Shelby Township is a growing and diverse community, but you can find reminders of its humble and storied history throughout the community.

An 1822 farmhouse, the township's oldest remaining structure, stands proudly amidst its newest homes. One of the nation's most ambitious canal projects, the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal, runs through the township. An 1871 schoolhouse, the Andrews School Museum, provides a unique learning experience for residents of all ages. Shelby Township was surveyed and opened for general land sales in 1818. A township government was organized in 1827. The settlement of Disco at the crossroads of 24 Mile Road and Van Dyke Ave. began in the 1830s and was an active community. The 1928 Packard Proving Grounds complex, an engineering marvel, graces Van Dyke Ave.

Historic preservation is about enjoyment, education and economic advantage. When we know our history, we understand ourselves and our community. History provides us with shared values, enables us to plan intelligently and enriches our lives. We owe it to future generations to preserve the evidence of our past.

The Shelby Township Historical Committee's mission is to document Shelby Township's history and organize and preserve historical artifacts and personal recollections. The Historical Committee welcomes residents and nonresidents interested in local history or have information to share. Donations and loans to our historical archives are accepted. Contact the committee before donating.

Shelby Township's historical timeline

Shelby Township's early history dates back to prehistoric times when giant creatures roamed its grassy plains. This is evidenced by the bones of Mastodons (a large elephant like animal) discovered on the farm of P.K. Leech (Auburn & Ryan) in the mid 1800's. Flint arrows, stone implements, and fragments of ancient pottery have also been found in various places in the township. An ancient beach ridge east of Van Dyke Ave. runs through the township, forming the western edge of a lake that once covered a large portion of Macomb County.

Continue reading Shelby Township's historical timeline here

Find "Images of America: Shelby Township" at the Shelby Township Library

Shelby Township on the Underground Railroad

One mile northwest of Utica, just off River Bends Drive, one can still see slabs of pitted concrete above the thick brush in River Bends Park in Shelby Township.

The slabs are remnants of Spring Hill Farm, a 19th-century refuge for freedom-seeking African Americans flight to Canada. As part of the Underground Railroad, Spring Hill Farm was one stop of many on a route for freedom seekers away from slaveholders to Canada.

Continue reading Shelby Township's history on the Underground Railroad here

Click to view photos from the dedication of Utica Community Schools' Beacon Tree Elementary

Shelby Township's local history

From the lost villages of Disco and Prestonville to a township named for a hero of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 from Kentucky, Shelby Township's local history is full of twists and turns that got us to where we are today. Resources compiled by the Historical Committee include census data, narratives from former residents and artifacts housed at the Andrews Schoolhouse Museum.

If you have comments or questions on the committee or local history, contact the committee at shelbytwphistory@gmail.com or call the Township Clerk's Office 586-731-5102.

Continue reading about Shelby Township's namesake former Kentucky Gov. Isaac Shelby

Continue reading about Shelby Township's historical structures on the municipal campus

Continue reading about Shelby Township's historical lost villages

Continue reading the Shelby Township historical account of the Conner family

Continue reading about Shelby Township's historical cemeteries

Continue reading about Shelby Township's historic Utica D-06 Nike Missile Site

Continue reading about the settlement Shelby Township's neighbor, the City of Utica

Shelby Township's transportation history

Whether it was the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal or the interchange between the M-53 and M-59 expressways, Shelby Township has been on the map throughout its history.

From early settler’s passing through the region on deer trails to the growing little town known as Disco getting a direct link to Detroit with its stop on the Detroit Interurban Railway, residents have always found a way there and back again.

Continue reading Shelby Township's history on the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal here.

Continue reading Shelby Township's railroad and roadway history here.

Continue reading Shelby Township's Packard Proving Grounds history here.

Continue reading Shelby Township welcome for Col. Charles Lindbergh here.

Shelby Township's recreation history

Whether its a trip down the Clinton River or a stroll through our 1,100 acres of parks, it's hard not to enjoy your time in Shelby Township. These natural amenities are why outdoor recreation has been a part of our local history such as the historical private river parks to Joe Louis Spring Hill Farm owned by the all-time great boxer at the site of today's River Bends Park.

Continue reading about Shelby Township's historical Joe Louis' Spring Hill Farm

Continue reading about Shelby Township's Anna Wilcox and Harold Warnes Memorial Nature Sanctuary

Continue reading about Shelby Township's Holland Ponds Park history

Continue reading about Shelby Township's historical Clinton River parks