On Pontiac Drive, 0.2 miles west of Orchard Lake Road, on the right when traveling west.
In 1817, Michigan surveyors left their mark, right nearby.
Before Michigan became a state, it was part of the Northwest Territory. To map this unknown terrain, our young federal government dispatched survey crews, to mark off township . . . — — Map (db m173662) HM
On Inverness Street, 0.1 miles north of Orchard Lake Road, on the left when traveling north.
A booming automobile industry challenged resources.
The first Daniel Whitfield School was opened in 1852 to meet the needs of Sylvan Lake's children. Four decades later a bigger building replaced this small, one-room wooden schoolhouse. The . . . — — Map (db m173598) HM
Near Pontiac Drive, 0.1 miles north of Ferndale, on the right when traveling north.
They needed and got a good dose of being wanted.
The Detroit Free Press began the Fresh Air Camp in 1906 to give underprivileged Detroit children the experience of two weeks of recreation in the countryside. Most were on their first trips . . . — — Map (db m173562) HM
On Ferndale, 0.1 miles east of Pontiac Drive, on the left when traveling east.
Many founding members toiled long days
in the early automobile factories to gather $500 to buy this site on Sylvan Lake. The first meetings were held in an old shed used for a boat livery. In 1916 the Boat Club was built with rooms for . . . — — Map (db m173460) HM
On Pontiac Drive, 0.1 miles west of Orchard Lake Road, on the left when traveling west.
Demand for housing began to skyrocket
in the early 1900s as thousands came to southeast Michigan for jobs in the burgeoning automobile industry. Kit homes were an innovative way to help address housing needs. Manufacturers shipped out . . . — — Map (db m173757) HM
On Ferndale, on the left when traveling east. Reported missing.
Sylvan Lake is called "The Prettiest Little City in Michigan."
Its name means "wooded shady lake" for its unique natural beauty. A trip to Sylvan Lake gave people a new attitude on life. After the 1890s, trolleys and automobiles allowed . . . — — Map (db m175770) HM
On Pontiac Drive, on the right when traveling north.
Merrill B. Mills had many plans in the early 1890s
for his land around Sylvan Lake. His Sylvan Lake Improvement Association developed lakeside subdivisions and a resort hotel. The Sylvan Lake Inn was built in 1893 on this Point, including a . . . — — Map (db m173569) HM
On Garland Street at Oakwood Street, in the median on Garland Street.
The world got bigger for most people around 1900
Trolleys and automobiles appeared in southeast Michigan around then, and more people could enjoy distance places. Travel time from Detroit to Sylvan Lake's natural beauty and attractions was . . . — — Map (db m173418) HM
