Here are some of Ivadel's memories of her childhood in Dearborn. Born in 1898, she began with quoting a stanza from a poem by Laura Van Dore.
"The sound of wheels, the beat of hoofs
Would travel far and clear,
As from the bridge that spanned the Rouge
The loosened planks we'd hear." -- Laura Van Dore
Ivadel:
Yes, the old bridge planks did rattle and the bridge on Military was replaced in 1910 by an iron bridge and later by a cement bridge, 1919. This bridge was removed in 1936 and the present bridge was built.
You may not think of the little stream as it is today as a river, but then it was much bigger, at least it seemed so to a child. The picnic spots were the Rouge River banks. We often had steak roasts there in the evening. Someone would go ahead to build a fire and as we approached we could see the welcoming flames shooting up. Perhaps on the very spot Indians had built a fire on which to roast a deer or cook fish that they had caught in the river so nearby. These roasts usually ended with everyone joining in singing and storytelling.
The high point of our summer was the trip to Bob-Lo or Belle Isle. We planned and saved our money for weeks and when it was over, we told and retold our experiences, the swimming pool, dance pavilion and contests won. We left home early in the morning with a lunch fit for a king packed in a basket, and returned home about nine o'clock in the evening. The interurban was our means of transportation to the boat and home again.
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