I WEST ir BLUCEVIP ILLU Apple Island Continued from Page W-8 SUPER SIDEWALK SALE! THURSDAY • FRIDAY • SATURDAY • SUNDAY JULY 12-13-14-15 2000.50% OFF Fine Furniture, Accessories & Gifts Groups sold as complete sets • No layaways • Immediate delivery SOUTHFIELD Tel-Twelve Mall • 12 Mile & Telegraph Daily 10-9 Sunday 12-5 354-9060 WEST BLOOMFIELD ria studios 6644 Orchard Lake at Maple Road Mon-Thur-Fri 10-9 Tue-Wed-Sat 10-6 Sunday 12-5 855-1600 A new choice for the frail elderly Independent Living with Supportive Services A new caring alternative for the frail elderly is now available at the exciting new and elegant West Bloomfield Nursing and Convalescent Center. • Deluxe semi-private or private mini suites all with private baths and a beautiful view of a courtyard or wooded grounds. • Town Center Plaza with a It's called Independent Living snack shop, beauty salon, with Supportive Services. It's flower and gift shop and an the choice between old-fashioned ice cream parlor. independent living and skilled nursing care for the elderly • Fine dining in an elegant person who needs the dining area with meals essentials of living such as prepared by an executive chef housekeeping service, meals, and served by a courteous, laundry service and friendly staff medication, if needed. Licensed nurses are on duty 24 • Exciting and varied activities, hours a day. planned and supervised, to Residents in this program can keep residents involved and enjoy a relaxed, elegant happy atmosphere that includes: Honor us with a visit. Weekdays 9 o.m-8 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, noon-5 p.m. An Affiliate of William Beaumont Hospital VeSt 04)- Ofilad iraiVing 6445 West Maple • West Bloomfield, Ml Phone: 661-1600 cazd 630-av-aksceizt 63eatep - WB-10 • Pastoral and weekly Sabbath services provided by Rabbi Moshe Poker FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1990 beauty and to visit their deceased. Apple Island was sold to Jerome Galloway for 11 shill- ings per acre, and shortly thereafter he sold it to William Dow, another early pioneer. Dow purchased the island intending to build a home for his bride-to-be. He kept it a surprise. One day, with the home nearly built, he dis- covered his bride-to-be was to marry another man. He sold the island and moved to California, where he later married and had many sons. Peter Coats subsequently bought the island for his son and built a home in 1835. Coats was a thread manufac- turer in Paisley, Scotland. Young Coats died as a result of a disagreement between him and the island Indians. Peter Coats sold the island and moved back to Scotland. Next, it was Colin Camp- bell who purchased Apple Island in 1854. Campbell was a Scottish dry goods mer- chant in Detroit. His family spent many joyful summers on the island. Via horse and buggy, he and his family traveled to Orchard Lake. Campbell rebuilt Coat's home, and the foundation still remains today. He also built cottages for family and guests, a caretaker's home as well as a farmhouse on the island. The Campbells planted grapes in the center of the island. By the 1900s, corn, hay and potatoes grew abun- dantly, as well as apple and peach orchards and a vegetable garden. Horses, pigs and cows pastured on the island's east end, while the west end remained in its natural wooded condition. Apple Island bears numerous trees and much vegetation. A current study of the island established that it embraces many "excellent plant communities which will be most useful in an educa- tional program stressing ecological principles and their relationship to the vegetation of the land." There are 400 plant species on the island and 75 different plant families. A 49-foot high staghorn sumac grows in the central eastern area of the island. It is believed to be the largest in the world. Supposedly, the largest cottonwood tree in Michigan grows on Apple Island's southern shore. Willows and sugar maples grow in large quantities. Unfortunately, hunters rid the island of its array of animals. Island creatures now include only birds, insects and toads. Rabbits and squir- rels occasionally meander to the island via Orchard Lake's winter ice. The Campbells sold Apple Island after World War I to Willis Ward, a friend of the Campbells. Upon Mr. Ward's death, most of the island was left to Marjorie, his daughter, with four acres left to his son, Harold. They resolved to maintain the island in its natural state. Upon Mar- jorie's death in 1970, her hus- band, General Frederick Strong Jr., donated Apple Island to the West Bloomfield School District, following his wife's intention to preserve the island's native condition. DiPaola perceives island lavatories becoming a future possibility. The educational community has already carv- ed walking paths through the wooded areas and installed signs around the island. Indians employed the nar- row and uniform white cedar tree roots, which grow on the island's western shore to weave baskets. Indians also used the dried flower of the bee balm plant, which grows in grassy areas near the southern shore, to teach ear- ly pioneers the art of using this plant to stuff mattresses. Its odd odor also repelled bed bugs. Apple Island, in Orchard Lake's blue-green waters, can be an earthy, discovery place for people of all ages. It is a spot to visit and actively un- cover what once was and to restfully relfect on what could be. ❑ Preschoolers See Puppet Theater Summer after summer West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the West Bloomfield Township Library offers preschoolers and their parents puppet theatre at no charge. Called Puppets In The Park, these performances are scheduled twice during the summer at Bloomer Park, Richardson Road east of Hag- gerty Road in West Bloom- field Township. Each begins at 1 p.m. and lasts approx- imately 45 minutes. Parents are encouragd to bring their youngstes to the park before the performance to picnic and play in the park. Lemonade, popcorn and ice cream will be for sale. The next performance is on Aug. 14 with raindate scheduled for the following day. For information, contact parks and recreation, 334-5660.