Monday, October 26, 1936

HENRY IS REELECTED WITH A UNANIMOUS VOTE

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Very cold. Snowed last

night first of the season.

Helen went to sort apples

but came home again. Apples

are frosted.

Washed - a big one.

Sold to VL Watts

6 1/2 doz. eggs.

Rec'd for last wks. eggs

8 11/12 doz. @ 30¢ - $2.68

Road Comm called up this P.M.

and notified Henry that he was

elected Road Comm for another 6 yrs

^this P.M

with a unanimous vote

Morse took the kids to G.R>

for their music lessons.

Henry gave Hank $1.00 for

his lessons.

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Edna’s journal leads me down a different path of discovery every day. Today it is the transportation history of Michigan.

Yes, you read that right!

THE TRANSPORTATION HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

According to the Kent County Road Commission website the Michigan State Legislature passed the County Road Act in 1909, permitting Michigan counties, by vote of its residents, to create a county road commission.

In 1936, when Henry was re-elected to serve another term as a Kent County Commissioner he was 59 years old. I know that he served as a commissioner for 32 years. I also know he was credited with being a founder of the Kent County Parks system, which was established in 1924. While I am uncertain of when his first term as commissioner began, it was likely prior to 1924. I am going to assume, given his age, that in 1936 he was beginning what would be his final six-year term, which would end in 1942. It’s fair to assume he served from approximately 1910 – 1942.

There is so much we take for granted about road and highway transportation. In 1936, Michigan had only been a state for 99 years. Many roadways were still dirt and expressways did not exist.

Henry and his fellow commissioners (as Edna often notes in her journal) spent time surveying properties, identifying and purchasing right of ways, and meeting with other commissioners from across Michigan. But long before the Kent County Road commissioners began their work, Native Americans created a network of trails that crossed the state. Most of Michigan’s modern-day highways follow those very pathways.

MICHIGAN IS A PIONEER IN TRANSPORTATION FIRSTS

Did you know that Michigan was a pioneer in transportation firsts? We all know that Detroit is recognized as the heart of the American Automotive Industry. But Detroit and the state of Michigan are also responsible for several firsts in highway transportation history including:

• That white stripe down the middle of the road

• The yellow double line warning motorists about limited sight distances

• Concrete roadways

• The world's first four-way traffic signal with red, green and amber lights

• Highway route markers

• The nation's first permanent highway travel information center

Read the entire article about these highway firsts and transportation history in Michigan at michigan.gov.

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I am sure my great grandmother (Edna) would never have imagined that recording a few sentences about her life on a daily basis would generate so much curiosity and learning 84 years later, however; I think she would be quite pleased.