It is Almost that extra Special Time again

It is always a great time to wander Haven Hill around the old Ford Estate, or the State designated NATURAL area. Which is basically the areas that surround the man-made lake that Edsel made by damming Cedar Creek and forming Haven Hill Lake. As a side note: The Dam project at Haven Hill Lake, was the first thing Edsel started at the Estate. The project was immense! Take a close look at one of the free Maps from the Haven Hill Project web site and look closely at all the empoundments that where built, as well as the Dam, to truly create Haven Hill Lake.

Remnants of some of the many impoundment retaing walls, buried along side the Trails that surround the Lake. Look closely as you walk around these Lake Trails.

Why is this this extra special time of year so special at Haven Hill? Because right after the winter months, and the leaves are gone, and the landscape has been washed clean, much is exposed around the Estate.

Things that where buried in the thick growths of summer foliage and ground cover are revealed. Benches and old Horse Trail buildings become apparent. The Ford family had an extensive Hiking and Horse Trails system through out the Estate grounds, complete with rest stops, Water pumps, Benches and small rest stops. Not to mention small creek bridges and many other small Trail structures.

Most have been lost to age. Others are no longer part of the regular Trails system marked on any of the Parks Maps. But remnants of these places are everywhere, and can more easily be found at the time of year, just after the winter months.

Ornamental Pond built at one of the Bench rest-stops on a Trail that was for the Ford Family use only.

So…..right before all of those Spring flowers and young growth start to pop up around the Park, take a visit around the Haven Hill Estate and explore. Truly explore there. Wander off the main Trails, and keep your eyes open for a Horse Hitching post, or that old resting Bench. You will be very surprised at what you will discover while you enjoy what the Fords loved so much of their home and this once beautiful Estate and Grounds.

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World Perspective

To get and idea of just what was going on in the world and Michigan, before during and after Edsel and Eleanor built their Estate on Haven Hill, we put together this Time-line. We hope this gives you a better understanding of the amazing things taking place just about everywhere.

We have added things like the Great Depression and some of Edsel’s fathers activities, so everyone can truly grasp what had taken place up to the purchasing of all the land in White Lake Twp., to the selling of the Estate, after Edsels death. We hope this Chart helps give all of you a better understanding of it all.

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