Helping to Ensure Nankin Mills Remains
A Link To Our Past,
A Resource For Our Future
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Helping to Ensure Nankin Mills Remains
A Link To Our Past, |
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The following articles are part of a series called Nankin Mills: Past & Present and relate the history of Nankin Mills. They are reprinted by permission from The Nankin Historian, a bi-monthly newsletter that tells through words and photos the fascinating story of Nankin Township. The newsletter is available through area museums, local libraries or by contacting Managing Editor Daryl A. Bailey at the NankinHistorian. The Friends of Nankin Mills are thankful to Daryl for allowing us to share these stories. The
Tribes of the Three Fires The article below was written by Carol Clements, Nankin Mills naturalist and historian. It appeared in the February 2005 edition of Nankin ______. Looking Back: Marcus Swift and the Underground Railroad in Nankin Township
The Tribes of the Three Fires By: Martin Johnson They called themselves the Three Fires. They were the Ottawa, the Potawatami and the Ojibwa. Westland might have been where they once held their tribal meetings. Based on oral tradition (Native American didn’t keep written records) the three tribes came from the eastern seaboard some 700 years ago to escape the fierce Iroquois and to find better lands for their growing population. They settled in the area around Mackinaw. While they were three distinct tribes, they shared a similar dialect and many cultural beliefs. It was during this time that tribal leaders established the confederacy of the Three Fires. The name was taken to signify the three tribes and was established to provide the tribes with protection from other indigenous people who sought to inhabit the region. Perhaps it was the Potawatami who hosted the meetings of this confederation, as one translation of their name is "Keepers of the Sacred Fire." Sometime around the 1400s the Potawatami moved southward and began to inhabit lower regions of our state. Yet even after the move, the meetings of the Three Fires confederation continued. Representatives from each of the three tribes would travel on foot and by canoe and come together on a regular basis to trade goods, to visit, to share stories and to hold sacred ceremonies. Where exactly they met is unknown and the passage of centuries has eliminated any physical evidence. Oral tradition holds that one of the meeting areas was in Westland where the Rouge River and Tonquish Creek come together. While none of their villages are know to have stood within the Westland boundaries, it would have been a good spot for those who traveled by land. Many trails followed the high ground along natural landmarks such as rivers. It would be along these same routes that escaping slaves from the south would seek freedom via the Underground Railroad. The Potawatami in Michigan lived a simple but hard life. They hunted rabbits, deer, bear and game birds. They fished in the Rouge and raised corn and melons. We know of their presence by artifacts such as the arrowheads they left behind. While not common, they have occasionally been found. In an article in the Westland Observer several years ago, one area farmer talked about how, as a youth in the 1920s, would find arrowheads along Tonquish Creek. The Westland Historical Museum also has a collection of arrowheads that was donated by another area resident. The legend of the Three Fires reminds us that the story of Native Americans didn’t start or end in Michigan. The Three Fires name can be found in such diverse locales as Walpole Island in Ontario and in Iowa and Oklahoma. Places where they moved or were forced to move to during their history. Getting Grain To The Mill By: Daryl A. Bailey Nankin Mills has a long and colorful history. What follows are accounts written by Melvin D. Osband, the son of an early pioneer, in his "My Recollections of Pioneers and Pioneer Life in Nankin" as published by the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society in 1908. The First Mill Built
on the Site of Nankin Mills. How Grain Was Taken
to the Mill in the Early Days: Nankin Mills and the Underground Railroad By: Daryl A. Bailey Rumors abound that this site or that site was a stop along the Underground Railroad. Nankin Mills is such a place. What was the Underground Railroad and was Nankin Mills a part of it? The Underground Railroad was a clandestine system that was used to help runaway slaves escape into Canada. For many that "rode" on this railway the Detroit River was considered the River Jordan and the Canadian shore the Promised Land. Prior to 1850, there was no organized plan to assist runaways. Runaways considered themselves safe as soon as they reached Northern soil. Everything changed in 1850 when Congress passed The Fugitive Slave Act. The Fugitive Slave Act put the power of the Federal Government behind efforts to track down and return runaways to their masters. The only safe place for these former slaves was across the border in Canada. Under the Fugitive Slave Act it was illegal to assist runaways. It became necessary to carefully plan and execute these operations, maintaining the utmost secrecy. Because of this, much of the history of the Underground Railroad was never recorded. The term "Underground Railroad" was coined because anti-slavery workers used railroad terms to describe their jobs. The Conductor — the guide that led the escaping slaves along the route. The train — the group of escaping slaves. The "trains" only ran at night. The Station — a safe place to hid during the day. These were the cellars and garrents of private homes, or a cave or the attic of a barn. The Agent or Station Keeper — an anti-slavery proponent who provided shelter for the escaping slaves. For a time the Underground railroad followed along the Lower and Middle Rouge River, through what was then Nankin Township. This would certainly mean that the Underground Railroad passed by Nankin Mills, but it does not mean it stop there. Since the Underground Railroad operated in secret, little documentation exists to support such allegations. The current Nankin Mills building is the second mill on that site. The building of the first gristmill began by Noah Hull, an agent for General John E. Schwarz. Noah hewed the timber and raised part of the frame. After just a few weeks, Noah abandoned his work. In 1841 work on the mill resumed under the guidance of Rufus Swift. The gristmill began operations in February 1842. The current Nankin Mills was built in 1863. Rumor has it that the first mill was burned to the ground. But that is just another rumor. Mary Ellsworth: Mother of the Nankin Mills Nature Center By: Daryl A. Bailey “It was quite a challenge, but it was fun.” So said Mary Ellsworth, the mother of the Nankin Mills Nature Center. The nature center operated from 1958 to 1979 and was the forerunner of the present day Nankin Mills Interpretive Center. Wayne County had acquired the mill from the Ford Motor Company in 1948. In 1956, Mary Ellsworth, a Michigan State University graduate, was hired by the Wayne County Road Commission who had assumed responsibility for the mill to create a nature center there. Mary accepted the challenge. Armed with her degree in natural science she set about the task of creating a nature center from scratch. It was a daunting task from the very beginning. In an interview with Joe Rossiter, Detroit Free Press Special Writer, Mary said, “They gave me a building without heat, water or electricity. There was a pot-bellied stove down in the basement and I had to split wood the first winter to keep warm.” For two years Mary collected exhibit materials and painted backgrounds for the many displays. She did not have a staff until just before the Nature Center opened. During the first difficult months, she was aided by neighborhood children. The Center opened in 1958. Mary nurtured and protected it as mother bear would care for her cub. Two years later Wayne County acquired about 500 acres of woodlands near Nankin Mills. This is known today as the Holliday Nature Preserve. Twelve miles of trails were marked. They wind through groves of oak, hickory, and beech trees, as well as around marshes and meadows. Mary often led tours along these trails. Many of these tours were with school-aged children. Next to the Mill was a compound for injured and orphaned animals. In a 1973 interview with Detroit News reporter Beverly McAnally, Mary explained the goal of the animal compound. “We are not trying to have a zoo, our goal is to rehabilitate and restore the animals to their natural environment. So our displays are constantly changing. But some of the animals, because they are not native, or because they are so damaged they can’t take care of themselves, will spend the rest of their lives here.” It is said that at its height the Nature Center attracted about 30,000 visitors a year. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. And so it came to pass for the Nature Center. In 1979, facing a budget crunch, Wayne County cut funding for the Nature Center. The job of closing the Center fell to its creator, Mary Ellsworth. “I started it from scratch … and I closed it up.” When the Center closed the animals were given to the Detroit Zoo. Mary was transferred to the county forestry operation. She continued to visit the Nature Center, which then housed county offices. She still gave tours along the trails. Mary Ellsworth died on January 28, 1987. She was 68 years old. She was laid to rest at the Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan. Mary’s legacy continues at the Nankin Mills Interpretive Center. An exhibit near the first floor elevator says: “Today, Wayne County Parks looks back with appreciation at the inspired dedication of Mary Ellsworth, Arthur Richardson and his uncle William Holliday, and looks forward to a bright future for what is now Nankin Mills Interpretive Center. With new interpretive programs, exhibits and all the advantages of a modern facility, we welcome you here.” In the fall of 1988 the Westland Historical Commission established a memorial for Mary Ellsworth at the Westland Historical Museum. The plaque reads: “Historian, Founder of the Wayne County Nature Center, Naturalist, Westland Historical Commissioner, and a True Beloved Friend of All People and Other Living Things.” The stone for Mary’s memorial came from the Nankin Mills area, a very fitting choice. Author’s Note: I want to thank Virginia Braun of the Westland Historical Commission for her assistance with this article. Henry’s Hobbies By: Daryl A. Bailey “One foot in the factory and one foot on the ground of nature.” H enry FordHenry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, had an idea. He would dot America’s rivers with water-driven factories that would offer employment to farmers during the winter months, thus slowing the migration of families from the farms to the cities. Referred to as village industries, many of these factories were 19th century gristmills. In 1918, Ford put this plan into action. He retired as President of Ford Motor Company and purchased Nankin Mills, located along the middle Rouge River. He continued to buy sites along the Rouge and River Raisin, in southeastern Lower Michigan, along the Miami River in Ohio and the Hudson River in New York State. The first village industry to go into operation was a converted mill in Northville, 12 miles up the River Rouge from Ford’s home in Dearborn. The Northville site began making valves for the Model T. Ford hoped that his experiment would usher in sweeping changes in society. Without the stress of managing the entire Ford Motor Company he could devote his energy to his village industry project. They became know as “Henry’s Hobbies.” He walked up and down streams looking for suitable locations. It is thought that some of these walks were publicity stunts to promote his “hobbies.” In 1920, Nankin Mills began operations as one of Ford’s Village Industries. It began producing screws, but was soon converted to produce stencils for marking Ford auto parts. The machinery to produce the stencils was brought to Nankin Mills from the Rouge Plant. Between 1919 and 1944, Ford opened 20 Village Industries. This allowed Ford to fulfill two of his heartfelt beliefs, to support rural farming and to use waterpower. During World War II, Henry Ford once again became the President of Ford Motor Company. As Henry Ford’s health declined, so did the financial condition of the company he founded. In 1945, at the age of 82, he retired again. His grandson, Henry Ford II, became the new President of the company. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Ford II wanted to cut any unprofitable operations. In 1946 a list of them was compiled. A Ford Motor Company press release stated: “There were several (Village Industries) whose output was frankly of no commercial value and whose existence traced only to Mr. Ford’ commonly known characteristic of extending a helping hand.” In 1946 four village industries were closed. On April 1, 1947, it was decided to close five more, including Nankin Mills. Henry Ford died six days later. In 1948 Nankin Mills ceased operations.
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