Waterford Township Historical Timeline

Posted by: Jean Hansen on November 29, 2011

1650
The area now known as Waterford Townsh! was a h"ntn# and $shn# #ro"nd for
%mer&an 'ndans, !rmar(y the Potawatom and the )ttawa* Waterford had many
swam!s and 'ndans dd not (ve near swam!s be&a"se of mos+"toes*
1,01 J"(y 2-: .ad((a&, a /ren&h f"r trader, estab(shed a sett(ement, wh&h he named
de0Trot 1The 2trat3, on the rver* /ort Pont&hartran was b"(t*
1,60 The 4rtsh took &ommand of Pont&hartran and renamed t /ort 5etrot*
1,67 The Treaty of Paris, endn# the %mer&an War for 'nde!enden&e, #ave the Northwest
Terrtory, n&("dn# 8&h#an, to the 9nted 2tates*
1,6, The .ontnenta( .on#ress !assed the Northwest Ordinance*
1,9- :enera( %nthony Wayne defeated the 'ndans n The Battle of Fallen Timber. The
'ndans (ost &on$den&e n the 4rtsh and s#ned The Treaty of Greenville, the 4rtsh
were for&ed to abandon /ort 5etrot*
1,96 J"(y 11: %mer&ans ass"me &ommand of /ort 5etrot, .a!tan 8oses Porter rased the
%mer&an ;a#* They renamed t /ort <erno"(t, and the sett(ement of 5etrot*
1605 .on#ress !assed an a&t or#an=n# the terrtory of 8&h#an*
1615 >dward T?n, 2"rveyor :enera( of the 9nted 2tates, re!orted that 8&h#an (and
&onssted of swam!s, (akes, and !oor sandy so( wh&h was not worth the &ost of a
s"rvey* Ths de(ayed sett(ement of 8&h#an for severa( years*
1616 <and o?&e o!ened n 5etrot, o@ern# (and for A2*00 an a&re* 8aBor )(ver W((ams
sett(ed on the so"th shore of 2(ver <ake, the $rst farm sett(ement on the 2a#naw
Tra(* %(!he"s W((ams and %r&hba(d Ph((!s sett(e at the !ont where the 2a#naw Tra(
&rosses the .(nton Cver 1modern 5De at %ndersonv((e Coad3*
1619 :overnor .ass formed the bo"ndares of )ak(and .o"nty, the thrd &o"nty n 8&h#an*
%(!he"s W((ams and %r&hba(d Ph((!s be#an b"(dn# the $rst dam and sawm((*
1620 )(vere W((ams, a#e 1,, son of %(!he"s and %b#a( W((ams, be&ame the $rst whte
sett(er to be b"red at what s now the Waterford Village Cemetery*
1621 The $rst s&hoo( n )ak(and .o"nty was started n the (oft of )(ver W((ams shee! barn*
There were seven st"dents
1622 /rst s&hoo(ho"se b"(t of (o#s on )(ver W((ams farm, so"th of 2(ver <ake* Ths was
$rst s&hoo( b"(dn# n )ak(and .o"nty and had 17 st"dents*
1627 Jonathan Perry, Harvey and %"stn 5"rfee sett(ed at what s now 5rayton P(ans* %t
some !ont n ths era 5ane( Wndate b"(t a #rst m(( wh&h he &a((ed the 5rayton
8((* 5rayton P(ans took ts name from ths m((*
1625 The >re .ana( was &om!(eted, and the n"mber of sett(ers n 8&h#an vast(y n&reased*
1629 .onstr"&ton be#an on a road north from 5etrot a(on# the 2a#naw Tra(* /erdnand
W((ams, son of 5etrot0s $rst mayor, John C* W((ams, b"(t a (o# &abn on the west
shore of W((ams <ake, wh&h was named for hm* The ste s now 2590 W((ams <ake
Coad*
1670 2am"e( 8"nson b"(t a #rst m(( and saw m(( at .(ntonv((e, B"st north of where the
.(nton Cver meets Wa(ton 4o"(evard*
167- /rst Post )?&e estab(shed n Waterford, on the north shore of >(=abeth <ake* /rst
!ostmaster was W((am Terry*
1675 'saa& Eoorhes e(e&ted $rst s"!ervsor of Waterford Townsh!* He re&eved 75 votes*
'ra 5one(son named $rst 2"!ervsor of >d"&aton*
167, Jan"ary 26: 8&h#an be&ame the 26
th
state* 8eh(ber#0s :enera( 2tore b"(t n
Waterford E((a#e*
1676 2e!tember 12: /rst re&orded b"ra( n the rayton Plains CemetaryF nfant, a#e 6
weeks, son of 5* G 8* Wndate*
1679 5rayton P(ans Hote( o!ened on 5De H#hway a&ross from 2ashabaw Coad* /ebr"ary
2: $rst re&orded b"ra( n the Fo!r Towns Cemetary was 8artha %* .oy(es, a#e ,
months, 16 days*
16-0 Ca(road &om!(eted as far north as Ponta&* 't was ten years before &onstr"&ton was
&om!(eted thro"#h Waterford* There were three statonsF 5rayton P(ans, Waterford,
and Wndate Park* The ra(road made Waterford <akes ava(ab(e to !eo!(e from 5etrot
and other &tes* Waterford #rad"a((y be&ame a resort area*
16-0 Henry 2* %ndrews o!ens "! sho! as a b(a&ksmth*
16-1 2te!hen 4es(ey be#an &onstr"&ton of the hote(, (ater known as the 4radt0s >D&han#e,
The Waterford >D&han#e, and the Waterford Hote(* He so(d t to 5ane( C* <ord who so(d
t to W((am 4radt* 't served as a sta#e&oa&h sto! for over 60 years* /na((y torn down
n 19,0* %"#"st 26: /rst re&orded b"ra( n the Waterford Center Cemetery was <ews
<* 8orrs, a#e -,*
16-- 5r* :eor#e W((ams b"(ds #rst m(( n Waterford v((a#e wth three r"n of stone*
16-6 2&hoo( b"(t on :rand Cver* The street name was (ater &han#ed to 8a!(e 2treet, and
(ater renamed %ndersonv((e Coad*
1650 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,065 11650 .ens"s3
1660 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,269 11660 .ens"s3
1666 /o"r Towns 2&hoo( b"(t* Ths b"(dn# stands at 6-51 .oo(ey <ake Coad, as the /o"r
Towns 8ethodst .h"r&h*
1669 /rst .h"r&h b"(t n Waterford* Ths 8ethodst .h"r&h was restored n 19,6H,, and
stands at 5660 %ndersonv((e Coad* Waterford .enter 2&hoo( b"(t* The ste of ths one
room &o"ntry s&hoo( 1at Ponta& <ake Coad and %r!ort Coad3 was on&e the Waterford
2&hoo( 5str&t &entra( )?&es, b"t s now !rvate(y owned and s "sed as a &h"r&h*
16,0 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,762 116,0 .ens"s3
1660 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,72- 11660 .ens"s3
1665 The $rst a"tomob(e was b"(t n :ermany by Iar( 4en=*
1690 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,167 11690 .ens"s3
1696 .onstr"&ton of the >(e&tr& 'nter"rban be#an* 't &onne&ted Ponta& wth 5etrot,
/armn#ton and Iee#o Harbor*
1900 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,0,9 11900 .ens"s3
1905 Peo!(es '&e .om!any, of 5etrot, bo"#ht (and on <ot"s <ake for an &eho"se* <o&a(
r"mor ho(ds that %( .a!one owned sto&k n ths &om!any* Horato >ar( be&ame the $rst
8&h#an H#hway .ommssoner*
1910 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! s 1,065 11910 .ens"s3
1917 The )ak(and .o"nty Coad .ommsson was formed*
1915 Eoters a!!roved a m((on do((ars for h#hway &onstr"&ton* Ths n&("ded !avn# 5De
H#hway as far west as 2(ver <ake Coad*
1916 The $rst n"mber was ass#ned to a road n Ws&onsn*
1920 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! was 1,75- 11920 .ens"s3
1922 )(d 8(( Tavern, Waterford0s most famo"s resta"rant, was b"(t by <os 5orman*
1927 5De H#hway wdened to fo"r (anes*
192, 2tate of 8&h#an a"thor=ed &onstr"&ton of 8H59, &onne&tn# H#h(and Coad wth
Ponta&0s H"ron 2treet*
1926 November 2,: Ponta& %r!ort o!ened* 4"(t by the &ty of Ponta&, t s now o!erated
by )ak(and .o"nty and &a((ed )ak(and .o"nty 'nternatona( %r!ort*
1929 )&tober 27, 2to&k 8arket .rash, bro"#ht on the :reat 5e!resson* The res"(t of ths for
Waterford was devastatn#F hote(s, &o"ntry &("bs, and resorts went broke* Waterford
wo"(d on(y re&over when fa&tory workers moved nto va&ant &otta#es n the area*
1970 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! was 6,279 11970 .ens"s3
1977 ... .am! b"(t on >(=abeth <ake Coad, now )!tmst Park*
19-0 Po!"(aton of Waterford Townsh! was 12,796 119-0 .ens"s3
19-1 /rst Townsh! Ha(( b"(t at the &orner of .res&ent <ake and H#h(and Coads* Waterford
Eo("nteer /re 5e!artment or#an=ed wth one /re Tr"&k, a 19-1 :8. P"m!er*
19-2 5rayton 8en0s .("b deve(o!ed 5rayton 4a(( Park, now 2he(( Park*
19-7 8other0s .("b of Waterford E((a#e 2&hoo( or#an=ed
19-- Waterford 2&hoo(s &onso(dated* Jm .overt was hred as $rst 2"!erntendent* The
Waterford Women0s .("b or#an=ed .omm"nty %&tvtes 'n&or!orated 1.%'3*
19-, /rst .%' 4"(dn#, an o(d &h&ken and horse barn, b"rned*
1950 Po!"(aton 2-,716 11950 .ens"s3
1951 /rst Waterford Townsh! H#h 2&hoo( o!ened* 5on Weaver was named !rn&!a(*
195- Jan"ary 1: Waterford Po(&e 5e!artment or#an=ed* Waterford 2&hoo(s and Townsh!
boards or#an=ed the re&reaton de!artment*
1960 Po!"(aton -,,10, 11960 .ens"s3
196- Waterford Townsh! <brary o!ened*
1965 % system of santary sewers was be#"n, to !rote&t the +"a(ty of the water n o"r (akes,
he(!n# to make Waterford one of the $nest resdenta( &omm"ntes n 8&h#an*
19,0 Po!"(aton 59,127 119,0 .ens"s3
19,9 Present Townsh! Ha(( o!ened*
1962 )(d 8(( Tavern b"rned*
1966 Hess Hathaway Park o!ened to the !"b(&*
1992 Hstor&a( 2o&ety a&+"red /sh Hat&hery Ho"se for the !reservaton of Hstor&a(
matera(s*
199- New (brary and Ce&reaton 5e!artment o!ened*
2000
Po!"(aton s ,7,150 12000 .ens"s3
/re 5e!artment moved from .res&ent and 8H59 1o(d Town Ha(( b"(dn#3 to &"rrent
(o&aton at .res&ent and Hat&hery Coad* Ths brand new state of the art b"(dn#
be&omes 2atone )ne G Head+"arters*

.om!(ed for the Waterford Hstor&a( 2o&ety by W((am %eberso(d*
9!dated by 2a((y 2trat /ebr"ary 2011*
%dded to by (brarans of the Waterford Townsh! <brary*