Editor's Letter

A Natural Impact

A

downriver lagoon mocked as a cesspool because
communities. Fire finally claimed it in 1987; the family chose
of the pollution is now a clean cove named for the
not to rebuild.
Jewish family that donated the nearby parkland.
The Ellias family also covered a small shortfall in the com-
Important Milestones
bined public grants for the cove's cleanup, restoration of the
Michael Dallen, a lawyer whose grandfather was Meyer Ellias,
shoreline and development of a marina. Returning wildlife
was eager to alert me to the dedication of Ellias Cove. He's
and fish are finding new depth and habitats at the water's
proud of his zaydie's legacy. And I can understand why. There's
edge.
much to celebrate:
Trenton's Ellias Cove, named for the
• The U.S.-Canada research pinpointing the Black Lagoon
Meyer Ellias family, is now an ecologi-
as a source of contaminated sediment.
cal gem, no longer the dark embodi-
• Identification of the Black Lagoon as a management
ment of industrial development that
priority through the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan and
improved the tax base but damaged
the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition's Greater Detroit American
the water quality along the Detroit
Heritage River Initiative.
River. Adjacent to the cove is Meyer
• The $9.3 million removal of the Black Lagoon's contami-
Ellias Park.
nation in 2004-2005 through the U.S. Great Lakes Legacy Act
Ellias Cove is a backwater bay in the and Clean Michigan Initiative.
Trenton Channel. It had been called
• The $151,000 shoreline habitat upgrade finished in 2006.
the Black Lagoon since the 1980s.
• The 2007 awarding of $582,000 from a Boating
That's when U.S. and Canadian scien-
Infrastructure Grant through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
tists probing the river discovered the
Service to build a marina accessible to downtown Trenton.
oil and grease that industries released into the river from the
The city will kick in $200,000 as a local match.
1940s to 1970s had accumulated in the sediment of the Black
"It is truly wonderful to come together with all our partners
Lagoon.
to celebrate the completion of a 23-
The transformation from lagoon
year effort to clean up contaminated
to cove is quite a story this Fourth
sediment, restore habitat, further eco-
w L.., cam E To
of July week.
nomic revitalization through marina
It's the story of how one Jewish
development, and remove the stigma
1.1,1,1 A S (.()V
family with shtetl roots lived the
of the Black Lagoon:' said Trenton
It
Ellias Family
American dream and ultimately
Mayor Jerry Brown. "We are so for-
played a part in the environmental
tic: tstic.‘:,.tteci
tunate and pleased to forever become
::!6.07
cleanup of an area outside the
home to Ellias Cove — a Great Lakes
core of Jewish Detroit but a short
success story!"
way from Beth Isaac Synagogue,
Meyer Ellias Park is adjacent to the cove.
The project illustrates how the
named for Isaac Ellias, Meyer's
Detroit River is bringing together
father. Beth Isaac, dedicated in 1964, stands on land donated
public-private partnerships for outdoor recreation, conserva-
by Meyer's brother Ben. The congregation has dwindled to
tion and quality of life. The river is one of 14 waterways in
20 families, including some Isaac Ellias descendants. But it's
the nation to receive American Heritage River designation. In
determined to keep going.
2001, the river received a Canadian Heritage River designa-
tion, making it the first international heritage river system in
A Culminating Honor
North America.
I can't think of a nicer way to exercise the ecological aspect of
tikkun olam, repair of the world, than clearing sediment con-
Living History
tamination, improving the quality of a major river and accen-
Meyer Ellias helped design and nurture Trenton. He loved it.
tuating our region's penchant for waterway activities. The
It was his home. The family imprint there runs deep. Marian
planned marina also will help bolster the downtown Trenton
Street is named for a niece, Marian Ellias. Nephew Isadore
economy through increased visitor traffic.
Mulias served six years as mayor. Six Ellias family members
In a June 18 renaming ceremony at Meyer Ellias Park, the
live in Trenton today. Though a Detroiter, Michael Dallen
city of Trenton, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other
sponsors the annual Meyer Ellias Memorial Scholarship to a
partners celebrated the remarkable makeover of the toxic
worthy graduating senior at Trenton High.
2-acre lagoon. Naomi, Phillip, Howard, Stanley and Margaret
"We can't foretell the future but we hope to see Meyer Ellias
Ellias donated the land that became the park in honor of their Park turn into a real gem of a city park;' Dallen said. "We hope
father in 1977, 25 years after he died at age 64.
that the new marina at Ellias Cove will help bring new life to
Meyer Moshe Ellias was born in a shtetl near Kovno,
the area just south of the crumbling McLouth steelworks!'
Lithuania. His parents raised seven kids in the New Palestine
Some talk the talk when it comes to making the world a
Colony, a Jewish agricultural settlement in Bad Axe in
better place. The Meyer Ellias family continues to walk the
Michigan's Thumb.
walk generations later.
Meyer, a former peddler and fur trapper, arrived in Trenton
0 : How important is tikkun olam in your
in 1908. He helped found Mulias & Ellias Department Store,
at Jefferson Avenue and West Road, a block west of the river,
cn • life?
1-- 0
with his sister and brother-in-law, Sadie and Meyer Mulias.
Z z Are you familiar with your family his-
From 1906 through fire, the Great Depression and two world
0 0 tory?
wars, the store served Trenton, Grosse Ile and other downriver
a. CL

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July 5 • 2007

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