Melvindale was once the bottom of the old Lake Maumee, which extended up the Huron Valley to Ann Arbor. The waters of Lake Maumee gradually retreated into the present Lake Erie leaving a fertile low area, which is drained by the River Rouge.

Some of the early settlers this area claimed included Hubert Champaign, Edward Pepper, and Lewis Allen - - the latter in whose honor Allen Park was named. Lewis Allen was five years old when his father, Thomas Allen, brought the family to Detroit. This was in the year 1819. The Allens originally came from New York State, and the elder Allen was born in the midst of the stirring days of the Revolutionary War. All characteristics that make for success in a new frontier community were found in the Allen family. Though a lawyer by profession, Lewis Allen was a land owner and engaged in the lumbering business. Private Claim 661 (which contained 276 ½ acres) was one of his holdings. A part of this land is what we now call Melvindale. The Allen country homestead was located at the intersections of South Dearborn and Allen Road. He personally blazed a trail from his home on South Dearborn Road to Pepper Road (what we now call Outer Drive), so that in the winter time he might have lumber hauled to his mill. His mill was located on the banks of the Rouge River, just below the present Detroit, Toledo and Ironton railroad bridge. This trail was known as Allen’s Road and ran from South Dearborn to Pepper Road. Pepper Road has been changed to Outer Drive, but Allen Road still holds its name.

Melvindale began as privately owned estates and small farms under the jurisdiction of Ecorse Township. Then in 1924, a real estate company, Palmer & Flint, started buying up the farms and created a subdivision. Due to the increase in population, the people decided to incorporate into a village. In order to incorporate as a village, Palmer and Flint called a meeting at the Dubkie home on Outer Drive; there were thirty or thirty-five people present. They met to prevent Lincoln Park from annexing Melvindale; this was the purpose Melvindale was formed. Frank Fennelson lived on Stanley Avenue, and at this meeting he was chosen to write down the minutes, so he became the Secretary. Arthur Culleton was elected as the first village President. Village meetings were held in a store. When the village charter was drawn up, there arose a question of what to call the new village. Mrs. Flint, the only woman at the meeting, wanted it named after her grandfather, Melvin Wilkerson. The men granted her wish and called the village Melvindale. ( Prior to this it was called Oakwood Heights). The charter was approved by the Charter Commission on August 21, 1924, signed by Governor Alexander J. Groesbeck on August 26, 1924, and Melvindale became a village on September 9, 1924.

Even though we were a village, we were still under the jurisdiction and supervision of the township, (Ecorse) so in 1933 the voters approved a city charter, and on February 6, 1933 Melvindale became a city and ended its status as a village. The population was 4,053. At that time, there was no mayor; instead a president governed the community. Frank Fennelson first held this office. Other officials at that time were Sylvester Mabie, Clerk, and Chief of Police and Fire, William Meisner.

In the Melvindale Public Library is this valuable letter dated March 6, 1955 from Mrs. Alberta Reed Palmer and is one of the documented highlights of our history:

“My husband, the late Ervin R. Palmer, attorney and judge of the Probate Court, his life-long friend and registrar of the court, Albert Wilkerson Flint, and Mr. Flint’s uncle, Melvin Wilkerson, bought several acres of farm lands from Herman Dubkie, who lived at the corner of Allen Road and Oakwood. They platted the places and built several small homes on the smaller piece of land across the road and also were instrumental in having Oakwood Blvd. paved to Dearborn.

“Before all the lots were sold, Mr. Wilkerson died, and when they were ready to name the subdivision, my husband suggested that they honor his uncle, hence “Melvindale.” Then came the time to name the streets; so, in return, Mr. Flint suggested our children’s names, Ruth and Reed. But there were three streets and only two children; so, Mr. Flint said, “Why not name the third Prospect?” A friend who owned the subdivision next to Melvindale named two streets Flint and Palmer in honor of the two who started Melvindale.

Anton Kaier owned all the land now known as the Kaier Sub. It was surrounded by Schaefer Road, the Wabash Railroad and Dix Toledo Road. The Kaier Elementary School (now torn down) stood in this location. Two of the streets in the Kaier Sub were named after two sisters, Dora and Flora, who were large land owners of the early twenties.

The McGinty or Oakwood Heights #1 Subdivision was 80 acres of land bordering on Gough, Coleman, Allen and Robert. Mr. McGinty did so well that he bought up the land north of Oakwood to the River Rouge, (west of Allen Rd.) and sub-divided it in 1926; this was called Oakwood Heights #2.

The first twenty-five years were the hardest for Melvindale, which accumulated a municipal debt of more than two million during the depression years. When the Ford Motor Company moved from Highland Park to Fordson on the River Rouge in Dearborn, a need arose for homes in the area for employees. Melvindale was ideally located near the plant. Real estate dealers and farmers were involved in great exchanges of land ranging from $500 to $4,000 dollars an acre. Melvindale voters went into debt to pave their streets, put in sidewalks, lights and sewers; this was a gamble to lure Ford employees; however, the depression years followed and there were many “improved” lots that were left to weed. To retire this staggering debt, Melvindale property owners paid an extra $10 of assessed valuation in special taxes starting in 1936. The debt was paid off in 1959, and Melvindale lost its embarrassing position at the top of the Wayne County tax rate ladder.

The only historical marker in Melvindale is an 8 foot monument that is a marker for a tombstone for a family plot. It is located at the end of Wall Street and the New York Central Railroad siding on old Reeves’ farm that a man named Eichold later rented. This marker dates back to 1837.