Elizabeth Park (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Park is a county park
mostly located on an artificial island
in the Detroit River
in southern Wayne County
, Michigan
. The park is sometimes but rarely referred to as Slocum's Island — the historic name of the island on which the park is located. The park is located within the city limits of Trenton
along Jefferson Avenue
and just north of the Wayne County Bridge
leading to Grosse Ile
. Elizabeth Park is recognized as the first county park established in the state of Michigan.
The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow canal and is located on the western shores of the Detroit River in the Trenton Channel. The island itself is commonly referred to as Elizabeth Park, and the name Slocum's Island has largely fallen into disuse. While Elizabeth Park occupies the northern portion of the island, the portion south of Grosse Ile Parkway is occupied by the large Trenton Channel Power Plant
.
tribe the Wyandot for several centuries before Europeans arrived to colonize the area. The Wyandot settled the village of Maguagon along the banks of the Detroit River, which was the site of the minor Battle of Maguaga
during the War of 1812
. The area was soon settled as Truaxton in 1816 by Abram Caleb Truax, who was a French
Major who decided to stay in the area after the war. In 1827, Lewis Cass
, the governor of the Michigan Territory
, organized Monguagon Township
with Truax as the first township supervisor. As a part of the township, the area of Truaxton was renamed Trenton
in 1847 and incorporated as a village in 1855.
Giles Bryan Slocum (1808–1884), who was an early businessman and landowner, moved to Truaxton in 1834. He built Truaxton's first dock along the Detroit River
in that summer. He would later manage docks up and down the Detroit River. He used his wealth to purchase three miles (4.8 km) of Truaxton's riverfront. He built his large estate on what he called Slocum's Island, which was partially separated from the mainland by his own constructed canal. Slocum married Sophia Truax (daughter of Abram Caleb Truax) in 1838, and she inherited his estate when he died in 1884. She continued to live on Slocum's Island with her only daughter, Elizabeth Nichols (née Slocum). Sophia Truax died in 1912, and Nichols then inherited the island.
Nichols died in 1919, and her children inherited the property. They donated the estate to the Wayne County Park Trustees in October 1919 on the condition that it be set aside as “Elizabeth Park” in honor of their mother. The Slocum estate, which consisted of 162 acres (65 ha), was given to the county and organized as Michigan's first county park
. The donation was helpful in the creation of the Wayne County Park System, which had been hindered by a lack of funding to acquire their own properties. Though the new park system continued to have no funding afterward, the development of Elizabeth Park was made possible by financial support from the Michigan Department of Transportation
, which improved the canal, created bridges connecting the island to the mainland, and built the road that circles the park.
populace and is expected to draw in more visitors from the surrounding commercial district. The park includes a marina
on the southern end near Grosse Ile Parkway. Fishing and boating remain very popular activities. Walking, skating, or fishing can be done from the 1,300 feet (396 m) of riverwalks, and the interior of the park contains hiking and cycling trail
s, a baseball field
, skatepark
, playground, and a large picnic area.
The unique pedestrian bridges that cross the canal and connect Elizabeth Park to the mainland were constructed in the early stages of the park's development. There are three walkway bridges — all named Elizabeth Park Walkway Bridge — at different locations. All three of these bridges are still structurally sound but are in desperate need of restoration. The only automobile bridge that crosses the canal is an arch bridge
called the Elizabeth Drive Bridge on the north end of the park. The 59.7 ft (18.2 m) bridge was constructed in 1923 and retains most of its original features. However, like the pedestrian bridges, the Elizabeth Drive Bridge is in poor shape. The Michigan Historic Bridge Inventory lists the bridge as eligible for entry into the National Register of Historic Places
.
Elizabeth Park is also mentioned for possible inclusion into the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
, which is still in its preliminary stages of development. Since Elizabeth Park is owned by Wayne County
, it is unsure at this time if the park would be included into the expanding refuge or if it would just include the surrounding waterways.
. This property was not part of Giles Bryan Slocum's original property that was donated to the county in 1919 but has since been included as part of the island when the original canal around Slocum's property was expanded southward. The Detroit Edison Company
, a present-day subsidiary of DTE Energy, purchased the southern portion of the island and constructed the Trenton Channel Power Plant in 1949. Much of their property is on the mainland surrounding West Jefferson Avenue
. The main building — the two smokestack
power station — is the only portion located on what is now technically the southern portion of Slocum's Island.
Despite its nature, the power plant works closely with environmental organizations to ensure the area is free of pollutants. For their efforts, the Trenton Channel Power Plant was awarded the Wildlife Habitat Council's Corporate Habitat of the Year award in 2004. DTE Energy regularly spreads crushed limestone along the banks of the Detroit River on Slocum's Island, because such an item provides a popular nesting habitat for native common terns
. Common terns were once plentiful in the region before industrialism drove out all but a small number of them. Other birds, such as the bald eagles
, peregrine falcons
, and great blue herons
also use the grounds for habitat.
County park
A county park is a park managed by a county. In the United States, county parks are lower in hierarchy than state parks. In the United Kingdom, similar parks for recreation are named country parks....
mostly located on an artificial island
Artificial island
An artificial island or man-made island is an island or archipelago that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means...
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...
in southern Wayne County
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...
, 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 park is sometimes but rarely referred to as Slocum's Island — the historic name of the island on which the park is located. The park is located within the city limits of 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...
along Jefferson Avenue
Jefferson Avenue (Detroit)
Jefferson Avenue is a scenic road along the eastern part of the Detroit metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Michigan. It travels alongside Lake Erie, the Detroit River, and Lake Saint Clair. This road also provides access to many recreational facilities in the area...
and just north of 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...
leading to 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...
. Elizabeth Park is recognized as the first county park established in the state of Michigan.
The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow canal and is located on the western shores of the Detroit River in the Trenton Channel. The island itself is commonly referred to as Elizabeth Park, and the name Slocum's Island has largely fallen into disuse. While Elizabeth Park occupies the northern portion of the island, the portion south of Grosse Ile Parkway is occupied by the large Trenton Channel Power Plant
Trenton Channel Power Plant
The Trenton Channel Power Plant, also known as the Trenton Stacks, is a coal-burning power station located in Trenton, Michigan. Completed in 1949, it is owned and operated by Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of DTE Energy....
.
History
The area was occupied by the Native AmericanNative 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...
tribe the Wyandot for several centuries before Europeans arrived to colonize the area. The Wyandot settled the village of Maguagon along the banks of the Detroit River, which was the site of the minor Battle of Maguaga
Battle of Maguaga
The Battle of Maguaga The Battle of Maguaga The Battle of Maguaga (also known as the Battle of Monguagon or the Battle of the Oakwoods was a small battle between British troops, Canadian militia and Tecumseh's natives and a larger force of American troops near the Wyandot village of Maguaga in what...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. The area was soon settled as Truaxton in 1816 by Abram Caleb Truax, who was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Major who decided to stay in the area after the war. In 1827, Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass was an American military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, a U.S. Senator representing Michigan, and co-founder as well as first Masonic Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan...
, the governor of the Michigan Territory
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
, organized 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...
with Truax as the first township supervisor. As a part of the township, the area of Truaxton was renamed 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...
in 1847 and incorporated as a village in 1855.
Giles Bryan Slocum (1808–1884), who was an early businessman and landowner, moved to Truaxton in 1834. He built Truaxton's first dock along 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...
in that summer. He would later manage docks up and down the Detroit River. He used his wealth to purchase three miles (4.8 km) of Truaxton's riverfront. He built his large estate on what he called Slocum's Island, which was partially separated from the mainland by his own constructed canal. Slocum married Sophia Truax (daughter of Abram Caleb Truax) in 1838, and she inherited his estate when he died in 1884. She continued to live on Slocum's Island with her only daughter, Elizabeth Nichols (née Slocum). Sophia Truax died in 1912, and Nichols then inherited the island.
Nichols died in 1919, and her children inherited the property. They donated the estate to the Wayne County Park Trustees in October 1919 on the condition that it be set aside as “Elizabeth Park” in honor of their mother. The Slocum estate, which consisted of 162 acres (65 ha), was given to the county and organized as Michigan's first county park
County park
A county park is a park managed by a county. In the United States, county parks are lower in hierarchy than state parks. In the United Kingdom, similar parks for recreation are named country parks....
. The donation was helpful in the creation of the Wayne County Park System, which had been hindered by a lack of funding to acquire their own properties. Though the new park system continued to have no funding afterward, the development of Elizabeth Park was made possible by financial support from the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
, which improved the canal, created bridges connecting the island to the mainland, and built the road that circles the park.
Recent status
In 2003, the park underwent an over $1 million renovation of the crumbling Southshore Riverwalk, which was an original element of Elizabeth Park. The Northshore Riverwalk is also being improved at a cost of $1.2 million. This riverwalk is closer to the TrentonTrenton, 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...
populace and is expected to draw in more visitors from the surrounding commercial district. The park includes a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
on the southern end near Grosse Ile Parkway. Fishing and boating remain very popular activities. Walking, skating, or fishing can be done from the 1,300 feet (396 m) of riverwalks, and the interior of the park contains hiking and cycling trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s, a baseball field
Baseball field
A baseball field, also called a ball field or a baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The terms "baseball field" and "ball field" are also often used as synonyms for ballpark.-Specifications:...
, skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
, playground, and a large picnic area.
The unique pedestrian bridges that cross the canal and connect Elizabeth Park to the mainland were constructed in the early stages of the park's development. There are three walkway bridges — all named Elizabeth Park Walkway Bridge — at different locations. All three of these bridges are still structurally sound but are in desperate need of restoration. The only automobile bridge that crosses the canal is an arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
called the Elizabeth Drive Bridge on the north end of the park. The 59.7 ft (18.2 m) bridge was constructed in 1923 and retains most of its original features. However, like the pedestrian bridges, the Elizabeth Drive Bridge is in poor shape. The Michigan Historic Bridge Inventory lists the bridge as eligible for entry into the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Elizabeth Park is also mentioned for possible inclusion into the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It was established in 2001 and is managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The refuge is located along the western coast of Lake...
, which is still in its preliminary stages of development. Since Elizabeth Park is owned by Wayne County
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...
, it is unsure at this time if the park would be included into the expanding refuge or if it would just include the surrounding waterways.
Trenton Channel Power Plant
Quite the contrast to Elizabeth Park, the portion of Slocum's Island south of Grosse Ile Parkway is occupied by the large, coal-burning Trenton Channel Power Plant, which is owned and operated by DTE EnergyDTE Energy
DTE Energy Co. is a Detroit, Michigan-based utility incorporated in 1995 involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide....
. This property was not part of Giles Bryan Slocum's original property that was donated to the county in 1919 but has since been included as part of the island when the original canal around Slocum's property was expanded southward. The Detroit Edison Company
Detroit Edison
The Detroit Edison Company, founded in 1903, is an investor-owned electric utility which serves most of Southeast Michigan. Its parent company, DTE Energy , provides energy services to a variety of clients beyond Detroit Edison's service area.- History :...
, a present-day subsidiary of DTE Energy, purchased the southern portion of the island and constructed the Trenton Channel Power Plant in 1949. Much of their property is on the mainland surrounding West Jefferson Avenue
Jefferson Avenue (Detroit)
Jefferson Avenue is a scenic road along the eastern part of the Detroit metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Michigan. It travels alongside Lake Erie, the Detroit River, and Lake Saint Clair. This road also provides access to many recreational facilities in the area...
. The main building — the two smokestack
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
power station — is the only portion located on what is now technically the southern portion of Slocum's Island.
Despite its nature, the power plant works closely with environmental organizations to ensure the area is free of pollutants. For their efforts, the Trenton Channel Power Plant was awarded the Wildlife Habitat Council's Corporate Habitat of the Year award in 2004. DTE Energy regularly spreads crushed limestone along the banks of the Detroit River on Slocum's Island, because such an item provides a popular nesting habitat for native common terns
Common Tern
The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes...
. Common terns were once plentiful in the region before industrialism drove out all but a small number of them. Other birds, such as the bald eagles
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, peregrine falcons
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, and great blue herons
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
also use the grounds for habitat.
See also
- Battle of MaguagaBattle of MaguagaThe Battle of Maguaga The Battle of Maguaga The Battle of Maguaga (also known as the Battle of Monguagon or the Battle of the Oakwoods was a small battle between British troops, Canadian militia and Tecumseh's natives and a larger force of American troops near the Wyandot village of Maguaga in what...
- Detroit RiverDetroit RiverThe 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...
- Detroit River International Wildlife RefugeDetroit River International Wildlife RefugeThe Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international wildlife refuge in North America. It was established in 2001 and is managed jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The refuge is located along the western coast of Lake...
- List of islands in the Detroit River
- Trenton Channel Power PlantTrenton Channel Power PlantThe Trenton Channel Power Plant, also known as the Trenton Stacks, is a coal-burning power station located in Trenton, Michigan. Completed in 1949, it is owned and operated by Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of DTE Energy....