The area
that is now
Livonia
was originally inhabited by Potowatami Indians. Rich soil and abundant harvests had first attracted pioneers
from New England and
New York
to this area. They brought with them a new way of life and perhaps the
very name "
Livonia
" - the name of a
town in
New York State
,
Pennsylvania
State
and a region of the Baltic Sea comprising present day
Estonia
and
Latvia
.
By March 17, 1835, when an act of
territorial legislature set the boundaries of
Livonia
Township
,
a forested wilderness had become an area of prosperous dairy farms and fruit
orchards.
For the first 100 years, Livonians raised sheep and dairy cattle and grew
vegetables and grain. Growth was slow. But gradually, over the
years, dirt trails became roads and ten hard-surfaced highways.
In the late 1940's, the area took
its first dramatic step from agriculture to commerce and industry. In
1948, the General Motors Corporation built an automatic transmission plant,
soon to be followed by a Ford Motor Company parts depot.
In 1949, the Michigan Racing
Association built a thoroughbred an harness race track at a cost of 5 million
dollars. In order for the entire area of the
Township
of
Livonia
to benefit from racetrack revenues, it became necessary to incorporate.
In 1950, the residents of
Livonia
Township
voted to become a City.
On May 23, 1950, the entire Township was incorporated into the City of
Livonia
.
Livonia
has grown from a
population of 17,000 in 1950 to over 100,000 in 1998.
The City of
Livonia
has held on to much of its heritage
through historic preservation, and the acquisition and development of over
1800 acres of park land and open space.
Greenmead
Historical
Village
is a 103-acre farm/museum of
Livonia
's
history at the southwest corner of Eight Mile and Newburgh Roads.
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