Community > Historic Museum > Michigan Historic Marker

Restoration and the installation of the refurbished Michigan Historic Marker was completed on September 1, 2020.  The marker was originally erected on the site of the old city hall on Southfield Road.  The  marker is now located in Cunningham Park.   Members of the Allen Park Parks and Recreation performed the installation tasks.  





In 1975 a Michigan Historic Marker was erected at the site of our old City Hall on Southfield.    The marker commemorated Surveyor Aaron Greeley and St. Cosme Line Road. 

The Description on the marker was as follows,

Aaron Greeley

In 1796, when the United States occupied Michigan, there existed many conflicting land claims along the Detroit and Rouge Rivers. Congress in 1806 created a Board of Land Commissioners to adjust these claims. Aaron Greeley, an experienced surveyor, was appointed in 1808 to map this area. On April 23, 1812, Congress validated these claims surveyed by him.
St. Cosme Line Road
Southfield Road in this area was known for many years as the St. Cosme Line Road. This marker stands near the end of the northern boundary of a large tract of land, extending to the Detroit River, which was granted to Pierre Lawrence St. Cosme in 1776 by the Potawatomi Indians.

With the sale of the old city hall property the marker was removed to storage and was in very poor condition.
  

The following request was submitted to the Michigan Historic Commission to move the marker to Cunningham Park.  

The request was as follows.

Michigan Historic Commission
The City of Allen Park recently sold the property that was the site of our former city hall.   On the property was a Michigan Historic Marker commemorating Aaron Greeley and St. Cosme Line Road.
The Marker was removed before demolition and is currently being stored at the City’s DPS facility.  As you can see in the attached photos the Marker is in need of refurbishment. 
We are requesting that the Marker be permanently move to a site approximately 1000 feet from the former location.   The new site would be in the City’s Cunningham Park.  (See attached aerial photo).   The Marker states ‘the marker stands near the end of the northern boundary of a large tract of land’.  The new location would still stand near the end of the same boundary.  In reality the new location is probably closer to the actual site of the boundary end.    
If approved the City would have the Marker refinished, mounted with new posts, and re-install it at the new location.
Please advise if any additional information is required.

The request was approved in September of 2017.  Since that time we have obtained the $2000 to cover the cost of the restoration.

The Marker needed to be crated for shipment to Sewah Studios in Marietta, Ohio.
Sewah Studios manufactures and refurbishes historic and commemorative markers for many state and local agencies.   The work was performed by Mr. Jeff Goulasarian and his Allen Park High School woodshop class.  
To Mr. Goulasarian and the Students, Thank You.




The Marker was shipped in mid-March of 2019.  We anticipate it will be returned to us in mid to late May.  
Once returned the Marker will be re-eracted at a new site in Cunningham Park.