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City of Gibraltor
GIBRALTAR Known as 'Venice of Michigan'
In this year of 1976 the City of Gibraltar is a clean, quiet, pleasant place to live. The majority of the homes located adjacent to the waterways are of one family construction. Spread throughout the Gibraltar area are many and varied trees --maple, oak, cottonwood and the beautiful weeping willow trees gracing the banks of the canals. We are still blessed with a great many open spaces. It is without heavily traveled roads; no roar of traffic or noise of heavy industry. Many homes situated on the waterways have large picture windows so that the residents can look out upon the water and enjoy the antics of the several hundred Mallard Ducks and in the spring when the ducklings are hatched, they provide joy and entertainment for the people. There are a good many squirrels running around thru the trees. The water doesn't freeze and many people feed these small creatures so that they are with us the year around.
Spring and early winter periods when the migrating birds come thru, you may see the Scaupe {commonly called Blue Bills), Pintails, Red Head, Mergansers or maybe some Golden Eye. Every winter when the water elsewhere is frozen, a flock of squawking crows come seeking food and water. Occasionally the sea gulls circle the area. Pheasants may come thru the fields and trees searching for weed seeds. Many summer or fall nights, we have heard a screech owl calling in the trees.
Gibraltar is a unique community and not like nearby inland areas. Our life is enriched by our proximity to the water. Our marinas produce stable employment. During the warmer months boating, fishing and sports related to the water are the favorite pastimes of many citizens. There are approximately two and one-half miles of water frontage on the Detroit River and a network of canals. A majority of the homes have easy access to the water and on even the coldest day, we notice boats moving thru our canals. Sometimes in winter they may go fishing or may- be hunting but no day seems to be too cold to keep an avid outdoors- man before his warm fire.
When it is warm there is skiing, fishing, sailing, visiting the neighboring amusement park at Bob-Io, Amherstburg or Point Pelee, Canada. Many boaters cross Lake Erie for a weekend or a day at Put-in- Bay or Cedar Point, Ohio. In the early days when the roads were muddy and rutted, virtually impassable, the residents would visit the cemetery on Sunday by boat or they might row into Trenton for groceries or a bag of coal.
From the Detroit River, a pleasure boat may go anywhere in the world. Southeast anywhere on Lake Erie, thru the Welland Canal and out thru the St. Lawrence Seaway to the ocean, or go north and west around Michigan to Chicago, thru the locks to the Mississippi and to the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe you would enjoy the picturesque trip from northern Lake Huron thru the quaint locks in the T rent-Severn Waterway, a fascinating lake-canal-river complex that winds its way to the ocean.
Where, but in Gibraltar, would you see a pilot house from a dismantled freighter hauled in by water thru the canals, put to drydock and built into a house. You have all noticed our water tower built by Frances Chaney Strong. The water tower and attached carriage house were converted into living quarters and are being beautifully restored by the present owners. The old lighthouse was also purchased and converted into a private home. We hope that you will take the time to enjoy our scenic and historic homes that add character and uniqueness to our community.
The water has a soothing effect upon the people with the constant play of light and shadow, in winter occasional ice floes, in summer the various boat traffic. In a short period of time, you can leave your troubles behind and enjoy the quiet and solitude of Lake Erie. It is a source of enjoyment to the residents except in the flood stage. The water also tempers the air so that in winter, we may be ten degrees warmer than the temperature at Metro Airport and in summer we might be many degrees cooler.
The population of the City of Gibraltar was at the start of 1976 approximately 4,300 people. Gibraltar is twenty-two miles south of the heart of the City of Detroit where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie and adjoins the southern boundary of Trenton. Bounded on the north by Vreeland Road, cast by the Detroit River, south by woodruff Road and west by the railroad, Old Fort St. and M85. The City is comprised of a portion of mainland and four islands: Hall, Edmund, Main and Horse Islands. The islands are separated by waterway canals and connected by bridges and are easily accessible from the Detroit River and connecting waterways. West Jefferson, the historic River Road, crosses thru the City and 1-75, one of the main north-south high- ways in this country, is less than a mile west of our western boundary. The Penn Central Rail Lines are near the western limits of the City and not close to the residential area.
In this year of 1976 the City of Gibraltar is a clean, quiet, pleasant place to live. The majority of the homes located adjacent to the waterways are of one family construction. Spread throughout the Gibraltar area are many and varied trees --maple, oak, cottonwood and the beautiful weeping willow trees gracing the banks of the canals. We are still blessed with a great many open spaces. It is without heavily traveled roads; no roar of traffic or noise of heavy industry. Many homes situated on the waterways have large picture windows so that the residents can look out upon the water and enjoy the antics of the several hundred Mallard Ducks and in the spring when the ducklings are hatched, they provide joy and entertainment for the people. There are a good many squirrels running around thru the trees. The water doesn't freeze and many people feed these small creatures so that they are with us the year around.
Spring and early winter periods when the migrating birds come thru, you may see the Scaupe {commonly called Blue Bills), Pintails, Red Head, Mergansers or maybe some Golden Eye. Every winter when the water elsewhere is frozen, a flock of squawking crows come seeking food and water. Occasionally the sea gulls circle the area. Pheasants may come thru the fields and trees searching for weed seeds. Many summer or fall nights, we have heard a screech owl calling in the trees.
Gibraltar is a unique community and not like nearby inland areas. Our life is enriched by our proximity to the water. Our marinas produce stable employment. During the warmer months boating, fishing and sports related to the water are the favorite pastimes of many citizens. There are approximately two and one-half miles of water frontage on the Detroit River and a network of canals. A majority of the homes have easy access to the water and on even the coldest day, we notice boats moving thru our canals. Sometimes in winter they may go fishing or may- be hunting but no day seems to be too cold to keep an avid outdoors- man before his warm fire.
When it is warm there is skiing, fishing, sailing, visiting the neighboring amusement park at Bob-Io, Amherstburg or Point Pelee, Canada. Many boaters cross Lake Erie for a weekend or a day at Put-in- Bay or Cedar Point, Ohio. In the early days when the roads were muddy and rutted, virtually impassable, the residents would visit the cemetery on Sunday by boat or they might row into Trenton for groceries or a bag of coal.
From the Detroit River, a pleasure boat may go anywhere in the world. Southeast anywhere on Lake Erie, thru the Welland Canal and out thru the St. Lawrence Seaway to the ocean, or go north and west around Michigan to Chicago, thru the locks to the Mississippi and to the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe you would enjoy the picturesque trip from northern Lake Huron thru the quaint locks in the T rent-Severn Waterway, a fascinating lake-canal-river complex that winds its way to the ocean.
Where, but in Gibraltar, would you see a pilot house from a dismantled freighter hauled in by water thru the canals, put to drydock and built into a house. You have all noticed our water tower built by Frances Chaney Strong. The water tower and attached carriage house were converted into living quarters and are being beautifully restored by the present owners. The old lighthouse was also purchased and converted into a private home. We hope that you will take the time to enjoy our scenic and historic homes that add character and uniqueness to our community.
The water has a soothing effect upon the people with the constant play of light and shadow, in winter occasional ice floes, in summer the various boat traffic. In a short period of time, you can leave your troubles behind and enjoy the quiet and solitude of Lake Erie. It is a source of enjoyment to the residents except in the flood stage. The water also tempers the air so that in winter, we may be ten degrees warmer than the temperature at Metro Airport and in summer we might be many degrees cooler.
The population of the City of Gibraltar was at the start of 1976 approximately 4,300 people. Gibraltar is twenty-two miles south of the heart of the City of Detroit where the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie and adjoins the southern boundary of Trenton. Bounded on the north by Vreeland Road, cast by the Detroit River, south by woodruff Road and west by the railroad, Old Fort St. and M85. The City is comprised of a portion of mainland and four islands: Hall, Edmund, Main and Horse Islands. The islands are separated by waterway canals and connected by bridges and are easily accessible from the Detroit River and connecting waterways. West Jefferson, the historic River Road, crosses thru the City and 1-75, one of the main north-south high- ways in this country, is less than a mile west of our western boundary. The Penn Central Rail Lines are near the western limits of the City and not close to the residential area.