  Ahartz Member Username: Ahartz Post Number: 20 Registered: 04-2007 |
This was on the Rouge River, on the back side of an island, way up the river from the Detroit river. Anyone know anything about this place. Some old aerials show boats abandoned at thier slips....andy | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 950 Registered: 08-2006 |
Are you refering to Fordson Island? Is that why that little island accessible from the city of Detroit is part of Dearborn? (Message edited by fareastsider on August 10, 2008) | ||
Guideboat Member Username: Guideboat Post Number: 32 Registered: 02-2008 |
Sounds like an excuse you use when you are really going out drinking elsewhere. "Ummm...yeah honey, I'm going to the yacht club for a committee meeting." Fordson island is dreary little piece of real estate. There are plenty of derelict boats half-sunk around it though. | ||
Foosie Member Username: Foosie Post Number: 12 Registered: 07-2008 |
Sounds like an excuse you use when you are really going out drinking elsewhere. "Ummm...yeah honey, I'm going to the yacht club for a committee meeting." Sounds like the Polish Yacht Club aka The Ivanhoe Cafe Frederick at Jos Campau. | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 771 Registered: 02-2005 |
Foosie- Yup. PYC, where no one has to have a boat to be a member! | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 533 Registered: 06-2007 |
There used to be a bunch of cottages on the island. They gradually dissapeared until only a few were left.The city condemned those under the guise of "fighting blight" but IMO leaving it a wasteland is worse than a few decrepit,ivately-owned houses.At least a few people got to enjoy such a unique piece of land. At least Detroit still has Klenk Island,for those who can afford it | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2008 |
Fordson Island has been referred to as the Dearborn Yacht Club. We also knew it as Treasure Island as kids or just 'the boat club'.It has slowly overgrown itself in the last few years. There used to be houses on and around it. The canal around the island was deep enough for boats passage and many were moored there. It's now mostly dried up. It was a working man's and 'tuggers' boat club and hangout. 1KD | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 1532 Registered: 10-2003 |
who owns the island know? | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 6 Registered: 08-2008 |
I believe it's either an oil company or Levy Company. There used to be a fueling station of some type on the island. Levy is next door, between the island and Dix Avenue and has facilities in the area. 1KD | ||
Ahartz Member Username: Ahartz Post Number: 21 Registered: 04-2007 |
thank you all...thats the place I am talking about. the old canal there needs to be kayaked and checked out. there just may be treasure there!•••.1Kielson drive...isnt that the grayhaven road??? ...andy | ||
Guideboat Member Username: Guideboat Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2008 |
I have canoed around Fordson Island (in fact, all the Rouge from Fairlane Mansion to the river)and it is kind of interesting. The half sunken boats are creepy looking. The only treasure might be some old Chris Craft parts. Somewhere I have photos of that canoe trip. I'll try and load them. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 7 Registered: 08-2008 |
Ahartz, yes. | ||
Ahartz Member Username: Ahartz Post Number: 22 Registered: 04-2007 |
Kielson...do you live there now....in one of the three old homes still left on the island. I used to come down and jump and party at the old bridge when in high school at GP south. Circa 1984..cool cool spot down there. .I have been working with Jerome morgan on the development on the lenox side...andy | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 417 Registered: 05-2007 |
It looks like an abandoned pleasure craft doc on one side, and a Tug boat/Barge parking lot on the other. http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF 8&ll=42.293723,-83.147433&spn= 0.002996,0.008991&t=h&z=18 | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 8 Registered: 08-2008 |
Ahartz, no I don't live there now. I have friends in the immediate area and nearby. I go around there occasionally. You may have more clear and recent memories of the bridge than do I, though I still went out to the estate regularly after the house burned. 1KD | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 9 Registered: 08-2008 |
Raptor, your's is an accurate description. The water level from google earth looks acceptable but in reality hasn't been for quite a few years. The water might actually be high enough now for small runabouts and fishing boats. In the past my friends had much larger craft docked there. The two barges in the upper picture are at what was the fueling terminal. They may be tanker or bulk barges belonging to the Gaelic Towing Company which are the tugs you see in the satellite shots. Gaelic operates the Diamond Jacks and the tour boats return here in the winter to be with the rest of the fleet. 1KD | ||
Leob Moderator Username: Leob Post Number: 7 Registered: 04-2005 |
The interesting thing about Fordson island is that it is man made. Henry Ford bypassed this section of the Rouge River's natural path to facilitate freighter traffic to the Rouge Complex. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 12 Registered: 08-2008 |
Leob, the interesting thing about Zug Island is that it is man made. Henry Ford bypassed a whole section of the Rouge River to create what was known for years as the 'short cut channel'. It's now simply known as the Rouge. The area cut out was a shallow swamp, wetlands and pools. My father spoke of swimming there as a kid. That's why Zug is River Rouge, not Detroit. It was once part of River Rouge's mainland. 1KD |
