Downtown
Farmington
History in the Making
Founded more than 180 years ago,
Farmington
,
Michigan
has grown up around a
hub of commercial activity along
Grand
River Avenue
, once a primary trail for Native
American tribes that originally inhabited the area.
Arthur
Power, a Quaker and landowner from
Farmington
,
New York
, felled the first tree in the area of 11 Mile
and Power Roads (now
Farmington Hills
)
in 1824. Businesses developed over the next 20 years, including merchant shops,
an undertaker, saw and grist mills, dairies and cheese factories.
Farmington
Township
experienced a period of
tremendous growth from 1850 to 1890. In the 1870s, the central business district
transitioned to the
Grand River
area. The Grace family pioneered
the area, building a dry goods store where the
Korner Barbers now stands at
Farmington
Road
and
Grand River
.
Tragically, a major fire destroyed a number of buildings on
Grand River
in October, 1872. Flames destroyed several
shops, the Masonic Hall, township hall and township records. The township built
a new town hall at
Grand River
and
Farmington Road
in
1876; the Masons leased space in the upper level and still maintain the
building today.
While the fire and subsequent development have destroyed some of
Farmington
’s historic downtown buildings, others remain;
among them, the Village Mall (formerly Farmington State Bank building), the
Cook
Building
and the Peoples State Bank building. This unique blend of timeless architecture
and trendy shops make strolling through downtown
Farmington
a truly enjoyable experience.
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