Cedar Bend Avenue

Por yeara Cedar Bend and the adjaeent hills have been a favorite strolling-ground. Scores of heppy children, 6ghing lovers and even middle-aged men and women have gone wild over the beauty of the spot, and many a palé student has gained a needed rest, reclining in the shady nooks in which the place abounds. Prof. Moses Coit Tyler and the late Dr. Frieze, in the old days, were wont to stroll over the hills, dy after day, and they never wearied of the beautiful and diversified scenery. The latter used frequently to remark that the country around Cedar Bend reroinded him of that near Tubingen, in Germany, where he spent some of his early student day s. By degrees, residents of this city began to wonder, more and more, why a beautiful drive had not long ago been built on the brow of the hills, and, about two years ago, agitation began vvith that end in view. A nnmber of prominent citizens took the matter in hand, and pushed it finally to a succeasful oompletion. The ownerg of the surrounding land were approached and were induced to dónate a right of way, and the city could not very well refuse the gift. G. W. Weeks gave half of the right of way for about ten rode, while S. D. Lennon and C. R. Gardner gave almost 150 roda apiece. The drive is about seven-eights of a mile long and fifty feet wide. Mr. E. Ware, at that time alderman from the fifth ward, did much in oarrying the project through the city council, and he.deserves a great deal of credit. Strange to gay, the project met with strong opposition, at fir,st, but we will venture to state that now very few people would be willing to part with the "boulevard." Jt is utterly impossible, by a verbal description, to convey an adequate idea of the " boulevard " aud surrounding scenery. There is hardly a loot of ground which do6G not show some peculiar beauty of its own. Standing at the sumir.it of the long hill on Broadway, the road runs strgight for about ten rods. Then it turns eharply to the left and passes the Sugar Loaf, cÉnstenediy thechüdren, "Lennon's Mountain." A little beyond, it passes a small bridge, which spans a pretty ravine watered by a spring. Here the road takes anctber turn and soon loses itself in a ehady forest A fountaio, supplied with cool spring water, stands by the roadside. Gradually the drive leaves the woods and strikes open ground again, revealing a beautiful view of Ann Arbor. Slowly descending, it passes the historie Cedar Bend and winds in a cork'screw curve down the s eep hill, till it finally meets the old river ro d. The drive, at its highest point, is nearly 175 feêt above the river, which placidly circles around the horseshoe bend far below. Enclosed by the river, lies a flat field, which at this time of the year, is ?olden with the ripening grain, and on the hilla opposite, sits Ann Arbor, as if spread out on a vast amphitheatre.The observatory, on the left, the University and Methodist church, in the middle, and the court house, on the right, stard out pronrnently. A gentleman, who lives near the "boulevard," was walking on the road, the other day, and pointin to the University said : "That's wbere they co-educate, and here's where they co ambulate." He thougbt that the fmt "co" naturally leads to the other. Between the boulevard and the r: . er, on the hill-slope, lies a thiek tórest of underbush and tres. White and yellow oaks, cedars, hickory tree, huckleberry bushep, sumac and willow-trees, uil grow in profusión. In the eurly fprinp, many wild flowers are plucked by young and old botanists, and messes and terns are occa9ionally found. Almost every day, picnic parties find their way to these enady nooks, which nature seems to have desigued exclusively lor p!easure-ground?. Eqaally inviting places are found back of th road. Ia one place there is a deep amphitheatre, fully 75 feet wide, and almost perfectly formed. The hills, far the most part, desoend precipitously down to the river and present a very rugged appearance. The river itself is exceedingly pictureíque, and the view would not be perfoct without it. THE PARK PROJECT. Several public-spirited cit'zeus have recently agitated the project ot establishing a park on the lands adjoining the "boulevard." Mr. Lennon owns about eighteen acres of ground, lying between the drive and the river, and woulij be willing to part with it on very reasonable terma. He has made the following proposi ion. He will dispose of his eighteen acres for $2,500, reserving to himselt the acre of ground on which "Sugar Loaf" stands. He will guarantee to the park authorities, free of cost, the use ot all surplus water from the springs nertheast of the drive, and will also grant the privilege of building a reservoir above the bridge. The ten aciei adjoining the eastern portion of the avenue belongs to Mr. Gardner, and this too should enter into the park. Within the horseshoe bend of the river, lies the farmproperty of J. F. Lawrence. A portio.i of this, at least, should be pmchased. Theo, along the west bank of the Huron, there is a narro w strip of land, about four rods wide, owned by Geo. Rhodes, which would furnish a fine site fora drive. Mr. Rhodes also owns the beautiful island in the river, which is a favorite resort with picnickers. All this property could be purchased for $ti00 or f 700, and is well worth that sum. Altogeiher, it is probable enough land for a large park could be bought for 0,000, or even lees. The natural advantages of this propoaed park are surpassed by those of very few places. There are half a dozen, or more, good springs on the land, one of which is 150 feet above the river and sends out a strearn large enough to supply the entire park with water. At some point near the railroad bridge, the river could bedammed, and a depth could thus be obtained, sufficient to furnish good boating and swiming. Picnicking grounds could easily be arranged. On the level field inside the horseshoe, a dance-pavilion might be erected, and open-air band concerts might be given at regular intervals. Probably the regenta of the university, or the students themselves, might be induced to lócate the long-desired athletic grounds at this point. Should this be done, no doubt the new electric Street railway would be extended to the park. On the whole. there is in this project, an opportunity to make a veritable garden of Eden richt in our own vicinity, and the city of Ann Arbor ehould not begrudge the comparatively small sum necessary to attain th:s object PROPOSED BELT ROAD. There is some talk of laying outa long boulevard around the city, with Cedar Bend avenue as a link. Mayor Msnly, among others, is enthusiastically in favor of the project, and is daing a good deal to bring the matter to a focus. The route generally greed upon will, if adopted, traverse country of surpassing beauty. Leaving Cedar Bend avenue at its junction with Broadway, the proposed road runa through Isaac Dunn's farm to Milist., intersecting that street at Traver's place; ihence aloDg Mill-st to Traver-st, along Traver-st to Plum-st, and along Plum st to Pontiac-8t. Mr. Dunn might be induced to dónate a right of way through his land. and in that case the boulevard, up to this point, would require no expense except that of grading. The road runs thence through lands belonging to Erastas Mason, striking the Huron river bluffs just opposite the brick and tile works. Then it skiitj along the bluffs and the river-bank to the Qoodell road, which it follows till the waterworks are reached, and it crosses the river at a point just below the old McMahon dam. Climbing tbe bluffs again, it runs along the ridge through land belonging to Messrs. Oornwell and Loomis, until it reaches the old Chubb-st road near the Catholic cemetery. lts course from this point is through town, passiDg down Spring-st to Miller-ave, then to Main-st, then east on Ann-st lo the observatory. It then takes the top of the bluffs, running through farms owned by Messrs. Kelly, Huddy, Cheevtr acd others, until it strikes the Geddes road just below the Parshall farm. Cros ing the bridge, it meets the river road, which it follows back to Cedar Bend avenue. Such is the route proposed by the gentlemen who are advocïating the project. A euggestion might be mude in the interests of economy, however, and that is this: Why no', instead of going up Ann-st to the observatory, take the Geddes road at the cemetery and follow that down to the river? If this route were adopted, rery little right of way would have to be acquired and the city would scarcely feel the burden. The Register commenda the whole project to the consideration of its readers, and it sinjerely nopes that the beantiful five-mile drive which is proposed will soon be an accomplished fact.