A Detroit Architect's Journal: September 2013

I was recently part of a team asked to analyze the condition of more than 20 comfort stations that are linked like a necklace along Hines Drive. Similar to Fairmount Park in my home town of Philadelphia, the park follows the Middle Rouge River as it weaves more than 15 miles south towards the Detroit river starting in Northville and ending in Dearborn Heights. It's an amazing park system with an equally amazing history.

Upper Hines Park
Image credit: Mobile Maplets

Lower Hines Park
Image credit: Mobile Maplets

The vision of the park became focused during the turn of the 20th century and was guided by the "Good Roads Movement." This movement led to the creation of Wayne County's first road commission. It's first commissioners would include Cass Benton, Henry Ford, and Edward Hines (who the park was re-named for in 1937).

As with many of the landmarks in Southeastern Michigan, the park came to fruition partly through the partnership Mr. Ford forged with his fellow road commissioners. Per an agreement between Mr. Ford and the commission, road improvements and land acquisitions were made between 1920 and 1933 as part of Mr. Ford's experiment with village industries. By 1944, all the lands and mills associated with the experiment were turned over to the county and incorporated into the park.

During the Great Depression, more park land was acquired and many of the comfort stations were built as part of President Roosevelt's Work Progress Administration or W.P.A. Many highlight distinctive architectural styles which feature corbeling brick, limestone keystones and quoins, steeply pitched slate roofs and their original leaded windows.

Below are photos of some of the more memorable comfort stations:

Plymouth Riverside
Patterned after a train station, this structure features intricate brick and stone detailing, leaded windows and a slate roof. Per the stone marker that sits prominently at the base of it west elevation chimney, the building was completed in 1930.

Gunsolly Mills
Built on the former site of a carding mill used by Henry Ford's family, the exterior of this small, symmetric, comfort station has been restored to included copper gutters, copper roof flashing and copper snow guards.

Cass Benton
Situated on land gifted to the park by one of the first Wayne County Road Commissioners, Cass Benton, this Tudor styled station sits hidden along one the parks tree covered trails.

Haggerty
Named after one of Wayne County's early Road Commissioners, John Haggerty, the building was completed in 1937 by Jesse Merle Bennett. The Tudor styled building was meant to launch the concept of the round the clock travel center. Original plans called for the building to be occupied by a 24 hour attendant.

Inkster

Kinloch

Though not located directly along the Middle Rouge River, these almost identical comfort stations feature Tudor detailing. In particularly, the walls are decorated with multi-colored glazed, corbeled brick.

Kinloch has been serving the picnic and play areas that line the Lola Valley Creek in Redford Township since 1933.

Inkster sits along the lower Rouge River within the heart of the City of Inkster.

Newburg Pointe
The lake was originally constructed as a millpond around 1819. In 1935, the old cider mill was demolished by Henry Ford and replaced with a new "Village Industry Plant". In 1997, the entire pond was drained, decontaminated and restocked with fish. The Tudor style building was built in 1935 and continues to also serve as a canoe livery.

Perrin

These almost identical comfort stations include round leaded windows, slate roofs and once featured copper cupolas topped with spires. Perrin's original construction drawings date to 1955.