Elmwood Historic Cemetery Site of the Battle of Bloody Run
Saturday was off to a great start when the Believe It Tour crew had a history discussion over morning coffee before heading off for a day of adventure.
Detroit is a city filled with rich history. Many people unfamiliar with the area only think of the automobile industry, which was certainly an important part of the city’s history and current day identity. However, Detroit’s history is a rich one that stretches back to early American Indian days.
One of the spots of particular interest to us was the Elmwood Historic Cemetery. A section of the cemetery was actually the site of a brutal battle on July 31, 1763, which took place during the French and Indian War. Under Captain Dalyell’s command, the British were viciously defeated by a confederacy of various Indian tribes led by Chief Pontiac. The battle took place at Parent’s Creek, which supposedly ran red with British blood. The creek was renamed Bloody Run and the military forever became known as the Battle of Bloody Run. Today, a section of the original creek can be seen running through the Elmwood Historic Cemetery.
Now this is where another Detroit legend has a deep connection with the battle of Bloody Run and that’s the legend of Nain Rogue. This is Detroit’s famous red dwarf, which has been a part of Detroit history for over 300 years ago when the city was founded. Nain Rogue is considered a portent of catastrophic events for the city as it’s usually seen just before something disastrous occurs. For example, the Nain Rogue was seen by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac shortly before he lost his fortune and was ruined and the creature was also seen the day before the Battle of Bloody Run in 1763.
I’ll leave you with that teaser about Nain Rogue as we’ll be exploring him more the last day of our Michigan adventure. Stay tuned for more.