The farm at 8861 Dixon Road was originally owned by William Carl Heiden (right) and in 1960, he sold it to his youngest son, William Frank Heiden (right below). The farm property was predominately on the south side of Dixon Road but it also included the land on the north side extending to the River Raisin.

Sometime around 1930, Wm Carl began selling three lots on the north side of the road. They extended from the road to the river and were about 3 or 4 acres in size. As shown on the graphic, they consisted of one purchased and built upon in the early 1950s by Paul Goetz on the west end of the group. The middle lot was sold to Walter Grams who was the teacher at nearby Bridge School in the 1930s. It became 8864 Dixon Road. Lot 3 was sold to William's son, Leo Heiden also in the 30s. According to Wm Frank Heiden, they sold for $1,500 each.

Leo (left) never built on Lot 3. He eventually sold it and bought a house at 7758 South Custer Road. He and Lucille did, however, live on a small house at the Wakefield Farm next door. This is where their first child, Mary Lou was born.

Eventually, Jerry and Annabel Feeback from Toledo purchased that lot and constructed a small weekend retreat back away from the road. Later, in the 1960s their daughter built the house that sits near the road.

The middle property, 8864 Dixon Road was the rental home of Ervin and Helen Heiden and their children, Bonnie and Allen for a while after Walter Grams left. It was purchased by Wm Carl's son, Arthur in the late 1950s. His last child, daughter Gail, was born while the family was living in that house in 1958.

William Frank Heiden (right) was living in the farm at 8420 Dixon Road at that time. In 1960, he purchased the home farm at 8861 Dixon and moved into the west side of the house. Arthur and his family then moved to work the farm at 8420 Dixon. Art moved back to 8864 after his retirement in the late 60s.

In recent decades, the area marked "Field" has also been developed into at least two additional houses. None of the area north of Dixon Road is used for agriculture anymore.

Sometimes when I look at the movement of Heidens up and down and around Dixon Road, it makes me dizzy.
 

The river was named "Riviere aux Raisin" by the French-Canadian people that first settled in Monroe County. They called it the River Raisin because of the wild grapes growing along its banks. This led to the naming of Raisinville Township and the community of Grape. Also many of the farms along the river are long and narrow so that each farm has access to the banks of the river in the French tradition.