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Maybury State Park

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 129.9.75.245 (talk) at 20:54, 3 November 2014 (→History: No citation for August 2014 sale to landfill as stated.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Maybury State Park
Park office, Beck Road entrance
Map showing the location of Maybury State Park
Map showing the location of Maybury State Park
Location within the state of Michigan
LocationLower Peninsula, Wayne County, Michigan USA
Nearest cityNorthville, Michigan
Area944 acres (382 ha)
Established1975
Governing bodyMichigan Department of Natural Resources
www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=469&type=SPRK

Maybury State Park is a state park in Northville Township, Wayne County, Michigan composed of 944 acres (382 ha) of gently rolling terrain, open meadow, and mature forest. The park gives people in the nearby metropolitan area an opportunity to get involved in outdoor recreation activities in a state park setting.

History

Long before the park became a haven for picnickers, the isolated woods and farm fields held more than 40 buildings—infirmaries, houses, children's playgrounds and school—in a quarantined city for thousands of Detroit's highly infectious tuberculosis patients.[1] Wealthy retired real estate tycoon William H. Maybury spearheaded Detroit's construction of the facility so thousands of TB sufferers could be removed from the city, and where the beautiful surroundings might help nurse some back to health.[2] From 1919-69, the site served as a quarantine and recovery center for people suffering from what was called "consumption." Most of the buildings were torn down before the land became Wayne County's first state park in 1975. Many of Maybury's paved walking trails are on former walks and roadways, although just four stone and brick doctors' residences remain, including one that serves as park headquarters.

Facilities

  • Maybury Farm
  • Picnic Area
  • Picnic Shelter - Reservation required
  • Playgrounds
  • Stables

Activities

  • Biking (paved) - 4 miles (6.4 km)
  • Cross Country Skiing - 10 miles (16 km)
  • Equestrian - 11 miles (18 km)
  • Fishing
  • Hiking - 15 miles (24 km)
  • Mountain Biking - 5 miles (8.0 km)

Maybury Farm

In 2003 the DNR asked the Northville Community Foundation to take over the operations of the Maybury Farm, which had been closed in 2002. An agreement was reached and the farm reopened in September 2005.[3] In February 2003, a fire destroyed the main barns, some of the farm's equipment and killed many of the farm's animals. A public fundraaising campaign led to the rebuilding of the farm including moving 125-year-old barns from a nearby town. The reopened farm provides educational programming, sheep shearing, hay rides, corn maze and other public farming demonstrations.

Activities

  • Corn Maze
  • Dairy Days
  • Day Camp
  • Farm Animals
  • Farm Days
  • Garden Clinic
  • Maple Syrup Tours

References

  1. ^ Barbara G. Louie (2001). Northville Michigan. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-2359-0.
  2. ^ Maybury Sanatorium
  3. ^ Maybury Farm Northville Community Foundation
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