The Elizabeth Park Project - Trenton Michigan
To residents of Trenton and the surrounding communities, Elizabeth Park is considered to be the "crown jewel" of the area. The parks historic bridges with all their character, it's waterfront, playgrounds and picnic areas have provided memories for generations. To me, it holds many memories as well, including some of the earliest i can remember. Many more memories were created as a kid growing up in the area including days in the park (and nights haha) with my soon to be wife, and later having some of our wedding pictures photographed here. For me, this is one of my favorite places to photograph. I think a lot of it has to do with the emotional connection that comes with growing up here and also the timeless character and charm the park has with it's old weathered bridges, waters and its old timey oak trees. If you ever get to visit the Trenton area or any of it's surrounding communities, I highly recommend stopping in to explore this park. I hope you enjoy these 2 pages of lines, arches, light, and color.
INFO AND HISTORY:
Elizabeth Park is a beautiful 162 acre park (formerly known as Slocum Island) set along the banks of the Detroit River in Trenton Michigan. It's an artificial island linked to the mainland by an automobile bridge and 3 old pedestrian bridges all built in the early 1920's. Other features of the park include 1300ft of river walk (great for an early morning sunrise), a marina, an old Victorian shelter building, walking and biking trails, a baseball field, skatepark, playground, splash park, numerous picnic areas and a nice wedding gazebo.
The park also has a rich history. The park and surrounding area were occupied by the Wyandot Native American tribe for several centuries before Europeans arrived and settled the area. The Wyandot settled the village of Maguagon along the banks of the Detroit River, which was the site of the minor Battle of Maguaga during the War of 1812. Maguagon became known as Truaxton in 1816, named for Abram Caleb Truax, who was a French Major who decided to stay in the area after the war. Truaxton was renamed to "Trenton" in 1847 and incorporated as a village in 1855.
Giles Bryan Slocum (1808–1884), an early businessman and landowner moved to Truaxton in 1834, purchased 3 miles of Truaxton's riverfront, and built his estate on what he called Slocum's Island (which was partially separated from the mainland by his own constructed canal). Slocum married Sophia Truax in 1838 (daughter of Abram Caleb Truax), and she inherited the estate when Abram passed in 1884. She continued to live on the Island with her daughter Elizabeth Nichols. Sophia Truax passed in 1912, and Elizabeth Nichols then inherited the island.
Elizabeth Nichols passed in 1919 leaving the island to her children who in turn donated the island to the Wayne County Park Trustees in October 1919 on the condition that the land be set aside as "Elizabeth Park" in honor of their mother. Elizabeth Park was the first of the Wayne County Parks. The Michigan Department of Transportation contributed financial support for the development of the park which improved the canal, built the bridges that connect the park to the mainland Trenton, and built the road that circles the park.