The History of Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill is a community in Canton Township, Michigan. It has no legally
defined boundaries or population stats, but it’s generally cantered along Ridge
Road and Cherry Hill. The town was so named after the many cherry trees that
were found in abundance at the top of the hill in the 1820s. The town is mainly
a residential historic district, and in 2003, was listed on the register of Historic
Places.
Early Settlement of Cherry Hill - Canton
The Cherry Hill area was originally inhabited by Lenni-Lenape Native
Americans who peacefully co-existed with English settlers. Most of the
settlements in Cherry Hill happened around 1825. The town was originally
referred to as the Ridge owing to its location on the ridge along the ancient lake.
Ridge Town soon changed its name to Cherry Hill.
Some of the most popular landmarks here include Hitchcock's inn, which was
later used as a general store before changing to a social center. The Ypsi
Creamery was located in Cherry Hill, later changed to Detroit Creamy/Wilson
Dairy which operated until the mid-1900s. Cherry Hill retained its historical
relevance up to the 1960s, acting as a relevant social and commercial hub.
Cherry Hill Development
The small hamlet of Cherry Hill, having been established over 150 years ago in
Southeastern Michigan, had undergone a massive transformation. For the last
nearly half-century, most of the basic elements in this area have remained
unchanged, even as development crept into the village.
In 1998, Canton Township adopted a Master Plan for the area which was meant
to maintain and respect the past historical era. Baltimore recognized that the
Cherry Hill village offered a rather unique opportunity to develop historic
character, thanks to its rapid growth.
The challenge now was to integrate significantly new development without
interfering with the historic fabric. The development of the village was in such a
way that developers could contribute to the evolution of its history and realize
the vision established by the Township, while still being able to meet future
desires for shopping, recreation, schools, etc.
The Cherry Hill Village Concept Plan was designed using traditional
neighborhood design principles with a focus on the pedestrian streetscape.
Some of the elements incorporated include creating usable public spaces,
mixing uses within the village center, emphasizing front porches, etc. Some of
the most popular traditional architecture emphasized here include Tudor, Greek
Revival, Victorian, English Colonial, Italianate and American Farmhouse styles
The development plan started in 1998, with the Township’s Master Plan for the
area. Within approximately one year, the Cherry Hill Village Concept Plan
received all Planned Development approvals. The first construction phase
commenced in 2000 targeting 750 houses, a town center, and parks. As earlier
mentioned, most of the development plans emphasized traditional architecture
There was a public-private effort established which made the planning of
Cherry Hill village expeditious, compared to other projects in Michigan. Phases
One and Two land development were completed within time and Phase Three
began construction in the spring of 2003. The Cherry Hill Village Concept Plan
and planning process provides a successful framework for both community and
regional planning in fast-developing communities located on the metropolitan
fringe.
Some of the most remarkable buildings and landmarks in Cherry Hill include
the Gothic Revival Cherry Hill United Methodist Church, Cherry Hill Art Center, Cherry Hill House,
Cherry Hill School, Thomas and Isabella Moore Clyde House, Thomas, and
Maria Blackman Bartlett House, and several historic farmhouses.
Today, white picket fences, sprawling parks blanketed with emerald green
grass, and early 20th Century-era houses painted in practically every eye-
grabbing hue in the color spectrum, are the hallmark of Cherry Hill’s Modern
development.
While the visuals are uplifting, it's the neighborhood's small-townish human
interactions that have defined a two-decades bond between its original residents
and their beloved living space. Like most Canton villages, you can effortlessly
access any essential home improvement and maintenance services here
including home painting, garage repairs, Carpet Cleaning, Air Duct Cleaning,
and much more.