A note from from Mayor Brian Turnbull...


** NORTHVILLIANS,
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As we all remembered on Sunday D-Day of June 6
^th, 1944, this moved me to talk about the “Arsenal of Democracy” in the Detroit area, which begins our Patriotism series this month. This week, we will explore our community’s connection to the war efforts, then examine the impact of our local “Rosie the Riveters” that helped win WWII. We’ll conclude by highlighting 4^th of July local events over time.

But first, let’s look at the COVID updates (growing ever shorter) …
* As of June 1, capacity limits were lifted for outdoor events in the State of Michigan. Additionally, indoor capacity limits & restrictions were eased. As of July 1, there will be no restrictions. (Michigan.gov)
* The direction nationally is to get 70% of Americans vaccinated by July 4^th. In line with this, the administration announced a COVID-19 higher-education challenge last Thursday, which asks college & university leaders to pledge doing as much as they can to get students, faculty and staff vaccinated. The announcement comes amidst a total national effort to propel the country toward herd immunity. (US News)
* Gov. Whitmer announced that the U.S. Secretary of Commerce is awarding Michigan a CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDC) to assist the State. (Michigan.gov)

COVID-19 CONFIRMED CASES: Northville has had 260 cases/8 fatalities, Township 2217/51, Michigan 995K/21K, Nation 34M/603K, Global 174M/3.7M. (CDC.com)
Let’s shift to Patriotism in Northville, as it relates to the Arsenal of Democracy.
* It’s generally agreed that no American City contributed more to the Allied powers during WWII than the Detroit area, and Northville was a big hub of activity, with its history of being in the state’s top three cities for commerce in its early years.
* Detroit grew to be known as the “Arsenal of Democracy,” a term coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a speech about patriotism, sacrifice and the need for cooperation between the government and all citizens.
DID YOU KNOW …
+ Ninety-one percent of all the helmets for WWII were stamped in Detroit.
+ Chrysler produced most of the tanks.
+ Ford’s Willow Run plant in Ypsilanti built a B24 Liberator Bomber aircraft every 55 minutes, running 24/7.
+ GM was responsible for the greatest percentage of war materials among all TEAM members.
+ The Detroit Metro area produced most of the military vehicles for all the Allied troops worldwide (2.7 million of them).
* In our community, parts for the Jeep and other military components were made at the Northville valve plant. Ford used their facilities to help build the Jeep, and it’s said that Henry nicknamed this project “GP” (G for Government, P referring to an 80-inch wheelbase). Folks internally started to call the vehicle the GP or “Geep”, and eventually the name stuck (Jeep!).
* Various factories, including the Phoenix Lake Ford plant on Northville Road (which is on the National Registry of Historic Buildings), had a blackout curtain installed around the building to be invisible from the air at night. The plant ran 24/7 with up to 200 women on a shift. My Aunt Pearl was one of those workers. Next week, we’ll learn more about this effort, celebrated as “Rosie the Riveter.”
* At one time Stinson Aircraft, which originated in Northville, provided aircraft for military & personal use. In the 1920’s, Henry Ford spent time with Eddie Stinson talking about the aircraft industry. Also, the old Globe Furniture Factory on Cady Street built ¾-ton trucks at one time.
* The Northville Record wrote about being part of the war effort, saying, “The front line is in our own back yard.” In 1942, many articles encouraged citizens to contribute to a metal drive for the War effort. The American Legion donated old war relics including WWI machine guns, helmets & shell casings. The old streetcar rails from the track coming from Plymouth were reclaimed for the war effort and cans that were collected in town filled 4 large trucks.
* Additionally, area farms contributed to the 6.4 million 100-pound bags of beans that were picked in the Michigan area to feed our troops in 1942. Local youth helped harvest milkweed pods for use in life jackets and other war equipment. In 1943 over a half a million bags of pods were harvested in the state and processed in Petoskey.

You can see our community was fully engaged in the Arsenal of Democracy during the War effort … Patriotism has always been a top priority in our town. To celebrate this national pride, our 4^th of July Parade will again return this year in Northville on Monday, July 5^th at 10:00 AM, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce (additional details to follow).

Let’s continue to share our time and talents with those in need on a daily basis. We have to know where we’ve been in the past to envision the trajectory for our future.

Keep that Northville Faith & Let’s move forward together!

Stay #NorthvilleStrong!
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Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
[email protected] / 248.505.6849

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The Committee to Elect Brian Turnbull for Mayor . 361 Eaton Dr . Northville, MI 48167-1307 . USA

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