Harper Woods/Grosse Pointe Woods border.

[jerrytimes]

I was wondering if anyone here had any information about the border between Harper Woods and Grosse Pointe Woods. Why does it run mid neighborhood, with only the streets of Allard and Stanhope only going out to Harper?

[Danny]

Have something to do with taxation!!!

[EastsideAl]

The line along which most of the border between GPW and HW runs was originally the border between Grosse Pointe Township and Gratiot Township. Gratiot Township was split off from Grosse Pointe Township in 1895. The Village of Lochmoor was formed out of the last unincorporated portion of Grosse Pointe Township in 1927 [[name was changed to Grosse Pointe Woods in 1939). Lochmoor annexed Allard and Stanhope streets from Gratiot Township in 1931, but I can find no information why they annexed the area, and why they only annexed that narrow strip. Harper Woods incorporated the last remaining piece of Gratiot Township in 1951.

[MikeM]

Lochmoor annexed Allard and Stanhope streets from Gratiot Township in 1931, but I can find no information why they annexed the area, and why they only annexed that narrow strip.

Those streets were part of the Country Club Woods subdivision [[former CCD property) which ran beyond the village limits and were beginning to experience rapid development. Lochmoor wanted to grab control of that area before it was possibly annexed by Detroit. Attempts to annex that area were voted down in 1925, in the same election that resulted in the part of Grosse Pointe Township between Mack and Warren being annexed to Detroit.

[kathy2trips]

Thanks, MikeM & EastsideAl for bringing clarity to a confusing bit of east side geography! I've always learned a lot from you two, and this thread is no exception.