Chesterfield Township's Rich History

Think you know Chesterfield? Delve into its past by exploring columns by local historian Alan Dean Naldrett.

Chesterfield Rumored to Have Hosted Illegal Casino

Local historian Alan Dean Naldrett writes of Chesterfield's history.

Last of four-part series. One rumor regarding Chesterfield is that a large, illegal casino was located in the area and some of the chips photographed in this article were used there. The gambling chips are actually from the Chesterfield Club, an illegal casino located on Gratiot, on the outskirts of Detroit, in Halfway/East Detroit (now known as Eastpointe). It was said to be named for the brand of cigarettes known as Chesterfields. The township and village of Chesterfield were named by the town elders for Lord Chesterfield of England, who was similar to Ben Franklin, with famous sayings attributed to him, quoted from letters he sent to his son. This is not to say that Chesterfield did not have their share of blind pigs (like the one …

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Plane Explosion Imploded Chesterfield Windmill

Local historian Alan Dean Naldrett writes of Chesterfield's history.

Third of four-part series running this week. A well-known and long-time landmark of the 22 Mile and Gratiot area was the windmill of the Kaleb Tulip Farm, on the east side of Gratiot, south of 22 Mile Road. The windmill graced Gratiot until the early 60s. It had a deck that could be climbed for a great view of the area. Unfortunately, the windmill was damaged in a tragic plane accident that killed the pilot and all four passengers. In 1960 an aircraft tanker could not get proper liftoff from Selfridge Air Base and crashed just south of the windmill.   The plane had leaked fuel all the way from Selfridge Air Field up to the farm, where the plane exploded, sending pieces of it all over the area. The concussion of the explosion imploded the …

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Schoolhouse Separated Scholars from Farmers

Local historian Alan Dean Naldrett writes of Chesterfield's history.

This is the second of a four-part history series running this week. The local schoolhouse was known as Chesterfield District Number One and was also referred to as the “Weller School.” It was located on the property of the cattle dealership of Samuel Weller, on Gratiot, about 200 yards from 22 Mile. This schoolhouse has been moved to the Chesterfield Historical Village on Sugarbush Road.  Like most one-room schoolhouses of the time, this one had a bell to call the students to school. Each gender had their own door, with the males using the right entrance. The outhouse had the same gender-based doors. As many as 12 to 20 students would attend classes at a time, all from grades one through eight. Each student would work on their own until …

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Before Michigan Established as State, Chesterfield Hamlet Existed

Local historian Alan Dean Naldrett writes of Chesterfield's history.

First of four-part history series running this week Chesterfield roots run deep When people around Michigan talk about Chesterfield, they are usually talking about Chesterfield Township, or more formally, the Charter Township of Chesterfield. However, back in the days when most of the local townships were mainly farmlands, settlements and/or train stops within them would often be given the name of the township, almost like it was the “capital” of the township. (Examples include Lenox, which was the name of a small settlement near a railroad stop in Lenox Township, now part of the City of Richmond; Shelby Station or Shelby Crossing at 25 Mile Road in Shelby Township; and Ray of Ray Township.) Around 1830, before Michigan was even a state, …

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History Today

Restored Train Depot Reminds Area of Historic Stops

Local historian Alan Dean Naldrett writes of the train depot's historical significance.

“That’ll be a penny sir,” said young Thomas Edison as the train pulled into the New Baltimore Station.  “What else do you sell besides newspapers and magazines?” asked the passenger, whose New York accent gave away his origins.  Many of the passengers on the train had moved from or were moving to Michigan from New York, now that the Erie Canal had opened up the area. “Just the finest cigars in the northwest, and postcards of Port Huron, Detroit, Mount Clemens, and some of the other places we’ll be going through,” replied 15-year-old Tom, who by this time was an old hand at being a “news butch,” having started when he was 12. Train kept local area on route The New Baltimore Station was a stop on what was first known as the Chicago, Detroit …

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History Today

Ghost Towns Tell Stories of Area's Past

Historian Alan Dean Naldrett writes of spirit-themed ghost towns.

Gather around, kids. It’s just about that time of year when old Al cranks out the ghost stories. This year’s tale is about a variation on the spirit theme-ghost towns. A ghost town is an area that was once populated but for some reason the settlement has been abandoned by its inhabitants. In the Upper Peninsula, this was usually because a mine had run dry or a company had left the area. In Macomb County, one of the main reasons for an area’s decline usually was a railroad stop being discontinued, as many early settlements in this area grew around transportation, either water or railroad.   Chesterfield Township has many of these ghost towns, areas that once had independent settlements and villages but have since disappeared.  Aptly enough …

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History Today

Local Roads Traveled Long Way Since Earning Names

New Baltimore-Chesterfield history columnist Alan Dean Naldrett delves into the origins of the region's road names.

Metro Detroit roads may have familiar names, but their origins are wide-ranging and rich with history. For instance, Gratiot Road was originally built as a military road to connect Fort Wayne and Fort Gratiot, which was near Port Huron. It was named for Charles Gratiot, who selected the Fort Gratiot site and designed the fort at the mouth of Lake Huron to guard against Native American attacks. In 1829, Gratiot Turnpike was established as a federal highway and partly constructed over an old Native American trail that went roughly from Detroit to Mount Clemens. Some roads were extended from Detroit and already had names. Although Gratiot is the main road of Macomb County, it was not the first inland road. That honor goes to Moravian Drive in…

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History Today

Part Two: Historic Settlements of Macomb County

Chesterfield Township historian documents the area's rich history.

There have been many settlements, hamlets and former villages in Macomb County. Many grew around the railroad lines and were very prosperous for a time. Most of these listed here had a U.S. post office at one time. Some, like Warsaw (now part of Mount Clemens) and Beebe’s Corner (now part of Richmond) were absorbed by other settlements. Some were abandoned due to a natural disaster, such as the flooding of Belvidere. In many cases, remnants of the old settlement remain, such as a cemetery, schoolhouse converted to a residence (Prestonville) or old general store being used as a party store (Davis). Many have been remembered in other ways, such as Beebe St. Park in Richmond or Waldenburg and Macomb Corners Park in Macomb Township or Milton …

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History Today

Part One: Historic Settlements of Macomb County

Chesterfield Township historian documents the area's rich history.

There have been many settlements, hamlets and former villages in Macomb County. Many grew around the railroad lines and were very prosperous for a time. Most of these listed here had a U.S. post office at one time. Some, like Warsaw (now part of Mount Clemens) and Beebe’s Corner (now part of Richmond) were absorbed by other settlements. Some were abandoned due to a natural disaster, such as the flooding of Belvidere. In many cases, remnants of the old settlement remain, such as a cemetery, schoolhouse converted to a residence (Prestonville) or old general store being used as a party store (Davis). Many have been remembered in other ways, such as Beebe St. Park in Richmond or Waldenburg and Macomb Corners Park in Macomb Township or Milton …

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