Whitmore Lake and Northfield Township History

07/15/2022

In 1923 to attract more University students and others to Whitmore Lake, Roe Stevens built a large dance hall on the lakeside of Main Street opposite of his hotel, the Lake House. Business was going good up until 1927 when the University of Michigan enacted a ban on student vehicles. The ban came about when University President Clarence Cook Little finally had enough of hearing about students smashing up vehicles and crashing. He declared that "no student shall operate any motor vehicle." Another Regent said “anyone will admit that people will do on back country roads that which they would not do on State Street." The ban also helped to keep students from traveling to bars and speakeasies. The Auto ban would be in effect for nearly 40 years. Of course this made a negative impact on the dance hall business, so Mr. Stevens arranged a motor coach line to run a special bus line out to the lake. During the dance hall days big name bands performed in the hall, including Jean Goldkette. Goldkette owned many of his own ballrooms, inlcuding co owning the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit. He also headed the Victor Recording Orchestra from 1924-29, besides Goldkette other members inlcuded Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. When the dance hall era ended the building became a roller rink, operated by Alton LaMay. During the same time the lower lake level was used by the University sailing club and bleachers were set up on Saturday nights in the roller rink for boxing and wrestling matches. The hall later became the Lucky Lure cricket hatchery run by Craig Brooks. Some of the crickets were packaged up and were taken across the street to the bus stop in front of the former PNC bank and picked up by the Greyhound bus to be taken to their final destinations. The cricket hatchery became a nuisance to many neighboring homes. After the cricket hatchery the building became home to Fortuna Marine and Hobie Cat dealer and later ACT Computers and Driftwood Marina until its recent demise. The picture of the building is from 1925, in the comments is a link to a tune by Goldkette and his orchestra.

06/14/2022

Whitmore Lake country doctor, Dr. Charles S. Lane. An article from the Ann Arbor-Argus Democrat on June 27, 1902 tells us; "Dr. C.S Lane, a graduate of Chicago Medical College, is located here permanently. His office is in the residence of Mrs. Irena Stilson." The home of Irena Stilson still stands on the lakeside of Main Street at 9524 Main. Dr. Lane is pictured below with another unidentified man in his buggy in front of 58 Margaret Street in Whitmore Lake in 1907. Also attached is a bill from Dr. Lane, to the estate of Peter Kelley in 1911. Dr. Lane charged $5.50 for the week of September 20, 1911 until Peter Kelley's date of death on September 25. Dr. Lane received a partial payment of 4 bushel of oats worth $2.00 from the Kelley family leaving a balance of $3.50. The payment of oats was most likely made to keep the doctors horse fed.

03/15/2022

A late 1940's view of Main Street looking North. The Lake Restaurant at left located at 9541 Main Street was operated by Paul Scalabino and was serving up steaks, chicken dinners and genuine Italian dishes. The 1939 Ramsay building, now Planted Provisioning is shown before the large Kroger sign was put up. The Ramsay building consisted of a beauty shop ran by Mrs. Ramsay (Emma), J. D Ramsay Drugs, and Kroger. Businesses beyond included ABC Market, Nelson's Service and the Tootsie Wootsie Restaurant.

01/18/2022

Northfield Township Residence added to National Register of Historic Places

The architectural details at Walbri Hall in Bloomfield Hills and the Nathan Esek and Sarah Emergene Sutton House in rural Washtenaw County led to designations this month, officials said.

01/01/2022

Aerial photo from the late 1940's of the West edge of Whitmore Lake and the Weber Farm. The 220 acre Weber farm consists of what is now the future North Village, Northfield Estates Mobile home park, and the old Hoovers site. The farm purchased in 1895 by Henry and Marie Weber was later owned by their son Freeman "Dutch" Weber. Dutch was Northfield Townships longest serving supervisor from 1939 to 1964. The building circled and labeled #1 is the Whitmore Lake depot on Barker Road, which was torn down not long after the last passenger train came through Whitmore Lake in 1951. The second area labeled #2 is the channel under Main Street, originally used to float blocks of ice from the lake to the ice house that stood on the site. At the time of the aerial photo it was used for boats to pass under to Bill Whites boat well, to park for gas or get a beverage (a picture of Bill Whites in the comments). The large barn near center was dismantled around 1958 and would have stood in the present area of the post office parking lot. Both Weber homes still stand on Main Street, Dutch's house at 9699 Main replaced the original house in the early 1930's after a fire. Henry and Marie built the stone home at 9681 Main in 1924.

11/29/2021

Wolpert's Ice Cream Parlor, 9541 Main Street 1910.

The building at 9541 Main Street, which is now Lovely Monkey Tattoo is the oldest commercial building in Whitmore Lake. The building dates to 1851 when it was a general store owned by John Rane, who ran his store there until around 1863 (John Ranes grandson, also named John ran a store later at 9519 Main). The building was later owned for many years by Johns son, William Rane who leased it to other businesses including, Jake Wolpert for an ice cream parlor. Prior to Wolpert's, Alfred Mummery of Ann Arbor leased the building from Rane. Below is a clip from the Ann Arbor News, June 27, 1902.

"Alfred Mummery of Ann Arbor has leased the W. B. Rane cream parlors on Main street and opened a very tasty and inviting ice cream business. He has put in a Tuft's soda fountain and is prepared to serve all. He also carries a line of the choicest ci**rs, baked goods, candies, etc., and we bespeak for him a good paying trade."

First photo; Wolpert's at right at 9541 Main. Bay windows were added to the second story in the 1990's.

Second photo; Interior of Wolpert's. Sign on back wall advertises Russell's ice cream, Ann Arbor.

09/09/2021

Condolences to the family of Charles Hall WLHS Class of 1965

Share Memories & Support the Family.

08/30/2021

Built on land donated by Joseph Pray and Louis Buchoz in 1866 the Whitmore Lake Methodist Church was completed in 1868. Pictured here in the 1890's this photo shows the church before the building was lifted to put a basement underneath in 1908. The large conveyor seen in the background at left is an asset to the Spring Lake Ice Company. The Spring Lake Ice Co. operated an ice house in Smith's Grove, later Burkes Grove and now Harbor cove apartments. The Icehouse operated in the grove from 1892 until 1898 after they burned. The operation was moved up Main Street in 1898 to where Al Dente pasta is now and was renamed the Toledo Ice Company until it also burned in 1929.

05/29/2021

Main Street, Whitmore Lake looking North around 1948. If you were the photographer you would be standing in front of what was previously PNC bank. The building at left is the Dairy Del, a café that served ice cream and lunches. Originally it was an addition to the back of the Lake House hotel that survived the 1942 fire which destroyed the 90 year old building. After the fire it was remodeled and was named Cupladons, after the two World War Two veterans who opened it both named Donald. After Dairy Del it was Lucky Four. The building was demolished in 1960 for Polly Market. On the right side signs advertise the Dairy Del bathing beach and the LaMay's roller rink. The roller rink was originally the Lake House dancing pavilion and was most recently Driftwood Marina.

05/06/2021

At "Stilsonburg" in 1895. The Jackson branch of the Grand Trunk Railroad was completed in 1884, and by 1886 it had a train stop at the northern edge of Whitmore Lake. The photo shows the covered platform at East Shore Drive and Nine Mile, just below the cemetery with the lake in the distance. This platform is where those visiting from Detroit, Pontiac and Jackson would have disembarked to enjoy a day or maybe a week at Whitmore Lake. Just down the hill from the train stop was the predecessor of Groomes Beach, a bathing beach operated by James Stilson and later his son Henry called Stilsonburg. The name of the actual train stop was still Whitmore Lake, but the unofficial name of Stilsonburg stuck due to the popular beach. Once off the train you could spend your day at the Stilsonburg beach or pay five cents ( prior to 1908) or fifteen cents (after 1908) and take the excursion across the lake to spend the day in town. The Stilsonburg beach later would be replaced by Groomes Beach, which opened in 1919, the train stop later would disappear and the Grand Trunk tracks would be pulled up by the 1970's. The Stilsonburg subdivision on Nine Mile opened in 1987 reviving the name from many years past.

04/01/2021

The Whitmore Lake School burns March 25, 1943.

The brick Whitmore Lake school was constructed in 1906 replacing an earlier frame structure. The building originally consisted of three rooms with an additional two classrooms added in 1939, with a ramp to the basement under the addition where the Whitmore Lake fire truck was ironically stored. The site today would be where the new Community Center parking lot is now on Main Street. The following is the news story the day after the fire;

"The five room Whitmore Lake School was destroyed by fire yesterday which started in the basement furnace room. There were no injuries or loss of life. The schools 210 students, led by five cool headed teachers, filed out in orderly procession, as they had done numerous times before in fire drills after the alarm sounded. The cause of the blaze could not be determined. Despite the fire the pupils of the 10th grade school will get only a one day recess. The school board meeting last night decided to resume classes Monday in two rooms saved in the Stevens Hotel fire, the Methodist Church basement, and rooms of the Blanchard building on Main Street.

Tables formerly used in the Stevens Hotel ice cream parlor will be used as desks in the temporary school rooms along with some desks saved from the fire. Although all got out safely from the burning building many pupils lost their personal possessions such as; caps, coats, dinner pails, and other things. Most of the schools text books, desks, maps, tables, other interior furnishings and part of the schools records were lost. The blaze was Whitmore Lakes second large conflagration in less than six months. October 2, 1942 fire destroyed the over 90 year old Stevens Hotel at loss of approximately $15,000.

The school fire was discovered by teacher, Miss Olive Walsh who smelled smoke shortly after 3 O'clock and investigated. The basement door was locked, but when it was opened a cloud of smoke and flames rushed out. Spreading rapidly through the wooden interior of the brick school, the blaze was out of control before the firemen could begin pouring water on it. The Whitmore Lake volunteer fire departments truck was housed in one of the schools basement rooms. Witnesses at the scene said motor trouble, and the necessity of bringing water from the creek, about 200 yards from the school delayed use of the fire fighting equipment for at least half an hour after the fire was discovered. Chemicals were used but to no avail.

John Rane president of the school board, reported this morning that the insurance would cover about half the loss. Only part of the buildings brick walls were left standing. Fire departments from Howell, Brighton, and Ann Arbor answered the alarm and succeeded in saving the Van Schoten home and the Dempster home (Curtis Real Estate). The Dempsters house walls were badly scarred, and many windows broken. John Rane said the same site would not be considered for a new school. Temporary arrangments would be made to continue school."

A new Whitmore Lake was completed in 1944 just south of the old Middle School at 8877 Main Street. It would later be known as Spencer Elementary after Superintendent James Spencer. It was torn down in 1991.