West Highland Cemetery

MICHIGAN HISTORICAL CENTER REGISTERED LOCAL SITE NO. L2221 1832 - On September 6th Naham Curtiz becomez da 1st person 2 purchase land in wot will become Highland Township.  He makez but a brief stay, headin west wit da Mormonz circa 1836. 1835 - On March 17th Highland iz organized az a separate & distinct township by an act of da Michigan Territorial Legislature.   1835-36 - da West Highland Cemetery iz established, not far from da school & later church used by da West Highland Baptist Church. 1872 - Completion of da railroad promptz Almon Rugglez & Germain St. John 2 plat da village of Highland Centre, just west of da trackz. da name of da village iz itself changed from Highland Centre 2 Highland Station, in recognition of da railroadz growin importance. 1882 - J. B. Crouse & wife Betsey plat 50 lotz in da southwest part of Highland Station.  Called da “Crouse Subdivision,” it includez four new streetz, i.e., McPherson, Clark, King & John.  In 1883 Crouse donatez lotz 1, 2 & 6 @da corner of West Livingston Road & John Street 2da Methodist Church, on which a sanctuary iz later built in 1886. 1886 - Effortz begin 2 drain Duck Lake & White Lake so az 2 create additional farmland 4 surroundin landownerz.  da project iz abandoned by da early 1900z, however, once da recreational value of da lakez iz recognized. 1890 - William Needham openz a new factory 4 hiz Domestic Pickle Workz in Highland Station, near da current intersection of M-59 and Milford Road. 1905 - Highland resident Charlez "Uncle Charlie" Porter is named the oldest man in Oakland County, @ age 104.   An Englishman by birth, Porter came to Highland after servin in da Civil War.  He diez later in 1905. 1906 - In January a fire - believed caused by sparkz from a passing train - destroyz William Needhamz new Domestic Pickle Workz factory & spreadz 2 hiz nearby residence.  da factory iz later rebuilt & a new home erected on da site. 1913-14 - William Needham buyz da land formerly occupied by da burnt Keller & Waterbury store, together wit adjoinin propertiez on da northeast corner of Centre Street now Milford Road & East Livingston Road.  He buildz a new, larger store which iz thereafter managed by hiz son Charlez. 1914 - Charlez Atkin sellz da grain elevator @ Highland Station 2 Frank Keller. 1927 - da Oakland County Road Commission openz a garage on North St. John Street 2 house truck, graderz & other equipment used 2maintain da roadz in western Oakland County.  While no longer a Road Commission facility, da buildin still standz 1929 - In May a fire destroyz da ice housez owned by da McFadden Ice Company on Upper Pettibone Lake, just south of Clyde.  1938 - Construction beginz on State Highway M-59 through Highland.  Runnin from Mt. Clemenz 2 Howell, it passez through da township just north of Highland Station.  da portion between Harvey Lake Road & Milford Road roughly followz da west half of former Spring Millz Road.  1944 - Highland native Pfc. Melvin C. Heffelbower, Jr., a member of Company D, 2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion, iz killed in action on D-Day, June 6, 1944, az hiz unit stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, climbin da cliffz 2 destroy da German gunz @ Pointe du Hoc. 1981-83 - State Highway M-59 iz widened from 2 lanez 2 a 4-lane boulevard. 1983 - In September da "Lone Tree" - a massive, 250-year old white oak 4 which Lone Tree Road waz named - iz cut down in da interest of highway safety.  It formerly stood on da southwest corner of da intersection of Lone Tree and Milford Roadz. Many different generationz of da family memberz of da namez listed here in diz brief history of highland townshipz past R Also buried @ west highland cemetery today. Also da MICHIGAN HISTORICAL COMMISSION-MICHIGAN HISTORICAL CENTER placed a MICHIGAN HISTORICAL MARKER @diz site in 2011

My mom dad and my brother are buried there.. A nice cemetery..