NEWSPAPERS Special Edition
BOOMING APPLE CROPS THIS YEAR ADD TO FALL FUN AT LOCAL ORCHARDS, CIDER MILLS
BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — As the weather begins to cool in Michigan, there’s no better way to warm yourself up than with a cup of hot apple cider and mouth-watering doughnuts this fall. According to the Michigan Apple Committee, there’s plenty of apples to choose from this year. Michigan is now in its third consecutive season of large apple crops, estimating a harvest of 30.5 million bushels in 2024 — well above Michigan’s average of approximately 25.9 million bushels.
“Apples are the largest and most valuable fruit crop in Michigan – not to mention a big part of Michigan’s culture,” Diane Smith, the executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, said in a statement. “Ask any Michigander about their fall traditions, and you’ll hear about apple picking, apple cider and more. Apples are the flavor of fall in Michigan, naturally.”
Warmer than normal temperatures in late winter and early spring caused buds to form, leading to an earlier bloom in May. Growers, Smith said, were fortunate this year not to experience significant frost and freeze events after that early bloom, allowing a plentiful crop to be harvested 10 days earlier than usual.
Although the Michigan Apple Committee’s estimated harvest of 30.5 million bushels this year is slightly down from 31.9 million last year, Smith said that’s still above average. Michigan harvested around a record 32.38 million bushels of apples in 2022, according to the United States
See CIDER MILLS on page 6A
to
Project could bring big changes
Governor Warner Mansion grounds PLANS INCLUDE CONCEPT FOR ‘BIG OUTDOOR PARTY SPACE’
BY MARK VEST mvest@candgnews.com
FARMINGTON — Over the course of the next five years or so, the grounds of the Governor Warner Mansion may undergo some major changes.
A master plan has been adopted to improve the grounds, with Farmington City Council member Steven Schneemann, who is an architect, tasked
with developing a design for the project.
Although there are multiple components to the project, the one that stands out the most is the concept for an outdoor building that Schneemann described as like a “permanent tent,” which would be approximately 3,000 square feet. It would be heated and air-conditioned, and would have a warming kitchen and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms.
See MANSION on page 8A
ABOVE: Yates Cider Mill’s press can produce hundreds of gallons of apple cider each hour.
RIGHT: Yates Cider Mills staff member Ava Ramales, 17, of Shelby Township, takes out dozens of freshly baked doughnuts.
Photos by Erin Sanchez
Farmington City Council members have come up with some ideas for improvements to the Governor Warner Mansion.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
SECOND FRONT PAGE
by Patricia O’Blenes
TURTLE WOODS MAY RECEIVE AID UNDER OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS MILLAGE PROPOSAL
BY SARAH WRIGHT swright@candgnews.com
TROY — Conservation and preservation efforts for Turtle Woods may see further assistance if voters approve an Oakland County Parks and Recreation Department millage proposal on the Nov. 5 ballot.
In July, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted 16-3 to approve a resolution to place a millage proposal on the general election ballot.
The new millage would replace Oakland County Parks’ current 0.35-mill levy set to expire in 2029 with a new tax rate of 0.65 mills that would expire in 2043. If approved, the 0.3-mill increased rate would generate $24 million annually for investment in parks, trails, recreation programs and conservation. For a home with a taxable value of $133,000 — taxable value being generally half of a home’s market value — the 0.3-mill increase would equal around an additional $40 per year on top of the current cost for the same home of around $30 annually. The 0.65 mill is equal to 65 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. According to Oakland County Parks, if the millage is approved, it would generate around $52 million in 2024.
According to the county parks department, the proposal would provide better access to county parks with free entry to the
parks and dog parks — excluding pay-to-play attractions, such as golf courses, waterparks, campgrounds and off-road vehicle activities — more recreation possibilities, and upgrades and expansions to park grounds. This includes plans to expand the 15 parks within the county park system to 19, which includes Turtle Woods in Troy.
“The reason we are excited about the potential of the millage is their interest in increasing their conservation work, especially in the more populated regions of Oakland County,” Six Rivers Land Conservancy Executive Director Christopher Bunch said in an email. “As a land conservancy that is focused on land conservation as a critical need in this region, we are always excited and grateful when our public agency partners commit resources to conservation, in addition to the important work they do for more developed recreational access, opportunities and infrastructure.”
Turtle Woods is an over 70-acre protected county park on Troy School District-owned property, and Six Rivers Land Conservancy works with Troy Schools on a land contract related to this preserve. The property is located on Square Lake Road, between John R Road and Dequindre Road, and includes wetlands and prairies that feature a wide variety of plant and animal species.
Six Rivers has the ability to negotiate a sale through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund to the Oakland County
Royal Oak memorializes Hamer, Finch and Wilkins family through park and sculpture
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — In the mid-1800s, Royal Oak became home to African American freedom seekers Henry Hamer and Elizabeth Hamer.
To help preserve and celebrate their memory, the city of Royal Oak has created Hamer Finch Wilkins Park. The park is planned to be a place for sanctuary, according to Hamer descendant Lakeesha Morrison, and will showcase a statue of Elizabeth Hamer in the middle of the park.
The statue will be unveiled at 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at Hamer Finch Wilkins Park at 1800 Beechwood Drive.
The Hamers were born into chattel slavery, Henry Hamer in 1816 and Elizabeth Hamer in 1824, and had been bought and sold until they became the property of Henry Bruce Jr., of Covington, Kentucky.
The Turtle Woods Preserve, located on the north side of Square Lake Road, between John R and Dequindre, features a wide variety of plant and animal life.
Photo
Image provided by the city of Royal Oak Hamer Finch Wilkins Park, located at 1800 Beechwood Drive in Royal Oak, near Crooks Road and Walnut Avenue, is going to be the site of the Elizabeth Hamer memorial statue created by Detroit sculptor Austen Brantley. The statue, shown at the center of the park in this rendering, will be revealed at an event at the park at 2 p.m. Sept. 23.
Turtle Woods
Parks and Recreation Department as a part of their agreement with the school district. Board of Education President Karl Schmidt said the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund typically requires properties to move from private to public ownership in order to secure the grant money. The Troy School District has an ability to revert to ownership of Turtle Woods if they don’t approve of the next proposed buyer offered by Six Rivers.
In January, an attempt to secure the grant money, roughly over $3.7 million, initially failed due to the volume of highprofile projects applying to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund this year. Melissa Prowse, the manager of planning and development services for the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Department, mentioned there would be plans to reapply for the grant money in April and wait until December to see if they acquired the money.
“Based on feedback from last year’s application, we are confident that the revised proposal OCP provided to the MNRTF in April (which includes a larger discount on the property from the TSD) will be successful,” Schmidt said in an email.
While the passing of the millage proposal wouldn’t initially affect the acquisition of the property, it would go toward improvements.
“While our ‘development’ of Turtle Woods will be minimal, including a new entrance drive, parking lot, restrooms and trail and boardwalk improvements, we’ll be able to do this much more quickly, and in a more robust way, if the millage passes,” Prowse said in an email. “If the millage passes, I anticipate we’d be able to do all that work in one project, instead of phasing it out over several years, which would be a huge benefit to residents of Troy and the surrounding communities.”
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The millage proposal also includes increased outreach and funding for local parks and recreation projects, which would allow for resources to be available to the city of Troy.
However, the decision to place it on the ballot was not unanimous.
“My reservations are raising the tax 70% and making it a 20-year tax instead of 10 year. I’m absolutely outraged that they would do that. It’s not good government. It’s irresponsible, and if they want to promote that to the public, they need to put in the headline, ‘this is 70% tax increase,’” Oakland County Commissioner Bob Hoffman said of his no vote. Commissioners Michael Spisz and Karen Joliat also voted no. “I support the parks,” Hoffman said. “I’ve always voted for every Oakland County Parks and Rec millage, but this one I will not vote for. This is outrageous and an insult to the taxpayers.”
Supporters of the proposal said it would support needed investments.
“I think everyone in Oakland County has a great appreciation for our county park system. It’s one of the most robust park systems in the entire state, and I would even go as far as across the country. This millage proposal really puts us on a course to make the needed investments today to maintain and preserve the enjoyment for folks today and long into the future,” Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairman David Woodward, D-Royal Oak, said. “For me, it really comes down to three things. This millage is going to allow for better access for everyone to our county parks. It’s going to create new recreation opportunities for all, and it’s also going to lead to more nature preservation for today and future generations.”
For more information on the Turtle Woods Preserve, visit sixriversrlc.org/turtlewoods-preserve, and for more information on the Oakland County Parks millage proposal, visit oakgov.com/community/oak land-county-parks/2024-millage.
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Groves flag football for the win
ABOVE: Birmingham Groves celebrates as a team after picking up the 32-6 win over the Genesee High School Lady Wolves Aug. 30 at Wayne State University. Taking part for the first time in girls high school flag football last year, Groves went undefeated (4-0). The girls flag football program started out with four teams in 2023, but quickly expanded to 24 in its second season, which included Groves.
TOP LEFT: Birmingham Groves flag football players
Alyssa-Michelle Smith, right, and Tessa Lewis, left, celebrate a 32-6 victory over the Genesee High School Lady Wolves. It was the first-ever girls high school flag football showcase participating in the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic, now in its 19th year, at Wayne State University.
BOTTOM LEFT: Birmingham Groves senior Sara Litkowiec, a Siena Heights University commit for flag football, carries the ball during Groves’ matchup against Genesee. Litkowiec tallied two touchdowns in the win.
BELOW: Birmingham Groves senior quarterback Gabby Frazier releases the ball with a Genesee defender in her face. Frazier tallied a rushing touchdown in the win.
Photos by Erin Sanchez
of Michigan.
Department of Agriculture.
“It is unusual to have three large crops in a row,” Smith explained. “However, as growers continue to plant high-density orchards and adopt other innovative growing practices, Michigan’s apple crop sizes will increase, and we will continue to see these larger crops.”
There are more than 14.9 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 34,500 acres on 775 family-run farms in Michigan, which means plenty of apples to taste this fall.
Visiting orchards and cider mills for freshly picked apples, or sipping apple cider with fresh doughnuts is part of the culture
“It’s definitely a southeast Michigan tradition for people to have a pilgrimage to a cider mill in the fall,” said Katie Titus, who owns Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills.
Yates Cider Mill, touted as one of the oldest cider mills in Michigan, has been in operation for over 160-years, bringing families and friends together each year for fall flavors and fun.
“Some folks have actually been coming for decades. I’ve spoken to so many of them who’ve said they started coming when they were little, they brought their kids, and now, their grandkids,” Titus said. “We even have that within our own employee base, where we have third generations of kids working whose parents and grandparents have worked here — so it’s not just the customers, it’s also our employees that keep coming
Armada
• Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center Road, blakefarms.com/orchard-cider-mill
• Blake’s Big Apple, 71485 North Ave., blakefarms.com/big-apple
Bloomfield Hills
• Franklin Cider Mill, 7450 Franklin Road, franklincidermill.com
Commerce Township
• Long Family Orchard and Farm, 1540 E. Commerce Road, longsorchard.com
Highland Township
• Bonadeo Farms, 1215 White Lake Road, bonadeofarms.com
Holly
• Diehl’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 1479 Ranch Road, diehlsorchard.com
• Mitchell Farm, 3500 Mitchell Road, mitchellfarm.biz/index.html
Lake Orion
• Yates Cider Mill at Canterbury Village, 2375 Joslyn Ct., yatescidermill.com/canterbury-village
Northville
• Parmenter’s Northville Cider Mill, 714 Baseline Road, northvillecider.com
back year after year.”
Fresh-pressed cider, warm doughnuts, farm animals and scenic trails are a few of highlights at Yates that keep guests coming back.
“Our focus is really good cider and re-
Ortonville
• Ashton Orchards, 3925 Seymour Lake Road, michigan.org/property/ ashton-orchards
Rochester
• Rochester Cider Mill, 5125 N. Rochester Road, rochestercidermill.com
Rochester Hills
• Yates Cider Mill, 1950 E. Avon Road, yatescidermill.com
Romeo
• Hy’s Cider Mill, 6350 37 Mile Road, hyscidermill.com
• Stony Creek Orchard and Cider Mill, 2961 W. 32 Mile Road, stonycreekorchard.com
• Westview Orchards & Cider Mill, 65075 Van Dyke Ave., westvieworchards.com
South Lyon
• Blake’s Lyon Township, 61475 Silver Lake Road, blakefarms.com/blakes-south-lyon
Washington Township
• Big Red Orchard and Cider Mill, 4900 32 Mile Road, bigredorchard.com
• Verellen Orchards, 63260 Van Dyke Ave., verellenorchards.com
ally good doughnuts, and that’s what we do really well,” Titus explained.
The mill’s press can produce 300 gallons of apple cider each hour, and guests can even watch cider being made on-site. The
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Families and friends enjoy some sweet treats at Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Sept. 7.
Photo by Erin Sanchez
Cider mills
cider recipe, Titus said, changes a bit as the season goes on and different apples become ripe, adding new flavors as the weeks pass by.
“We also aim to have fresh doughnuts all day long — we don’t just make them in the morning. We make them all day, so everybody gets fresh doughnuts,” she added.
Fudge, ice cream, hot dogs and more are available for purchase.
“We aim to have an environment that is park-like, where people can take a walk on the trail with their cider and doughnuts, enjoy some hotdogs for lunch and grab some fudge from the Frankenmuth Fudge Shoppe here,” Titus said. “We just want our customers to come enjoy time with their friends and family, and enjoy the fall weather, because Michigan is having amazing fall weather so far.”
Blake’s, a family-owned and operated orchard and cider mill in Armada that has been serving generations since 1946, is reporting a robust crop this year leading into the busy fall season.
“The harvest of the crop is two to three
weeks earlier this year than it has been in past years because it’s been so hot this summer — and because of that too, we are seeing a bumper crop,” said Jacqlyn Bradford, director of marketing at Blake’s Orchard and Cider Mill.
The Blake’s Family of Companies has a harvest of fun-filled events and attractions at its four locations — Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill in Armada, Blake’s Big Apple in Armada, Blake’s Backyard in Almont and Blake’s Lyon Township in South Lyon.
The farm and apple orchards started it all in 1946, and they expanded over the years to include year-round attractions, experiences and events. This fall, the crowds are already rolling in.
“It’s a tradition that’s passed down,” Bradford said. “It’s a simple activity, but one that has been around for so long.”
Depending on the Blake’s site, guests can enjoy u-pick apples and pumpkins, cider and doughnuts, corn mazes, a haunted house, hayrides, a hard cider bar, farm stand produce and more.
“We really try to create experiences for our customers and innovate all the time. We really try to get people out and create memories that you wouldn’t be able to do at your typical cider mill,” Bradford added.
0230-2437
Mansion
Schneemann said that it would be like a “big party space” that could accommodate up to 260 people.
The ability to have more events on the grounds of the mansion is at the heart of the vision that Schneemann has for the project.
“The mansion, while it’s beautiful, it’s not conducive for real large gatherings,” Schneemann said. “The barn that’s there, we think if we rehab it, it could be used for some nice, small uses – small events.”
According to Schneemann, the project would be broken up into different chunks consisting of seven phases, maybe fewer.
He estimated that the project would take three to five years and would cost between $3.5 million and $4 million to complete.
Schneemann shared details of the potential new building.
“We’re working on the conceptual design of that building, but it would basically have a curtain of glass that that could just open up so that, just like a tent, (it) could be wide open to the outdoors so that the event, obviously, weather-permitting, could be spread between the inside of that tent building and then to the outside, like an outdoor party room, which would basically be between the mansion, the barn — bordered by the mansion — and then this new building, which would be off to the west a little bit, thereby kinda creating this big outdoor party space.”
According to Farmington Mayor Pro Tem Johnna Balk, the mansion itself has
some structural issues and is not currently open to the public.
Phase 1 of the project could begin next spring, and although what it will consist of has not been fully determined, Balk anticipates that renovating the mansion would be one of the first steps.
Schneemann agrees.
“What I can say is the house itself is in need of some significant, immediate repair work,” he said. “I would anticipate that whatever we do would involve some investment in repair and stabilization of the house itself.”
Schneemann has given some thought to a potential role the mansion could play in relation to the project.
“We think the mansion itself can be used for small gatherings, or if you did a larger event, it could be used for, say, a wedding – the bride getting ready,” he said. “The party afterwards, the barn could be used for similar types of events. We’ve got an area for outdoor games, and then the parking area’s been expanded, so we can accommodate additional parking to support the events.”
With the city having previously purchased a church that was near the grounds of the mansion and having it demolished, the land where it stood can be utilized for additional parking.
When asked about what excites her about the potential for the grounds, Balk cited Schneemann’s vision to “utilize it more as an event space.”
She has not lost sight of the significance of the Governor Warner Mansion’s role in Farmington’s history.
“It’s such a landmark for our city,” Balk said. “There’s so many opportunities for fu-
ture use. We’re really excited about starting that process.”
Schneemann also shared a couple of reasons to be excited about the project.
“One is the new building, because it will introduce a facility and an infrastructure that is sorely needed if we’re (going to) be able to have continual hosting of the kind of events that I think we would like to see. So that’s an important piece of infrastructure, that new building,” Schneemann said. “But then the bi-product of that is this outdoor room that it creates – this big, outdoor party space that we anticipate, similar to what we did at Riley Park, with the lights that cover the entire park – almost create a ceiling, if you will. We would do something similar there, between the house, the barn and then this new tent building.”
Balk shared further details about the potential new building.
“One whole side of it would be glass, and it would look at the side of the mansion,” she said. “So it is making the mansion itself a focal point, which is super cool … so that when you’re in the new building, you’re looking over at the mansion. You would almost frame it when you’re in the new building.”
As for money for the project, Schneemann said that the city is already off to a good start.
According to Balk, the city secured $1 million in money allocated from the state. Schneemann has already begun to think about how the project could bring in money for the city.
“We anticipate that once it’s up and running, that we can have good revenue generation,” he said. “There does seem to be
a real demand for event spaces like this. So we think that from a business perspective, the portfolio looks pretty good for the city.” Balk also expressed an optimistic outlook about the potential for money to come the city’s way.
“I’m sure that we’ll keep going for grants and anything we can do to try and do that, but there’s also potential for using the grounds as rental,” she said. “Once we get things going, there will be potential for it to be utilized as a space for rental.”
From Schneemann’s perspective, the project could take things to the “next level” in Farmington.
“We’ve never had a venue quite like this in the history of Farmington,” he said. “So in some ways I think it’s the best of both worlds; we get to keep and reinvest in kind of a beloved community jewel that we have in the Governor Warner Mansion property, but then we also get to have a new party space that can host all sorts and sizes of events for people in the community. So if you were somebody that wanted to have a really nice wedding, kind of Farmington-centric, and have a reception and everything, you were pretty limited and you didn’t have a venue like this in Farmington that could accommodate 150, 160 people. Now you do.”
The “community jewel” that Farmington has with the Governor Warner Mansion has also not been lost on Balk.
“We are taking into consideration anything historical,” she said. “Anything that is related to Governor Warner, we are doing this with a historian’s vision. We’ve consulted the Historical Society of Michigan. We’re not just going in willy nilly.”
WE CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CAR
NEW MURAL UNVEILED IN ROCHESTER MUNICIPAL PARK
BY MARY BETH ALMOND malmond@candgnews.com
ROCHESTER — The community can now experience the four seasons all year round with a stroll through Rochester Municipal Park.
The Rochester City Beautiful Commission commissioned self-taught artist Chelsea Hensbergen to create a four-panel mural highlighting the city’s natural beauty.
Hensbergen, of Washington Township, said she draws inspiration from nature.
“My philosophy is finding magic in the mundane,” she explained. “I’m always outdoors, being active. I love noticing all the little changes that we see, like the leaves, and watching and observing everything, because there’s so much out there that we don’t pay attention to.”
As soon as she heard about the mural project, Hensbergen said, she immediately thought of painting the four seasons. Her work colorfully depicts the park’s familiar ducks swimming in the Paint Creek in spring; butterflies, dragonflies and bees flying in blue skies and landing on a colorful sea of blooms in summer; a couple and their dog taking a stroll down the Paint Creek Trail amid falling leaves in fall; and community members ice skating on the duck pond in a magical winter scene.
The four-panel, 4-by-8-foot mural — hung on the Kiwanis Shelter, near the bandshell, in the park — was unveiled to the community Aug. 29.
“To me, they look really like Rochester,” said Rochester Mayor Stuart Bikson. “The artwork is beautiful.”
City Beautiful Commission Chair Jeanine Offer Krupp said the volunteer nine-member commission reviewed 12 mural proposals — including two from
out of state — based on “artistic merit, alignment with the theme and feasibility” before selecting a winner.
“Not all the murals fit Rochester at all. Some were really urban. Some were really angular, and
Artist Chelsea Hensbergen shows off the four season mural she painted for the Kiwanis Shelter at Rochester Municipal Park.
Photo by Erin Sanchez
Sculpture
On the night of Aug. 27, 1856, the Hamers slipped away in the night to the Underground Railroad. Elizabeth Hamer was pregnant at the time.
They lived for a few years in Ontario, and by June 1860, the Hamer family had moved to Royal Oak Township where they settled and became the first Black pioneers of Royal Oak. The Hamers had six children. Henry Hamer died in 1899 and Elizabeth Hamer died in 1913. One of their children, Elmira Hamer, married Matthew Finch in 1885. One of Elmira and Matthew Finch’s children, Bessie Finch, married Harold A. Wilkins in 1921.
Morrison said that for the past four years, she and her father, Keith Wilkins, worked to figure out a way to memorialize the perseverance of their ancestors.
Wilkins passed away in late 2020, but Morrison said she continued to work toward their shared goal. That goal led to the creation of Hamer Finch Wilkins Park in 2022.
“There were talks of how we can acknowledge and show appreciation to my ancestors who had contributed a lot to our community,” Morrison said. “We wanted to bring light to their journey and their story, their accomplishments.”
Hamer Finch Wilkins Park has a triangular shape, each side representing one of the three family names. It includes a peaceful and reflective garden. There are walkways,
Mural
from page 9A
we also didn’t want a mural that was too similar to what we already had in the park. … This one was my favorite,” said Krupp. “Chelsea’s art is the perfect fit for our park and Rochester,” she said.
The City Beautiful Commission is dedicated to making city spaces more appealing. The committee has been involved in many projects over the years, including adding everything from cedar pergolas and new murals to butterfly, sun and pollinator gardens in the city.
For the latest mural project, the idea is that every two to three years, the mural will be swapped out for another artist’s work, and the previous artist’s work will be returned.
“At first we talked about cycling them
benches, landscaping and education components that tell the story of the city’s early Black pioneers.
“I think it preserves the generations of names (Hamer, Finch and Wilkins), but also preserves the memory of each generation,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a big community gathering place to remember a pioneering family.”
The park is located only a mile away from where the family originally lived.
“The location preserves their memory, because a mile down the road is where the homestead is, which is still within the family,” Morrison said. “As we speak, we are the longest landowners in Royal Oak. So that preserves a sense of belonging because a mile down the road is the homestead and the park is a reflection of it.”
In the center of the park will be a statue of Elizabeth Hamer, created by Detroit sculptor Austen Brantley. This will serve as the focal point encapsulating the meaning behind the creation of the park.
Brantley was recruited by the city to create this sculpture because of his reputation for creating historical sculptures to go in parks across Detroit.
“Elizabeth Hamer, she was an escaped slave, and what I really liked about the sculpture is that Lakeesha and the city of Royal Oak, they let me still have my own say on the sculpture,” he said. “I was able to have creative freedom and artistic license.”
Brantley said that he studied the history of Elizabeth Hamer at the Royal Oak Historical Society and Museum, where he was
out every two to three years, but if we keep getting a good response to this — it’s hard to imagine beating it, but other people deserve a chance too — maybe the city will give us more walls,” said Krupp.
“We want artwork all over town,” Bikson added. “The City Council really supports the arts, so we are for that and want to keep on going.”
The City Beautiful Commission, the Community Foundation of Rochester and Rochester’s Tree Committee allocated a budget of up to $11,250 for the mural project — $8,000 from the City Beautiful Commission, $2,250 from the Tree Committee and $1,000 from the Community Foundation — including all artist fees, materials and installation costs. The city will purchase the protective coating.
For more information, email the City Beautiful Commission at cbc@rochester. mi.org.
provided with documents about the Hamer legacy. He also pulled inspiration from African American culture. From there he was able to decide on how he wanted to portray her in sculpture.
“This sculpture shows her as a queen mother, and that’s something that’s a title that you get in Africa, as someone very important in your tribe,” he said. “I wanted to convey that she still had African roots, and it was something kind of contemporary in the way I decorated her with shells and different African dormants.”
Morrison said she has seen the sculpture grow since it was clay and that she is very pleased with how it turned out.
“I absolutely love it. I feel like when I saw it for the first time, it gave me a sense
of calmness. I could even see myself in the sculpture,” she said. “This piece, it honestly looks like my father in a way, so it reminded me of my ancestors.”
She said it instilled a sense of pride in her for hardworking Black women and the African American community as a whole.
Morrison hopes that the park can provide a sense of peace and teach all who come through about Royal Oak’s original Black pioneers.
“I hope it provides fellowship information on one of the first Black pioneering families that achieved the ultimate goal in life, which is freedom,” she said. “They were able to establish a living for generations to come after them. So, I hope it provides the community a sense of fellowship.”
