St. Clair Shores in Macomb County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Labadie Farm

Southwest Corner of Jefferson Avenue and Ten Mile Road

— Historical Landmark —

Labadie Farm Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, August 25, 2021

1. Labadie Farm Marker

Inscription. The earliest settlers in St. Clair Shores, mostly of French descent, lived along the lake with the friendly Potawatomi and Chippewa Indians. They called the area L’Anse Creuse. Farmers settled on lots called strip or ribbon farms which were from two hundred to six hundred feet wide and about nine miles in length. One such owner who had considerable influence in the development of the area was Nelson Labadie. His grandparents, Narcisse and Archange Alard, owned most of the land in the area. One of the first school houses in Erin Township was located on the Labadie property. The school was constructed by local farmers on a portion of land donated by Nelson Labadie with logs donated by the farmers from their own land.

Nelson and Theresa Labadie lived in the farmhouse located on the southwest corner of Labadie Road (now known as Ten Mile Road) and Jefferson Avenue. They were the original proprietors of the Labadie General Store and Saloon. The store reportedly sold the best sugar coated buns in the area. The Labadies had ten children, three girls and seven boys, and many of the side streets are named after their children.

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Their son, Nelson, worked as a conductor on the Shore Line of the Interurban Railway that ran along Jefferson from Detroit to Mt. Clemens. His brother, Peter, served as a Commissioner for the Village of St. Clair Shores.

In the early 1920s, Peter Labadie decided to get out of the grocery business and rented the farmhouse store to John and Helen Bennett. At the time, John Bennett was an employee of the A & P grocery store chain in Detroit but felt that he could make a better living for himself, so he opened Bennett’s Market. However, after Mrs. Labadie died, her son, Peter, decided he wanted the store back. Therefore, John and Helen Bennett moved their business location to the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Rosemary.

In 1940, Peter sold the farmhouse and Driscoll’s Steak House opened, becoming the oldest landmark in St. Clair Shores. In 1976, Pat O’Grady’s Restaurant opened at the same location for a few years. In 1982, the business was failing and the restaurant again changed hands and opened as Bobby Moore’s Steak House and Blind Fish. They served the public from 1982 to 1997 until the building was destroyed by fire.

In 2003, a

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, August 25, 2021

2. Labadie Farm Marker

new building was erected and housed Steve’s Backroom for the next three years. In 2006, Tom’s Oyster Bar occupied the space for one year. In 2010, Pegasus Restaurant opened at this location and, as of 2019, occupies the space.

Erected by St. Clair Shores Historical Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1940.

Location. 42° 28.647′ N, 82° 53.367′ W. Marker is in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, in Macomb County. It is at the intersection of East Ten Mile Road and Jefferson Avenue, on the right when traveling east on East Ten Mile Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 24935 Jefferson Ave, Saint Clair Shores MI 48080, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Shore Line Interurban Railway (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Shore Line Interurban Railway (about 700 feet away); Guardians of the City (about 800 feet away); The Finest in the Country (approx. 0.2 miles away); Blossom Heath (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. Clair Shores Police Officers Gordon McAllister and Harry Davis (approx. 0.2 miles away); A High-Class Public Amusement Resort (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Blossom Heath (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Clair Shores.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 1,950 times since then and 138 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 10, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.