed to reduce the debt on the new Community House. Twenty thousand dollars in bonds were turned in by owners for cancellation as a gift to the Civic Association. Some five thousand dollars was contributed by new association members who had not participated in the original drive in 1938.
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