330 
PARK AND CEyAETERY. 
Belle Isle Park, Detroit, nich. 
The park and 
boulevard system 
ofDetroit, Mich., 
has been receiv- 
ing considerable 
intelligent atten- 
tion the past few 
years, and besid- 
es the mainten- 
ance of its four 
large parks and 
squares, with the 
very many i m- 
provements constantly being carried out, the boule- 
vards now in course of completion form a prominent 
feature of the system. In order to harmonize with 
the advanced views on boulevard improvement, a 
leading eastern landscape architect was engaged 
to prepare plans and advise on the new portion of 
the work, a course which will undoubtly result in a 
harmonious and effective design which will grow in 
beauty as time passes along, and serve to prove 
the wisdom of submitting to the highest authorities 
landscape work of a permanent character. 
The community has been very fortunate in hav- 
ing public spirited citizens to whom is due con- 
siderable park 
area, having per- 
manently inter- 
esting features; 
and besides, De- 
troit has occupi- 
ed a prominent 
position in the 
history of the 
country center- 
ing about revolut- 
ionary days, and 
the subsequent 
troublesome times of the war with England in 1812. 
The gem among the city’s parks is unquestion- 
ably the one situated in the river, of wonderful com- 
merce, that flows past her doors, called Belle Isle, 
of which is herewith given a map and several 
views. 
This beautiful island, containing some 700 acres, 
was originally called by the Indians Mah-nah-be- 
zee, or the Swan; while the French gave it the 
name of Isle St. Clair, from its position at. the en- 
trance to Lake St. Clair. It was so infested with 
rattlesnakes at an early day, that the English com- 
missary department, both for convenience and 
to rid the place of these reptiles, placed a drove of 
hogs on the Island, which increasing so much led 
the French to call it Isle au Cochon, or Hog Island. 
CASINO LOOKING EASTERLY. 
LOOKING DOWN CENTRAL AVE., 
FROM CASINO. 
This name it retained until at a picnic party on 
July 4, 1 845, it was named Belle Isle in honor of the 
ladies present. Reverting to its history, it appears 
that both under French and English control it was 
considered as belonging to the Fort at Detroit and 
during the revolution, prisoners were employed here 
cutting wood. The date of the first individual title 
to the island is 1769, when Lieut. McDougall 
bought it of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians, bought 
for eight barrels of rum, three rolls of tobacco, 
six pounds of Vermillion and a belt of wampum, 
supposed to represent $1,000. From his heirs it 
passed by sale to Wm. McComb, to whom title 
was confirmed by the United States in 1809. In 
1817 it was sold to B. Campau, a well known name 
in Detroit, for 
$5000, and in 
1879, one hund- 
red and ten years 
from the date of 
its first sale it was 
sold to the city of 
Detroit for $ 200 ,- 
000. 
The island has 
always been a 
beautiful spot, 
even in the wildness and comparative solitude ot 
its early days; but when it was acquired by the city 
for park purposes, a plan of improvement was pre- 
pared by Frederick Law Olmsted and carried out 
under his direction. Thus its natural beauties were 
developed and emphasized, and the island supplied 
with the necessaries of the public park. Since its 
acquisition there has been expended up to 1895, 
^L3oO)Ooo, which includes first cost, improvement 
and maintenance. 
The map shows the salient features of the island 
as a park, but it cannot show the varied beauties 
or the impressions created by such diversity of 
n- 1 , ■ 
A WATER SCAPE. 
wood and water; the white capped river with its 
ceaseless commerce moving swiftly by, the still lake 
and silent streamlet, the solitary woods and the 
broad meadow,- — enchanting vistas or wider views, 
each and all pre- 
senting pictures 
of endless charm 
as sunshine and 
shadow succeed 
each other. Add 
to all this the ar- 
ti s t i c arrange- 
ment of land- 
scape effects as 
designed by a 
LOOP CANAL, LOOKING NORTHERLY master hand, to- 
