Northville is a city in

Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...

and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

. The population was 6,119 at the 2020 census. Northville is a suburb of

Metro Detroit The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. State of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and its surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the area, including the ...

and is located about west of the city of

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

and northeast of

Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

. Part of the city is in Oakland County and is surrounded by the city of Novi, while the other part is in Wayne County and is surrounded by Northville Township. Northville is served by Northville Public Schools.

History

Settlement

Northville was first settled by European Americans in 1825, and was incorporated as a Village in 1867. It was not incorporated as a City until 1955. Originally one of two communities within Plymouth Township, Northville Township split off in 1898 to form its own township. The first land patent in the Northville area was granted to Gideon Benton in 1823; the current Cass Benton Park is located here. The first settlers did not arrive, however, until 1825. Many of these first settlers were originally from central and western

New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. sta ...

, with ancestors in New England. Others came from the nearby, already settled Plymouth community to Northville. Among these early settlers were Alanson Aldrich, followed by Alvale Smith, who sold his property to John Miller. Miller built the first mill in Plymouth Township, sometime between 1825 and 1828. Mill Race Historical Village is now preserved at this site. Many employees of the mill began to build their houses near it. Northville was named for its relation north of

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...

. In 1827, Northville was home to a post office, and Gideon Benton was the US postmaster. Also in 1827, J.F. Davis, became the first resident doctor in Northville. A tailor, tavern, shoe shop, and two blacksmiths also started business in the village. Many of Northville's first settlers' surnames became namesakes for contemporary street names today. These include Rufus Thayer Jr. (Thayer Blvd.), Joseph Yerkes (Yerkes St.), Daniel and Samuel Cady (Cady St.), William Dunlap (Dunlap St.), and other settlers. The first church was constructed in 1836 by a Methodist congregation.Louie, Barbara. ''Northville, Michigan'', Arcadia Publishing, 2001.

Victorian era

Northville continued to grow throughout the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwa ...

. This is evident in the architecture around downtown where many homes are in the Queen Anne style. Northville's Victorian heritage is celebrated every September in the Victorian Festival, which was recently rechristened the "Heritage Festival". The first schoolhouse in Northville opened in 1853 and was taught by Jacob Ramsdell. Northville was incorporated as a village in 1867 from a portion of Plymouth Township. By the end of the nineteenth century, it had established a public school system headed by a superintendent.

Village era

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that ...

purchased a factory in Northville and moved machinery from plants in the area to the factory in 1919. Known as the Northville Valve Plant, the plant was rebuilt in 1936, and enlarged in 1956. The plant provided valves for every Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln vehicle, except for the

Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Ed ...

, until closing and being sold in 1981. The building now houses offices and a health club. In 1925, the Penniman-Allen Theater opened downtown and remained open through the mid-70's. The theater eventually closed, but opened again in 1978 as the Marquis Theater and is now home to live children's theater. When Northville was more rural, skiing was popular and tournaments were held often. In 1944, Northville Downs opened as the first nighttime

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Austral ...

track in Michigan. The Downs were built on the site of the former Wayne County Fair, where

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He re ...

trained in 1939 for his World Championship later that year. Northville Downs has been in continuous operation since 1944, and is located at the corner of Center Street and 7 Mile Road.

City era

The city was incorporated in 1955 along the boundaries of the Village of Northville, and grew rapidly during the prolonged period of

white flight White flight or white exodus is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the United States. They refer ...

from the City of Detroit in the middle and late 20th century. The Village of Northville included portions of Novi Township in Oakland County and Northville Township in Wayne County. Over the next several years, the city boundaries expanded through annexation of portions of Novi Township and the Village of Novi both east and west of the city and north of Baseline Road. The city's northern boundary was fixed by the incorporation of the Village of Novi into the City of Novi in 1969. The city has also annexed small portions of Northville Township, the most recent of which was an expansion of the Rural Hill Cemetery. Northville Township's status as a Charter Township generally precludes the City from annexing any significant portion of the Township. The most recent annexation was permitted by the Township in order for the city to expand the city-owned and operated cemetery.

Libraries

In 1889, the Ladies Library Association was organized by Mary Lapham, and had 1,200 books and 150 members by 1892. The library was located in the former Young Men's Hall until 1964, when it moved temporarily to the new City Hall . In 1975, the library moved again temporarily to the Northville Square Mall; in 1980 it returned to City Hall. In 1996, it moved into the newly built Northville District Library.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.97%) is water. The city is divided almost equally between

Oakland County Oakland County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 1,274,395, making it the second-most populous county in Michigan ...

to the north and Wayne County to the south. Eight Mile Road (or Baseline Road) serves as the county line. Of the city's in area and population of 5,970, (51.4%) and 2,739 residences (45.9%) are within Wayne County. Oakland County contains of land (48.6%) and 3,231 residents (54.1%).

Mill Race Village

In 1972, the historic Mill Race Village was opened on the site of John Miller's gristmill, made possible by a donation from

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...

. Historic buildings were colocated here to represent a typical gathering of early buildings and uses. Located on Griswold Avenue, the complex includes the following: *The New School Church, formerly used as the Northville District Library, which is still operating as a church *Wash Oak School, built in 1873 and moved to the village in 1975 *Hunter House, a

Greek Revival architecture The Greek Revival was an architectural style, architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United Sta ...

house built in 1849 *Yerkes House, a

Victorian architecture Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian w ...

house built in 1868 for the wealthy William Yerkes *A Victorian-style gazebo built in 1979 by

Northville High School Northville High School is the public high school of Northville Public Schools located in Northville Charter Township, Michigan, with a Northville postal address. Within Wayne County the school serves most of Northville Township and the county' ...

students *Cottage House, built in 1890s and now used as the base of a weavers' guild *Hirsch Blacksmith Shop, a replica built in 1985. The building is occupied by the village's store *Cady Inn, built in 1832 and documented as a stop on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

for refugee slaves escaping to freedom in Canada. It was moved to the village in 1987. *Interurban Station, built in 1898 and moved to the village in 1990. *A replica general store File:MillRaceVillage1NorthvilleMichigan.jpg, Mill Race Village - Wash Oak School and New School Church File:MillRaceVillage2NorthvilleMichigan.jpg, Mill Race Village - Yerkes House File:MillRaceVillage3NorthvilleMichigan.jpg, Mill Race Village - Blacksmith shop

Events

* Art in the Sun - June - Art fair put on by the Northville Art House * Farmers Market - May to October - Farmers Market held each Thursday at corner of 7 Mile and Sheldon Roads * Northville Grub Crawl - July - Ticketholders are shuttled to various area restaurants for samplings of their offerings * Victorian Festival (renamed '"Heritage Festival"' in 2016) - September - Large event with games, magic shows, music, rides, and art in Downtown Northville where booth operators and parade participants wear traditional Victorian outfits to celebrate the city's heritage, since 1989 * Fire and Ice - January - Chili and Salsa Cookoff as well as Ice Carving in Town Square and the Senior Center * Summer Friday Night Concerts - June to August - Concerts on Friday nights in Town Square, since 1986 * Northville Christmas Parade - Held on a Friday night in November every year

Demographics

In 2007, the median income for a household in the city was $98,054, and the median income for a family was $123,509.). Males had a median income of $75,126 versus $41,343 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $43,454. About 1.0% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 5,970 people, 2,596 households, and 1,643 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 2,767 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 1.6%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population. There were 2,596 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age in the city was 45.3 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 34.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female. As of the

of 2000, there were 6,459 people, 2,720 households, and 1,795 families living in the city. The

was 3,239.1 per square mile (1,253.2/km²). There were 2,801 housing units at an average density of 1,404.7 per square mile (543.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.11%

, 0.39%

, 0.19% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.09%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.59% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.64% of the population. In more detail, 18.7% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 14.1% were of Irish, 12.3% were of Polish, 10.1% were of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, and 7.4% were of Italian ancestry. There were 2,720 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were

living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.97. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

Education

Northville Public Schools is the local school district. Amerman Elementary School and Hillside Middle School are in the Northville city limits. Additionally, portions of Northville are zoned to Moraine Elementary School and Silver Springs Elementary School, both in Northville Township. Additionally some sections of Northville are zoned to Meads Mill Middle School in Northville Township.

in Northville Township is the zoned high school for all of the Northville District. Our Lady of Victory School, a Catholic K-8 school, is in Northville. The church established the school in 1950. The first facility, which opened in 1952, had four rooms. An addition with four classrooms and an office was installed for $85,000 in 1961. An additional two classrooms and a connecting structure to the worship facility were added in 1985. The current 19 classroom facility opened in 2006. the school has over 450 students. Catholic schools are under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit. St. Paul's Lutheran School, a Lutheran K-8 school, is also in Northville. The affiliated church, founded in 1896 by Rev. John J Goulding, had established, dis-established, and then, in 1959, re-established the school. Post-1959 it was initially in a building with two rooms. Its current facility has ten rooms.

Religion

Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church originated when a priest came to give mass on May 25, 1887. The first church site was acquired in 1905, and a frame building occupied the site. The Northville and Plymouth parishes split in 1922. A $226,000 church facility opened in the fall of 1956. In 1961 an addition worth $35,000 was put in the convent. Another rectory was installed in the period from 1967 through 1968. There is also a Methodist Church, two Presbyterian Churches, and many more.

Notable people

* Mike Babcock - head coach of the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...

Mary Barra Mary Teresa Barra (née Makela; born December 24, 1961) is an American businesswoman who has been the chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of General Motors since January 15, 2014. She is the first female CEO of a 'Big Three' automaker. In D ...

- CEO of

General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...

Martha E. Cram Bates M. E. C. Bates (, Cram; August 25, 1839 – March 23, 1905) was the pen name of Martha Elizabeth Cram Bates, an American writer, journalist, and newspaper editor. She was widely known throughout the Grand Traverse region, and throughout the State ...

(1839–1905) - writer, journalist, newspaper editor *

Cooper Barnes ''Henry Danger'' is an American comedy television series created by Dan Schneider and Dana Olsen that aired on Nickelodeon from July 26, 2014 to March 21, 2020. While ''Danger Force'' is developed by Christpher J. nowak based on the characters b ...

- Actor raised in Northville *

Gunnar Birkerts Gunnar Birkerts ( lv, Gunārs Birkerts, January 17, 1925 – August 15, 2017) was a Latvian American architect who, for most of his career, was based in the metropolitan area of Detroit, Michigan. Some of his notable designs include the Corni ...

(1925–2017) - architect *

Dré Bly Donald André Bly (born May 22, 1977) is a former American football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of North Carolina (UNC), and earned All-American ...

- NFL cornerback *

Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selecte ...

- NFL quarterback,

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...

(1863–1947) - founder of

* Jennifer Granholm -

Governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the s ...

, lived in Northville prior to being elected and moving to Lansing. * Mike Henneman - lived in Northville while he was an MLB pitcher for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

in the late 1980s and early 1990s * Calvin Johnson - NFL Wide Receiver,

* Jon Kitna - NFL quarterback *

Nicklas Lidström Erik Nicklas Lidström (; born 28 April 1970) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the ...

- NHL player, who lived in Northville while playing for the Red Wings * Don Massey (1928–2011) - car dealer * Joe Messina - Motown Guitarist, known as part of The Funk Brothers (1928-2022) *

Ronna Romney McDaniel Ronna McDaniel (' Romney; born March 20, 1973) is an American politician and political strategist serving as chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) since 2017. A member of the Republican Party and the Romney family, she was chair of the ...

- Chair of the

Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in ...

* Daniel Milstein - CEO of Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group *

Jack Roush Jack Roush (born Jackson Earnest Roush on April 19, 1942) is the founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is chairman of Roush Enterprises. Roush Enterprises is the ...

- CEO of Roush Industries,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

team owner *

Larry Santos Larry Santos (born June 2, 1941, in Oneonta, New York) is an American pop music singer-songwriter. Santos wrote songs for several American pop bands in the 1960s, including the 1963 hit " Candy Girl" for The Four Seasons which reached number 3 on ...

- Singer, Actor and Composer *

Scot Shields Robert Scot Shields (born July 22, 1975) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played his entire baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was the last member of the Anaheim ...

- MLB pitcher *

Drew Stanton Drew may refer to: __NOTOC__ Places ;In the United States * Drew, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Drew, Mississippi, a city * Drew, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Drew, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Drew County, Arkansas ...

- NFL quarterback *

Pete Stoyanovich Peter Stoyanovich (born April 28, 1967) is an American football placekicker of Macedonian descent. His father Mijalce and his mother Slobodanka are from Ljubojno, North Macedonia. He played with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and briefly ...

- NFL kicker,

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

* Amy Yakima - Winner of " So You Think You Can Dance" Season 10 * Greg Zuerlein - professional figure skater

References

External links

*
City of NorthvilleNorthville Chamber of CommerceNorthville District Library
{{Authority control Cities in Wayne County, Michigan Cities in Oakland County, Michigan Metro Detroit Populated places established in 1825 1825 establishments in Michigan Territory Populated places on the Underground Railroad