Fourth of July

NORTHVILLIANS,

Happy Fourth of July Weekend – summer is now in full swing! As we ready for a unique (pandemic-related) Holiday weekend, I thought it would be interesting to look back at yester-year celebrations & what used to be going on in this town we love:

• 1895 – Over 5,000 visitors enjoyed festivities from dawn-to-dusk with a sunrise 21-gun salute, a parade and virtually a three-ring circus ending in Fireworks.  Historically, Wayne County Fair @ Northville Downs use to rival the State Fair attendance with rides, games, animals & midways.

• 1927 – Centennial Celebration:  A huge 3-day event that included concerts, activities, ball games, square dancing, fireworks and the largest parade in Michigan up to that time, with floats from Henry Ford himself.
• 1932 – Horse Races (including thoroughbreds): Parade, Firework, Street Dancing & Music on Center from Main to Dunlap…  similar to the set-up today downtown with music & festivities.
• 1948 – Water Hose Fire Department Battle: Versus Plymouth, exciting & humorous (Northville wins!)
• 1953 – Pony Rides and More!  Activities included Ford providing pony rides for more than a 1000 children and “speed boat” rides for 9 hours on the Mill Pond.
• “Lovers Lane” always popular on July 4^th – Balboa Lake/Ambler Pond where 7 Mile is located today between St. Lawrence Estates & Rogers St. was a beautiful watershed area, with weeping willow trees giving it the nickname” Lovers Lane”.
• Ford Field (Northville’s Central Park), where recently 1200 folks gathered for a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally, has historically been our gathering touch point. I encourage you to enjoy its beauty. Walk Ford Field & the Mill Race area this weekend.
• Ice Cream & Dairies are part of Northville’s history.  In our past, Cloverdale’s (Rebecca’s today) would serve Ice cream along with Guernsey’s, who was originally located in downtown close to Main/Center.  Today, we have Custard Time, Yogurt Palooza, Brown Dog and of course, Rebecca’s, to handle our Ice Cream desires. As you know, our downtown is now converted into a walkable outdoor pedestrian mall, with restaurants serving open-air tables, bands playing in the background & retailers displaying their wares in a festive environment … and Ice Cream is surely part of it!   

Summing it up, Northville has always been a summer destination because of its parades, fairs, concerts and also for its beauty with its lakes, rivers & hills.  It will always be our “Hamlet in the Hills”  and the “Switzerland of Wayne County”.  Enjoy all its beauty & its walkability this coming weekend.

Enjoy the holiday weekend! Keep that Northville Faith! Be safe & stay #NorthvilleStrong!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

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