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Bloomfield Blossoms: p. 022-023

Smith, Kay, 1925-

Bloomfield Township Public Library

Benedict Farm (Bloomfield Township, Mich.)

Bloomfield Township (Mich.)

Fish, Elijah S.

GB01a013

part of 'Bloomfield Blossoms' by Kay Smith

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THE EARLIEST BLOOMFIELD HOUSE STILL IN EXISTENCE This is our Bicentennial year. It's acceptable this year to take a great interest in all our heritage, and in our old houses. Carry on a love affair with one if you want to. This rosy brick house may well be the oldest brick building still standing in the State of Michigan. The brick houses and businesses of old Detroit are long gone, but this relic of our pioneer past is visible to anyone traveling on Woodward Avenue as it stands on the east side between Lone Pine and Long Lake Roads. For years it's been called simply 'The Benedict Farm' as the Benedict family owned and occupied it for almost a century. Previous to that, Deacon Elijah S. Fish was the pioneer settler of the land, having erected the log house which is now a portion of the back of the house in 1819. The brick part was built in 1836. Probably, since the bricks are small, they came from the brickworks William Morris started across the road. The first white child born in Bloomfield was the Fishes' daughter, who lived to be eight years old. Deacon Fish held the first Presbyterian Church services on his land and worked indefatigably for the church all his life. He planted the first grove of maple trees in the Township. He was also active as an abolitionist. The reminiscences of Fannie Fish, the Deacon's daughter, are not only charming, they light up portions of the old pages of our history as no other chronicles have done. Through Fannie's eyes we see the joys and terrors, the worries, sorrows, drudgeries and festivities of pioneer life. Later we'll read her description of life in the log house.