NORTHVILLIANS,
It was an outstanding weekend in the Ville! Here’s a sampling of what went down:
- The Community all came together for the first annual charity Declan Carter Victory Run memorial event. There were 1000 participants and close to 350 volunteers that truly made the event one to remember. Thanks go out to all those who also contributed to the event and the Declan Carter Fund.
- Additionally, the Northville Concert Series “Music in the Ville” which encompasses over 50 concerts, was rocking at Town Square Saturday with the local renowned group “Northville Folk” taking the stage… next Saturday, the Shawn Riley Band will light it up.
- And last Friday, our Farmers’ Market site played host to avid movie watchers, with a showing of The Wild Robot. The next movie opportunity will move to downtown as part of Witches Night Out on October 16th. Don’t miss it!
This week with the weather cooling off and the opening of Parmenter’s Cider Mill, we will transition to review Mills and Apple production in the area over time. We’ve had MANY orchards in our “Hamlet in the Hills” or “Switzerland of Wayne County” we call Northville. Orchards in the area include Parmenter’s, Eaton’s, Foreman’s, Obstbaum, Three Cedars Farm and Apple Crest, among others. I grew up in Orchard Heights (site of the Eaton Orchard) and live there today. I can attest that there are still some of the original trees from the orchard days in the vicinity (apple, cherry, pear).
Let’s look back at ways Northvillians have experienced cider mills over the years…
1873– Northville’s Parmenter’s Cider Mill (Baseline Road) was established by two Civil War veterans and has been going strong ever since. It’s the oldest cider mill in the area, and its cider press was originally powered by a team of horses walking in a circle. Last year it was ranked as one of the top destinations for cider in Metro Detroit. Link
1898 – The Northville area by this time was known for its apples, and this week in 1898, The Record noted that at the Northville train station, scores of rail cars were loaded with barrels of local apples that were shipped throughout the country.
1909 – The apple crop in & around Northville proved to be one of the best in history. Thousands of barrels of apples were shipped out this year, mostly via train.
1918– The 2nd annual Wayne County Fair (the State’s largest fair at the time) at Northville Downs hosted citizens from all over Michigan who sampled local apples & cider.
1919 – Northville’s newly established Orchard Heights housing development was publicized in The Record. Geographically, it was the old Eaton Family Orchard that ran from Rogers to Clement and 7 Mile to Main. The four major historic areas of town are: The Historic District (Downtown), Cabbage Town (by Ford Field), Beal Town (Downs Area) & Orchard Heights.
1998 – Foreman’s Orchards (7 Mile & Ridge Area) transitioned from being an orchard to the subdivision known as Maybury Crossing (similar to Orchard Heights beginnings).
You can see that Northville and surrounding areas (including Novi and South Lyon) were quite a hot spot for apples and cider in years’ past. Take a trip down to Parmenter’s Cider Mill and celebrate their 152nd year in business pressing apples into cider and making homemade doughnuts. Imagine the days when the apple press was turned by a team of horses, and farmers from around the area brought in their fruit to sell to Parmenter’s Cider Mill. I was honored and privileged to read a proclamation for their sesquicentennial.
Enjoy the Fall days, experience a cider mill and make a special memory in the Northville area.
Keep that Northville Fall Faith!
Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849
(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)
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