JACKSON – Municipal officials have confirmed that Jackson has closed on a $600,000 purchase of 34 acres at 120 Cassville Road that was previously connected to the historic Rova Farms in the Cassville section of Jackson.
Rova Farms dates to the early 20th century when the first wave of Russian immigrants purchased 1,400 acres in 1934. The Russian Consolidated Aid Society of America paid $50,000 for the land and the money was collected from thousands of Russians who were coming to America, according to a Washington Post article published Feb. 6, 1977.
Two Russian Orthodox churches were built and children were taught to speak Russian as the immigrants sought to keep the culture of their homeland alive. Those associated with Rova Farms were working class individuals, primarily craftsmen and laborers, according to the article.
Township Council President Robert Nixon said, “The acquisition of Rova Farms is significant for many reasons. Not only does it preserve a treasured piece of the history of Jackson, but purchasing Rova Farms for open space ensures we have protected the land from over-development in the future. Jackson residents will be able to enjoy Rova Farms as an outdoor recreation area for generations to come.”
The property was purchased from PCII REO LLC. According to a resolution, the property is primarily vacant and environmentally constrained. A significant portion of the parcel is in a recreational open space zone. Officials said the property was acquired for open space purposes.
In other municipal news, council members appointed Joseph Sullivan as a regular member of the Jackson Zoning Board of Adjustment from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023.
And, council members appointed Denis Weigert to the Alternate 1 position on the zoning board from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021.
Alternate members attend meetings and hear cases with regular members of the zoning board. An alternate member may vote on an application if there are not enough regular members to decide a case.