Mark Maynard | Michigan Avenue

The Untold History of Ypsilanti: Our Native American Past

By Mark | April 21, 2014

As I mentioned a few days ago, two articles were recently brought to my attention (one from 1901, and the other from 1914) about the discovery of what appeared to be Native American remains on the property in downtown Ypsilanti we today call Water Street. Well, I followed up with the fellow who sent these […]

Posted in History, Michigan, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged 1600s, 1680, 1700s, 1800s, 1823, Abram B. Burnett, agricultural communities, Algonquian, archeology, Athens, beaver, Beaver Wars, Blue Jacket, burial grounds, burial mounds, burial tumuli, cemeteries, Chippewa, Concordia College, de La Salle, Delaware, dislocation, Edward King, epidemics, farming, forced removal, Ford Lake, Fort Recovery, French and Indian War, frontier, fur trading, Gabriel Godfroy, Georgian Bay, Gilbert Residence, Giwitatigweiasibi, glaciers, Hinsdale Atlas of Michigan Archaeology, Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Ho-Chunk, Hopewell Mound, human history, hunter gatherer, Huron River, Huron River Watershed Council, ice age, Indian, Iroquois, Joslin, King’s Flats, Lake Erie, Late Woodland period, Little Turtle, looting, Matthew Siegfried, Miami, Michigan Pioneer Collection, middens, Nandewine Sippy, native american artifacts, Native Americans, nomadic, Northwest Indian War, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, Odawa, Ohio River Valley, Ojibwe, oral history, Ottawa, Pontiac’s War, Potawatomi, reservations, Revolutionary War, Romaine La Chambre, Sauk, Sauk Trail, Serpent Mound, Shawnee, smallpox, South Huron, springs, Tecumseh, the British, the French, the history of white people, Three Fires, trading post, Treaty of Greenville, untold history, War of 1812, Washtenaw County, Water Street, westward expansion, Wilbert B. Hinsdale, Winnebago, Woodruff's Grove, Worden House, Wyandots, Ypsi history | 30 Comments

The Seed Bombing of Water Street will happen on May 1

By Mark | April 13, 2013

On Thursday evening, the Ypsilanti Parks and Recreation Commission met, and considered our proposal to adopt an acre of Water Street right alongside Michigan Avenue, just west of South River Street. I don’t think it will be official until Monday, but the members present agreed unanimously with the project as I explained it. So, it […]

Posted in Agriculture, Special Projects, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged adopt a park, Bill Schneider, bio-remediatin, Black Eyed Susan, brownfield, call to action, Canada Wild Rye, catapults, Common Evening Primrose, Common Milkweed, Dairy Queen, ecology, flowers, forbs, grasses, Indian Grass, invasive species, Jason Tallant, native plants, remediation, River Street, Sand Tickseed, seed bombing, slingshots, spotted knapweed, trebuchet, Water Street, Water Street Redevelopment Project, Wildtype, Yarrow, Ypsilanti Parks and Recreation Commission | 41 Comments

The seed bombing of Water Street… Who’s in?

By Mark | April 6, 2013

Since we last spoke about the idea of seed bombing Water Street, quite a bit has happened. Most notably, I’ve been in discussions with representatives of the City, as well as various people in the community who profess to know a thing or two about native plant species, bio-remediation, landscaping, and the like. What follow […]

Posted in Special Projects, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged bees, brownfields, buckthorn, call to action, garlic mustard, guerilla bio-remediation, industrial waste, invasive species, Jesse Tack, Lisa Bashert, May Day, Michigan Botanical Club, MSU Extension Service, myco inoculant, native plants, nectar, seed bombing, teraforming, Teresa Gillotti, toxic environment, trees, Water Street, Water Street Redevelopment Project, Water Street tree farm, Whole Culture Repair, Wildtype | 24 Comments

1,000 seed bombs for Water Street!

By Mark | March 31, 2013

As I was walking my dog around Ypsilanti’s 38-acres of depressingly-barren downtown real estate known as Water Street yesterday morning, it occurred to me that it might be fun to pick a day sometime soon and encourage everyone in Ypsilanti to come out and plant sunflower seeds together. And, in a fit of inspiration, I […]

Posted in Special Projects, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged brownfield, commons, flowers, gardening, gorilla gardening, guerilla bio-remediation, Lisa Waud, phytoremediation, Pot and Box, seed, seed bombing, seedbombs, slingshots, sunflowers, teraforming, toxic waste, trebuchets, Water Street, Water Street Redevelopment Project, wildflowers | 39 Comments

David Landrum on the launch of Two James…. the first distillery in Detroit since Prohibition

By Mark | January 31, 2013

As you may have heard, a new distillery will soon be opening in the Corktown section of Detroit, not too far from where our friend Lisa Waud will be opening the new flower shop I told you about a few days ago. From what I’m told, it will be the first legal distillery to operate […]