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The city of Detroit began building its water system as early as 1836, with the construction of a waterworks at the foot
of Orleans. The prosperity of the city in the time after the Civil War allowed Detroit to develop a municipal
water system, using water from the Detroit River. In 1868, the city began developing Waterworks Park,
on Jefferson Avenue near at the foot of Cadillac Boulevard. The main function of the site was to provide water to
the municipal system, but it was also intended to use the grounds to be used as a public park. By 1879,
the pumping station was completed, and by 1900, the 110-acre park had become the second most-used park in
the city.
Chauncey Hurlbut (1803–1885) was born in Oneida, New York, and moved to Detroit in 1825.
He worked as a saddler and harnessmaker for a few years, then went into the grocery business with his
brother-in-law. In 1837, Hurlbut bought out the grocery store, and continued in the trade until his death.
Hurlbut was also heavily involved in public service, serving on the board of the fire department, as a city
alderman, as a directior of the Detroit Board of Trade, and as a sewer commissioner.
Hurlbut also served on the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners from 1861-1863, and again from 1868 to 1885.
He was president of the commission from 1871 onward, when he presided over the original acquisition of property
for and planning of Waterworks Park.
When Chauncey Hurlbut died in 1885, he willed the bulk of his fortune, some $250,000,[2] to beautify Waterworks Park. The architectural philosophies of the era called for construction of monumental gates at the entrances to public places, to symbolically separate the park from the hustle and filth of the city. Part of Hurlbut's fortune was used to construct just such a gate.
Herman A. Brede and Gustave Mueller were chosen to design this gate[3] at a cost of $30,000. The structure is a three tiered triumphal arch, 132 feet in length, 40 feet in depth, and over 50 feet high, built from limestone. It is decorated with carved garlands, water fonts and roundels, and an American eagle with outstretched wings tops the entire structure. Two stairways lead to a terrace twelve feet abocve the ground.
The gate originally had a statue of Chauncey Hurlbut inside the center dome, and an ornamental iron gate for vehicle entry, but both are now gone. The gate was substantially restored in 2007, with damaged limestone repaired or replaced, a stairway reconfiguration, repair of the eagle sculpture, and repair and replacement of light fixtures
The 72 acre plot of ground on Jefferson Avenue, owned by the city and partially occupied by its water works pumping station has been made one of Detroit's beauty spots. The water supply is pumped through a long tunnel from Lake St. Claire to the distributing point. The park is remarkable for its big floral clock and the memorial at the entrance, in honor of the late Chauncey Hurlbert, for many years, one of the city's water commissioners and president of the board.
Information from Wikipedia
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Chauncey Hurlbut was born in the state of New York in 1803. He left Boonville, New York, where his father lived, at
the age of 15 and learned the trade of a harness maker. He moved to Detroit, Mich., and was one of the firm of Dean &
Hurlbut saddle and harness makers; he afterward left and went into the wholesale grocery business, which he continued many
years until the near close of his life. He ws a public spirited, and useful and greatly respected citizen.
The name of his wife was Philinda Root. He left a large estate. Hurlbut died in Detroit, 9 Sept. 1885.
Mrs. Hurlbut remarried about a year after her husband's death. No children.
(Hurlbut Geneology, By Henry Higgins Hurlbut, Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers 1888. Page 230)
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Chauncy Hurlbut died peaceably at his residence, No. 661 Jefferson avenu e, at 5 o'clock P. M., September 9, 1885. He was born in 1803, in New Yor k, and came to Detroit in 1825 with Cullen Brown, worked at his trade o f harness maker for a few years, and then formed the copartnership of Dea n & Hurlbut. The firm had carried on the saddlery and harness trade for t hree years when Mr. Hurlbut left it to go into the grocery business wit h his brother-in-law, Alexander McArthur. The firm had an existence of bu t a few years, Mr. McArthur leaving the city for Corunna. In 1837 Mr. Hur lbut built the store at No. 50 Woodward avenue, where he engaged in the g eneral grocery trade up to a short time before his death. His public serv ices began in 1840, when he served a term as alderman of the second ward , and again in 1841. In 1857 he was appointed sewer commissioner, an offi ce to which he was reappointed in 1859. In 1861 he was appointed to the b oard of water commissioners in place of John V. Reuhle, who entered the a rmy, and was reappointed to this board in 1868, at the expiration of th e term of S. G. Wight. He had been attached to the water board ever since , and was its president when he died.
In 1837 he was elected foreman of engine No. 1 of the old fire departmen t, was appointed chief engineer of the department by the council in 1837 , and again in 1842. He was always an active member of the Detroit mechan ics' society, and was its president in 1835. When the merchants' exchang e and board of trade was formed, at a meeting over which C. C. Trowbridg e presided, he was chosen one of the directors with John Owen and B. L. W ebb. In 1863 he assisted in organizing the Second National bank, and wa s a member of the board of directors continuously from its organization . He leaves a wife, whom he married in 1831, and a brother, Francis Hurlb ut, who resides in Booneville, N.Y. He had no children.
The following letter, which is characteristic of the man, is preserved i n Farmer's History of Detroit:
Michigan Historical Society Records, Vol. 9
Son of Treat Hurlbut and Lovina Freeman
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THE WILL IS CONTESTED
Chauncey Hurlbut, an old citizen and pioneer merchant of this city, died on Sept. 9, 1855, leaving property estimated at $250,000. He had no children, but left by mill $5,000 to certain relatives, $50,000 to the Detroit Water Board, of which he had long been president, the income of which ws to be used in beautifying the grounds surrounding the engine and pumping houses; and the income of the remainder of his estate was to go to his wife. There was then added this ambiguous provision: " And generally my will is that whatever surplus there may be of my estate, after paying all said legacies and said moneys reserved, the same shall be invested and the proceeds to be used in the same manner," Trustees were named, who proceeded to take possession of the estate and the will was duly probated.
Mrs. Hurlbut died a year later, and the Trustees proceeded to close up the estate, claiming that the residue, now reported at $213,000, would go to the Water Board under the will, the income to be devoted to the purposes named by Mr. Hurlbut.
But now appear in the United States Circuit Court Andrew Hurlbut, Henry Hurlbut, Henry J. Hurlbut, Chauncey Hurlbut, Alma S. Drake, Mary L. Lewis, and Adeline B. Lewis, all of New York City, relatives of Mr. Hurlbut and file a bill making the trustees under the will, the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners and Adeline H. Scoville and Francis Hurlbut, defendants. The two last-named defendants are beneficiaries under the will, but were unwilling to enter the contest, and so were made nominal defendants. The bill generally alleges that the Board of Water Commissioners have no power under their act of incorporation to receive this large sum of money and expend it for the purpose named, and that if they had, to do so would be the grossest extravagance and wasteful expenditure of money. The complainants futher claim that the trust apparently contemplated by the will is vague, identiinite and uncertain, and is without authority of law and void, and that the Trustees must account to the heirs at law. The complainants hav esecured strong counsel, and the adjudication of the muddled instrument will be watched with interest.
The New York Times Published March 10, 1887
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