This post inaugurates a new occasional series for Remembering Rochester, entitled "Subdivision Stories." Each post in this series will look at the history of a subdivision in Rochester or Rochester Hills (the former Township of Avon), and will provide information about the farm from which the subdivision was developed, and the names of owners and developers. When available, information about street names or interesting stories related to the neighborhood will also be provided.
Today's post looks at the Golden Hills subdivision in Rochester Hills. Golden Hills lies in section 15 of Rochester Hills, and is situated north of Harding Road and east of Livernois Road. Lots in Golden Hills were first offered in a public sale held on October 2, 1926, on behalf of Misses Grace and May Currey. The women were the surviving daughters of Daniel R. Currey (1838-1921) and his wife Mary Ellen Currey (1843-1921), who had owned the 77-acre parcel comprising the east half of the northwest quarter of section 15, abutting the western boundary of the village of Rochester. According to newspaper advertisements for the sale, lots could be secured for two dollars down and one dollar per week payments, with sale prices starting at $195. Twenty-eight lots were sold on the first day they were offered.
The Rochester Clarion reported that the streets in the new subdivision would be named for members of the Currey family. The original street names were Currey (for Daniel R. Currey), Mary Ellen (for his wife), Grace and May for his daughters, and Burgoyne Boulevard (for Burgoyne Jones, the father of Mary Ellen Currey). However, the name of Currey Road was later changed to Curzon, and Grace Road was changed to Utah, probably to avoid confusion with the Grace Avenue that was platted in 1941 in the Homestead Acres subdivision in section 33 of the township.
The map shown here is the original subdivision plat approved for Golden Hills, and carries the original street names. (Click on the map for enlarged detail).
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