The
Sterling Heights Public Library and the Sterling Heights Historical
Commission proudly announce the publication of Sterling Township: 1875-1968.
The book is available for $19.99 at area bookstores,
independent retailers, on-line bookstores, and through the publisher,
Arcadia Publishing.The book contains more than 150 photographs from the
library’s archives. Librarian Debra Vercellone chose the photographs used in
the book and wrote the captions. Historical Commissioner Wallace Doebler
helped authenticate the photos and wrote the book’s introduction.
Sterling Township, located about 18 miles northeast of Detroit, was first
settled after the Erie Canal was opened. The rich soil, relatively flat
land, and the vital Clinton River attracted pioneer and immigrant families
who arrived to establish farmsteads. The first influx of immigrants came
mainly from the British Isles, and by the 1870s, German families had flocked
to the area, raising dairy cattle and establishing farms. Belgians, arriving
in the early 1900s, developed truck farming - growing fruits and vegetables
to sell every week at the farmers’ market in Detroit.
Farm culture prevailed until the 1950s, when large industrial plants
began moving in, bringing with them workers and a need for housing and city
services. Sterling Township became the city of Sterling Heights in 1968, and
this collection of photographs showcases the families and the way of life in
the early days of this community, a historic community that is now the
fourth largest city in Michigan.
Collaborator Debra Vercellone is a librarian and local history authority
for the Sterling Heights Public Library. A lifelong resident of the Sterling
Heights area, she has had a keen interest in local history since childhood,
when her father pointed out an abandoned one-room schoolhouse. She has
degrees in history and in library science from the University of Michigan.
Wallace Doebler’s family has deep roots in Sterling Township. Doebler has
been very active in civic and business affairs, serving on the Sterling
Heights Historical Commission for many years. He has written three books on
local history that are available in the library.
