History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

lake, which was used largely for picnic purposes. In I874 he placed a
small steamer, the "Little Dick," on the lake, and excursions were run to
this park and many other islands of the lake. The same year a party of
speculators purchased one of the finest of these islands and formed themselves into what is known as the Orion Park Association. A bridge connecting the island with the mainland, a large reception hall with an observatory, a wharf and boathouse for "Little Dick," and other improvements
and attractions were inaugurated and completed, which gave the Lake
Orion region quite a wide reputation among the really popular summer
resorts of southern Michigan. In I899 the Lake Orion Assembly Resort
was organized, which practically purchased all the lake front. The company erected fine buildings, hotels and boathouses, and for ten years
operated a Chautauqua on quite an extensive scale. In I9IO the Lake
Orion Summer Homes Company succeeded by purchase to the assets of
the Assembly Resort. Twenty-one islands controlled by the management of the resort give ample assurance of seclusion and privacy to those
who wish to go into retreat in vacation days, rather than mingle with
the crowds of enthusiastic pleasure seekers, and cottages are for hire on
all these little beauty spots for those who are not attracted by hotel life.
Many of the homes are owned by regular summer visitors, and the Lake
Orion Summer Homes Company has done much for the upbuilding of
the place through its plan of building homes to suit the owner. Lake
Orion offers many natural advantages which alone would make it a most
pleasant summering spot, and the extensive improvements wrought
by the company which controls the amusement project have well completed what nature had so fairly begun.
Northeast of the Lake Orion region in Addison township is also
Lakeville lake, with Leonard as the nearest village in this developing
section of summer resorts. Deer lake in Independence township and
almost in Clarkson village has lately sprung into considerable notice, while
Mace Day lake and Windiate park, in Waterford township, have been for
years the resting places of numerous resorters.
SUMMER RESORT FEA\TURES
Most of the beautiful lakes of Oakland county are readily accessible
by means of either the Detroit United Electric Railway or the Grand
Trunk lines. The country roads are, as a rule, well built and kept in
good repair, and, in all seasonable weather, automobilists are much in
evidence. The season of the summer resorters in Oakland county commences early and lasts well into October, which makes both summer
homes and hotels profitable. This fact ensures reasonable rents and
steady income. While there are no mammoth hotels, such as are found
at short-season resorts, there is an abundance of fair-sized hostelries and
comfortable boarding houses.
Reference has been made to Oakland county as a favorite of the automobilist, on account of its good roads. He himself should be given full
credit for bringing about this improvement over the old order. And he
has been given his due, as witness the following from a metropolitan
sheet: "The advent of the automobile has tended greatly to spread the