If you want to walk the path of Jackson ancestors, cross Jackson Street and Michigan Avenue. The intersection marks the convergence of two former Indian trails and the village town square.



The Sarah Prudden Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution marked the spot June 16, 1917, with a 4-foot-by 6-foot granite stone. The marker was presented to the city as part of a project to designate local historic sites.



When Horace Blackman left Ann Arbor in 1829 seeking a location for a new settlement, he followed the most traveled path, called the St. Joseph Indian Trail. The footway ran through lower Michigan in an east-west direction. Another Indian path moved north-south and crossed the other trail in the area near the current Blackman Park.



Blackman wasn't impressed with the swampy surroundings, but realized the crossroad was a good location for trade. Blackman built a cabin nearby along the Grand River near the current Trail Street bridge. He staked a claim and returned that winter with his family.



After resolving a claim conflict with some settlers from Ann Arbor, Blackman moved his proposed town square south a short distance.



The following year, 18 families joined him in the new village of Jacksonburg, named after President Andrew Jackson.



The local DAR chapter and its sister groups had a mission in the early 1900s: to preserve and maintain historic sites. The former village town square became its point of interest.



Chairman Ethel B. Smith organized a committee on markers and planned an unveiling ceremony. More than 200 people attended the Thursday afternoon event.



Nellie C. Weeks gave a speech about the first settlers and explained the layout of the original town square. Only the northwest corner, Blackman Park, was still public land. The other quadrants had been sold to businesses for development.



Rosman Withington, granddaughter of W.H. Withington, unveiled the marker. Mayor William "Cap" Sparks accepted the gift on behalf of the city.



The Boos Band played an array of national songs, followed by salutes and the Pledge of Allegiance.



The marker lay flush on the sidewalk for decades. It was removed and stored for a number of years during a 1990s city streetscape project.



In 2007, it was placed on the southwest corner of the park's lawn, close to its original position.