Sanborn Maps / Macomb County

[Crystal]

I found my mother’s parents, Glen and Marie Johnson, in the 1930 Census, Warren Township, Macomb County ED 50-48. My mother would be born in November 1930.

Place of abode lists 11-Mile Road and Urbanrest Sub., but no house number. The column headed Number of dwelling house in order of visitation is 78. The column headed Number of family in order of visitation is 81.

For the last family in that subdivision, the Number of dwelling house in order of visitation is 83. The Number of family in order of visitation is 86.

On michigan.gov I found a 1921 plat map for Urbanrest Farms Subd’n in Warren Township. The subdivision is just north of Eleven Mile between Dequindre and Ryan. The subdivision is comprised of parcels with frontage on James and Dowland, as well as 12 parcels on Eleven Mile.

I’m trying to figure out in which home my grandparents lived in that subdivision. I’d like to start with a Sanborn map showing that subdivision.

I have online access to Sanborn maps but cannot find a listing for Warren or Warren Township.

Are there any Sanborn maps that cover the area whose borders are Dequindre, Eleven Mile, Ryan, and Twelve Mile? If so, under what city would they be listed?

[Mikeg]

I found my mother’s parents, Glen and Marie Johnson, in the 1930 Census, Warren Township, Macomb County ED 50-48. My mother would be born in November 1930.

Place of abode lists 11-Mile Road and Urbanrest Sub., but no house number. The column headed Number of dwelling house in order of visitation is 78. The column headed Number of family in order of visitation is 81.

For the last family in that subdivision, the Number of dwelling house in order of visitation is 83. The Number of family in order of visitation is 86.

On michigan.gov I found a 1921 plat map for Urbanrest Farms Subd’n in Warren Township. The subdivision is just north of Eleven Mile between Dequindre and Ryan. The subdivision is comprised of parcels with frontage on James and Dowland, as well as 12 parcels on Eleven Mile.

I’m trying to figure out in which home my grandparents lived in that subdivision. I’d like to start with a Sanborn map showing that subdivision.

I have online access to Sanborn maps but cannot find a listing for Warren or Warren Township.

Are there any Sanborn maps that cover the area whose borders are Dequindre, Eleven Mile, Ryan, and Twelve Mile? If so, under what city would they be listed?

Sanborn maps were produced for fire insurance rating purposes and unless an area had an organized Fire Dept. and was supplied with water from a municipal water system that included fire hydrants, there was no reason for making the maps. This area of Warren Twp. was outside the bounds of Warren Village and Center Line, which were the only two areas within Warren Twp. that had municipal water systems prior to WWII.

Here are the only Warren Twp. Sanborn maps that I am aware of. Center Line organized its FD in 1926 and installed its water system a year or so later, which eventually provided municipal water to its residents and those in southern Warren Twp. Warren Village did not have an organized FD until 1939 and it made it's first appearance in the 1941 maps.

[Crystal]

Thank you so much for the information. I had thought there was no Sanborn map for that area, but I wasn't sure.

In other news, I found my Mother, Uncle, and their Mother in the 1940 Census a few minutes ago!

[Mikeg]

Here is a 1949 aerial photo of the Urbanrest subdivision [source].

Comparing the developed lots I see in the aerial image against the Urbanrest sub plat drawing, it appears that 28 years after the Urbanrest subdivision was platted, there were still fewer than 20 lots that had been sold and built upon.

I can identify that by 1949, a home had been built on lots 5, 6, 7-8, 9, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 on James St. and lots 53, 54, 89, 91, and 92 on Dowland St. There are a few more farther to the north in the sub, but they are harder to match up with a lot number.

Looking at the 1930 US Census records on Ancestry, I can tell by looking at the names, birthplaces and occupations that the Urbanrest records begin with Dwelling # 69 on page 7 and end with #83 on page 9. That is 14 dwellings, which just happens to match the number of homes I can associate with a lot number using the 1949 aerial photo.

Since my great-great grandfather's farmhouse is dwelling #54 on page 6, I can also tell that the day before [[prior to Dwelling # 68), the census-taker was traveling west along 11 Mile Rd. So it is possible that when he entered the Urbanrest sub, the first four or five names listed were probably living on Dowland St. and the remainder on James St.

From this purely circumstantial evidence, I would hazard a guess that Glen and Marie were renting a house on James St., between 11 Mile Rd. and Chard Ave.

[gnome]

mikeg, you are amazing.

[Mikeg]

mikeg, you are amazing.

If I may paraphrase the title of that 1970s album by Rod Stewart, "Every record tells a story"!

[Crystal]

Wow, this is great. Mikeg, your information is fascinating and wonderful. Thank you so much!

Also of great interest is how Urbanrest Farms was not built as originally laid out in 1921. Most of the lots were originally platted as 300-ish feet deep. It looks like David Givens Street and Warner Avenue were added so at least some of the lots could be split. It's also interesting that Charles Street was renamed Chard Avenue.

[Crystal]

My uncle, William Johnson, is visiting the Detroit area. He told me last night that the house his parents, Glenn and Marie, rented was on James Street between 11 Mile and Chard, on the right [[east) side of the street.

Mikeg was right again. Thank you so much!

I'll try to see if my Uncle and I can take a drive over there today.

[Mikeg]

My uncle, William Johnson, is visiting the Detroit area. He told me last night that the house his parents, Glenn and Marie, rented was on James Street between 11 Mile and Chard, on the right [[east) side of the street.

Mikeg was right again. Thank you so much!

I'll try to see if my Uncle and I can take a drive over there today.

Glad to hear that you've gotten confirmation on where they lived!