Pleasant Walks and Drives About Ann Arbor
Train Station image from Sidney Dean
Townley Photograph Album, 1896-8.
Drive "A" or the Boulevard
This, in the main, is Cedar Bend Avenue, now called the Boulevard. This is a favorite drive and walk for students and young people during the spring and fall. The Boulevard proper, extending from the north river road to Broadway, is only about three-quarters of a mile in length, and it seems rather pretentious to call it a Boulevard, still it makes up in beauty for what it lacks in extent. The entire walk or drive starting from the University is about three miles. The usual route taken is down State street to Fuller street, near the M.C. passenger depot, then east on Fuller street until it crosses the M.O.R.R., then on east across the Huron river, on the north river bridge, turn to the left and you pass up a genuine mountain road built very much like the mountain roads in Switzerland, going a few rods to the right, then turning a few rods to left and so on, making the turns gradually rising as you go. The hills rise very abruptly here from the river, the highest point being somewhere near two hundred feet above the river. The road bends around the ravines and the views the entire length of this road are very beautiful and impressive. Almost every rod of the road presents some new scenery and some features of interest and beauty. There is an island in the river near the Boulevard known as Picnic Island which adds much to the beauty of the river and the scenery upon this drive. It is well to stop on the bend just before reaching Judge Kinne's cottage and take a view of the ravine and the river, the city and the country scenery beyond. It is also well to stop on the high ground just at the last bend before reaching Broadway. This high ground and bend in the road is located just a few rods from the bridge over the ravine. This view of the Huron valley, Picnic Island, the University hospitals and north portion of the city and a large portion of the country west and northwest, including the Huron valley, is very fine indeed. you will return to the city, of course, by Broadway through the north side of our city and can return by any of the main streets after crossing the Michigan Central railroad bridge. As many as nine hundred have been counted passing over this boulevard on a beautiful spring or fall day. It is a favorite walk and drive for the students in our community as well as the citizens, and the city ought to own the land between the Boulevard and the river, including the island and the property of John F. Lawrence and B.S. Sudworth, between Fuller street and the north river road to the river. This would make one of the finest parks in this country, and it would in the end pay the city to purchase and improve these lands for this purpose. We are much indebted to Hon. Charles H. Manly, a one-armed soldier of the Civil War, Earl Ware, S. D. Lennon and S.W. Beakes, who was mayor of Ann Arbor at the time, for inducing the city to make this beautiful drive.