And I Thought History Was Boring

Yes, I learned in school that Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin and when the War of 1812 began, but I did not inhale history in class. Once the fascination of Native American daily life moved to the Colonial Era, industry, and war, the subject was a blend of dates and inventions, politics and battles.

I was an oddball who preferred writing poetry (not analyzing it), literature, and yes, even grammar.

Until now.

Turns out, any history can tell a story when it concerns family lives—how they lived, how and why they settled, why names of towns and streets changed, how the landscape around them was slowly altered.

In other words, our history, fellow residents of the Heights.

In these posts, we’ve been collecting facts and names and settlements like Petoskey stones or autumn leaves for our annual elementary school collections. Questions are endless.

The Old Dutch Mill, once located at 3211 Auburn Road between Churchill Road and the Clinton River (another source of fascination), for example. The current empty lot can’t erase the tavern that was part of my childhood, even if I never stepped foot inside.

The Old German Mill, original name, never ground grain, although Virginia told me that a house across the river did at one time. Tyson Brown, President of the Auburn Hills Historical Society, did some digging on this tavern in response to my questions, and I learned that “mill” was another name for tavern or drinking establishment. WWII and our war with Germany changed the name to “Old Dutch Mill” because the Dutch weren’t antagonists then and had a reputation for “good liquor.”

As a child, I was told that the Old Dutch Mill was no place to go on Saturday nights, but looking at Tyson’s photos of the little wooden horses that patrons rode around inside, it seemed like a good time. Until it burned down in the 1970’s.

Early history of the Heights does include my favorite part of history class, since the book Pontiac Township 1827-1983 The End of an Era tells us, “Indians once inhabited the marshy area now known as Pontiac Township. It was the home of the Ottawa, Chippewa, Wyandot and the Potawatomi tribes. The township was named after the great Ottawa chief, Pontiac.” Tyson gave me the name of the Oakland History Center for more information, since they have “a collection of arrow heads which were found near Auburn Heights and records of the trails, tribes, and burial locations used by the Indians in and around the Heights” (Tyson), and suggested we might learn more from them.

He did find an 1838 map of the Heights area that showed a passage along what is Grey Road, one of the oldest roads in the area, with Auburn Road and “Webster Road” (South Squirrel Road). So, Linda, Grey Road could have been a stagecoach route, with stops, in the 1800’s.

Yes, it would be fun to learn more, and to investigate a bridge from the Clinton River to the Dodge Estate (Meadowbrook Hall), LeRoy.

Many or most of us share a thirst for our own history. I realize that this can’t be taught in generic classes, but wouldn’t an Avondale history class about the Heights have been full and lively?

I’d remember far more about those names and efforts, farms and businesses than I do how long the 1812 War lasted. (Nearly three years.)

Many of you are descendants of early settlers, inventors, farmers, merchants, and town leaders. We’d love to hear more about your family background and memories.

Now, that’s real history.