(ON THIS DAY-1869) TITUS DORT and the Great Free Highway

 

ON THIS DAY: April 7, 1869: TITUS DORT and the Great Free Highway

 

Detroit Free Press Apr 7, 1869

(transcribed text from a “Letter to the Editor,” dated the preceding day from Dearborn)

“A Free Highway from Dearborn to Detroit.”

“To the Editor of the Detroit Free Press:

“A large and enthusiastic public meeting of the inhabitants of Dearborn and neighboring townships was held yesterday at Dearbornville. The meeting was called for the purpose of taking measures to procure a great, free highway to Detroit.

“Hon. Titus Dort was elected President, and the following Vice Presidents: Hon. A. B. Gulley, of Dearborn; Hon. J. B. Wallace, of Wallaceville; Robert Inkster, Esq., of Inkster; J. D. Barker, Esq., J. W. Pardee, Esq., Richard Haigh, Esq., Doctor T. M. Sweeny, David Sloss, Esq., Doctor E. S. Snow, Col. J. M. Farland, W. C. Sutton, Esq., Capt. O. E. Michaelis, Charles B. Harris, Esq., Martin Vrooman, Esq., and Hon. J. A. Sexton. The following officiated as Secretaries: Capt. George W. Haigh, E. D. Howe, John Cosbey and William Kelley.

“The following resolutions were presented by a committee appointed for that purpose, and unanimously adopted:

“WHEREAS, The people of Springwells, with their usual public spirited energy, have succeeded in obtaining legislation providing for the immediate macadamizing or graveling of Ford Street, from the city limits to Baby Creek;

and whereas, the present great thoroughfare from Dearborn, Nankin and other neighboring townships to Detroit is over the Chicago road, which is not kept in good order, and upon which excessive tolls are charged;

and whereas, it is of the greatest importance to us, the people of the above townships, to obtain a great, free, first-class highway to Detroit; therefore, be it

“RESOLVED, That we request and urge the Highway Commissioners of Dearborn, Greenfield and Ecorse to put all their available road work upon the road running from Dearborn to Baby Creek, and with the view of securing the construction of a good road to the intersection of Fort street that voluntary subscriptions of labor and money be solicited from all interested in the establishment of a great, free highway to Detroit.

“RESOLVED, That the chair appoint a committee of seven to carry out the foregoing resolutions, with instructions to take prompt action in the matter.

“On motion, the President of the meeting was to be one of the committee, which consists of Titus Dort, J. W. Pardee, Capt. O. E. Michaelis, D. D. Tompkins, William Daly, Geo. W. Haigh and A. B. Gulley.

“It was resolved that the publishers of the Detroit city papers be requested to publish these proceedings, whereupon the meeting adjourned.”

1860 Map of Wayne County (Nankin, Dearborn, Greenfield, and Springwells to the west of the city of Detroit) Library of Congress 

NOTE: "The Free Highway from Dearborn to Detroit proposal being mentioned was just folks advocating for greater township government investment in the North Dearborn Road. This was a road along the Rouge to the Delray area often following sand ridges that had Native American trail roots. Most of the road was later obliterated by Ford but one of the largest surviving segments is Dearborn Street in Delray." (Mason Christensen, Archivist/Communication Specialist for the Dearborn Historical Museum, Dearborn, Michigan)

(Site of Toll Gate on Chicago Road near Titus Dort's farm.) The green historical plaque next to the sign is inscribed:

"Conrad Ten Eyck (1782-1847) built a famous tavern in 1826 about 300 feet west of this marker--the first resting place of travelers, one day's trip west of Detroit. It stood on the River Rouge at a point where the Chicago Road forked. The northerly branch, called the Ann Arbor Trail, led toward Lansing, the westerly branch to Ypsilanti. The inn burned down in 1869, its stables in 1906. Ten Eyck's humor may have given Michigan the nickname "Wolverine." He served Dearborn Township as Supervisor, Wayne County as Treasurer and Sheriff, the state as Constitution Convention member, and his country as United States Marshal." 

 

(Red Dot: location of Toll Gate at the fork of the Chicago Road; Blue Dot: Titus Dort's property crossed by both Chicago Road and North Dearborn Road) Library of Congress