NORTHVILLIANS,

First, I want to again thank each of you for assisting our community in having a safe and enjoyable Halloween celebration in town. Additionally, a lot is going on with the new street bollards that allow us to easily open and close the streets for festivals, parades, events and to support seasonal closing. We reopened the streets to traffic November 1^st, in accordance with the plan decided 6 months ago. Also, we held elections on November 7^thwith four outstanding candidates for City Council. The two electees will be inducted onto City Council November 20^th.

During this week, I will focus on remembrances in the Ville for Veterans Day. This month, the Chamber of Commerce will honor our Northville Military Veterans through the community banner program, which features close to 250 of our veteran heroes pictured on light poles around downtown.

Also, ceremonies will be held at the VFW Hall, American Legion and Senior areas, which I will be involved with. We will pay homage to our Veterans from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII and the conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan – all those who served in the military, both in wartime and peacetime. In our two final resting places in town, we have veterans from all these conflicts. At Rural Hill, our Veteran Memorial area was established over 70 years ago to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our liberties, and at Oakwood (Close to 200 years old) we even have a Revolutionary War Vet.

Before we take a deeper historical look, I wanted to offer a backdrop on the beginnings of Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day until 1954). It is a federal holiday observed annually on November 11th to honor military veterans (this year, Friday 11/10 is the observed holiday). This day marks the anniversary of the truce signed at the end of WWI, which formally ended the Great War (“The War to end all Wars”) on November 11^th, 1918. In addition to this great event, this was the actual day my mother was born. Growing up, the front page of The Detroit News was prominently displayed and framed under glass at our home, commemorating the end of WWI and also my mother’s birth (an ending AND a beginning).

Before looking into our Veterans Day activities in town, let's see what’s going on in “The Ville."

Holiday Greens & Winter Market (Downtown Northville, 11/18 – 11/19, 9am-4pm and Rotary’s Annual Goodfellows Newspaper Drive on 11/18 which supports Northville Civic Concern.
City Leaf pickup – North of 8 Mile week of 10/30 & 11/27; South – 11/6 & 12/4
11/17 – 6:30 PM, Northville’s Holiday Lighted Parade & Tree Lighting – Santa arrives downtown to assist in our celebrations. Link
Thanksgiving Dinner for all in our community. On Thursday, 11/23 at noon, everyone is invited to enjoy food, fellowship, and football at the First United Methodist Church (777 Eight Mile). Call 248.349.1144 or see link if you are interested in joining or serving. Link
Mill Race Festival of Trees – Sponsors needed. Festive lighted trees decorated by businesses, families, and groups line the lane during the month of December. Contact the Northville Historical Society if you are interested in sponsoring and/or decorating one. Link
Northville High Football (11-1) knocked off Brighton in the first round of the State tournament and Catholic Central last Friday in an outstanding game. They will take on Belleville again Saturday 11/11 at 1PM away – Go Stangs!
Mayoral Weekly Letters – The complete collection of all Mayoral Newsletters going back to 2019 is available online for you to read and search. Link

LET'S LOOK AT VETERANS DAY CELEBRATIONS IN THE NORTHVILLE COMMUNITY OVER TIME...

Northville has always had a great sense of national pride. As mentioned before, the Military Banner Program is sponsored by the Chamber and highlights our local heroes on pole-mounted flags around the Historic District.

In WWII, my father was a proud Marine (is there any other kind?) and my mother was a “Rosie the Riveter” at the Willow Run B24 Liberator plant, part of the “Arsenal of Democracy”.

Northville was an immense contributor to the national war efforts over the years. Going back to the time of WW1, Northville was ranked 2^nd economically in the state of Michigan.

My brother, who served in the Vietnam era, ended up being the Dean of Culver Military School in Culver, Indiana. A banner in his memory, along with that of my father, is displayed downtown.

We in the community are truly indebted to everyone at the VFW Post and the American Legion for their patriotism and for all they do in our community. Additionally, Northvillians truly owe our veterans a great debt for their commitment and sacrifice to protect our freedoms.

The VFW Post historically sponsors the annual Memorial Day parade and maintains the Veterans portion of the Rural Hill Cemetery, which includes placing flags with the Legion on all our fallen heroes’ gravesites each year. It is truly Northville’s Arlington-like memorial area.

Northville’s American Legion has been serving veterans in our community for 104 years. Personally, I will always be grateful for their sponsorship of “Boys State” in which I participated in 1978, and that experience inspired me to become your servant mayor (40+ years later!).

During this month, please slow down and thank those in uniform as well as family & friends who have served to keep the freedoms we enjoy today. Those who defended our liberties and ideals should never be forgotten.

Keep that Northville Community Patriotic Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
[email protected] / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

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