Find out fun facts and exciting history about the beautiful chain of islands known as Grosse Ile. Also find links to community information.
Hickory Island, postcard view.
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Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge Sunrise “The Free Bridge” Detroit River Grosse Ile, Michigan Click here to read more about the Grosse Ile Free Bridge
The airfield in its infancy. Pictured is the original building, now called Hangar 2. The circle drive inside the perimeter was actually a continuation of Meridian Road and was known as Meridian Circle Road. (Grosse Ile Historical Collection)
The main deck of the Grosse Ile toll bridge at the booth.
Goodyear Blimp Landing at Grosse Ile Municipal Airport.
The military men & women stand inside Hangar 1. (Grosse Ile Historical Collection)
Grosse Ile is a must visit island in Michigan! Here’s why & what you can expect to do there! ⛵️Grosse Ile was a stop French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac made in the 1600’s and early 1700’s. Then in 1776, the Macomb brothers purchased the island from the Potawatomi tribe. 🌺Want to feel connected to this history? Plan a visit to @westcroftgardens. It is owned by the 8th generation of the Macombs & is the oldest family farm in Michigan, getting its start on July 6, 1776. There is also a beautiful 3 acre garden you can walk around! 🚂 Another must visit place is the Grosse Ile History Museum. Not only will you learn about the islands fascinating history, you’ll find many things that connect what you’ll see at present to historic eve
Looking closely onto the icy Detroit River will show tracks running from the east end of Grosse Ile (at right) to Amherstburg, Ontario: these tracks were from rum-runners bootlegging Canadian whiskey into the States. Photo dated February 8, 1930, in the midst of the Prohibition era. (Jennifer Guest collection)
Low water conditions shown here forced the dredging of the Detroit River near Stoney Island.
The Grosse Ile naval airfield and surrounding area at its peak. Looking northbound, the Pilot House is at left-center, Hangar 1 at right center, and the barracks are behind, on the other side of Groh Road. (Grosse Ile Historical Collection)
Photo taken from Hickory Island toward Sugar Island. (Grosse Ile Historical Collection)
A four minute tour of the island community of Grosse Ile, Michigan, a Detroit area island jewel.
The "Greyhound" steamer crosses the river channel between Sugar Island (pictured) and Hickory Island (foreground). (Grosse Ile Historical Collection)
This was the Seaplane base in Grosse Ile, adjacent to Gibraltar Bay. When decommissioned, it became a boat storage facility. It was lost to fire around 1968 and never rebuilt: its concrete flooring is all that currently remains. (Grosse Ile Historical Collection)
Looking north from approximately the same position as previous photo.
