By Derek Smith
In case you do not follow the website’s historical section, here is some trivia about the “hood.”
- There was a petition presented to the Mayor and City Commission of Port Huron on June 7th, 1937, from Sherman Woods residents arguing against the building of a street along the lake from Ballantine to Holland Ave. It was stated in the petition that the proposed road would provide no advantage to anyone and that it would interrupt the quiet and natural beauty of the woods and the lake. It would also destroy many trees and result in a traffic situation that would “destroy the quiet” and bring constant danger to the many and small children whose parents have sought here safety and a natural environment. A street in this location would not allow any non-residents to use the beach, which is all “privately-owned” If you walk the Conger sidewalk, there is a city-owned easement that would have accommodated a street way back then.
- Some of the signers of the petition were by Dr. and Mrs. James Atkinson, who lived at 507 Edison Blvd, Mr. and Mrs. Carl H Sturman of 323. Edison, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Miller at 315 Edison, Dr. and Mrs. C E Hanson of 605 Edison, Mr. and Mrs. Rich of 576 La Salle Blvd.
- Sherman Woods has quite a connection to the Port Huron Mayor’s office. Fred J Kemp the grandfather of our esteemed association president was Mayor of Port Huron from 1930-1933. Fred’s father, Jack K Kemp was Major of Port Huron from 1963-1965, and Fred’s mother Charlotte M. Kemp was Mayor of Port Huron from 1979-1983.
- Frederic J Dixon, one of the two founders and an original owner of Sherman Woods, was Mayor of Port Huron in 1918. John L Black defeated him in November of that year.
- The first meetings to establish a permanent Sherman Woods Association were held in early August 1940 and the first board meeting held August 20th, 1940.
- A picnic for all residents took place on July 1st, 1944, on beach frontage in front of the Partridge residence. It was planned and managed by the Public Relations Committee, attended by about 100 people, and deemed a success!
- “Board agendas” from the Aug 27th meeting in 1943 included: cleaning and brushing up vacant lots near streets and sidewalks, efforts to eliminate poison ivy from the woods, cleaning up and leveling the parking area next to the tennis court, cleaning up beach frontage of weeds and providing boundary signs with speed limit postings.
- On May 7, 1947 the association reported a cash balance of $343.74.
- At the meeting of Oct 18, 1947, the association secretary was asked to write a request to the Mayor and City Commissioners of Port Huron to turn on all additional lights where there are standards and to install other lights on Armor and Conger Streets between Edison and La Salle.
- At the March 30th meeting 1948, it was decided the “Annual Picnic” would be Saturday, June 26th. One hundred forty people, including many children, attended the picnic. Hot dogs and buns were the main course.
