Newest Canton Township greenspace honors Indian heritage
Canton Township features a unique tribute to history with the adoption of a new 27-acre park named for the Zheshkwédokan Indian Tribe -which inhabited the area land prior to European settlement.Members of the Canton Board of Trustees accepted the land located on Morton Taylor Road, adjacent to the Lower Rouge River Trail during their regular meeting July 23. The property was donated to the township by Marketplace of America III, LLC. While the land is zoned for residential use, board members plan to use the land to help preserve and expand greenspace in the township.
“We’re so grateful for the generous donation from Marketplace,” said Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak. “Acquiring this land will help foster the board’s goal of establishing a healthy environment by protecting greenspace and expanding natural areas.”
After approving the acquisition, board members approved a resolution establishing the land as the Zheshkwédokan Nature Area, a name recommended by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians Representation Outreach Board members as a way to pay homage to inhabitants of the land prior to European settlement. In addition to naming the land, board members approved the area be preserved under Section 50-3 of the Canton Code of Ordinance, “Open Space and Nature Area Preservation.”
The Zheshkwédokan Nature Area has deep forests and existing trails that connect the Lower Rouge Trail to the ITC Trail. It also serves as a popular hunting ground for morel mushrooms, officials said.
“By preserving the Zheshkwédokan Nature Area, we are charting a new path for Canton,” said Graham-Hudak. “Over the last year, we’ve been able to preserve and protect over 170 acres of land. These natural areas help enhance the quality of life in Canton by protecting wildlife habitats, wetlands and enhancing the rural beauty of the community.”
