Greenmead Historical Park, also known as Greenmead Farms, is a historic park located at 38125 Base Line Rd., Livonia, Michigan. It includes the 1841 Greek Revival Simmons House, six other structures contributing to the historic nature of the property, and additional buildings moved from other locations. Greenmead Farms was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971 and listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1972.

History

In 1825, twenty-three-year-old Joshua Simmons, along with his wife Hannah, moved from

Bristol, New York Bristol is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 2,298 at the 2020 census. Bristol was named after Bristol County, Massachusetts, by settlers from New England. The town of Bristol is in the western half of the coun ...

to a parcel of land in what is now Livonia. Simmons named his farm "Meadow Brook," and built a small log cabin on the property in 1826. In 1841, he hired Sergium Lyon to build the Greek Revival farmhouse that still stands on the property. Simmons continued to farm, adding buildings as needed and acquiring additional property to become the wealthiest landholder in Livonia by the time of his death in 1882. The Simmons family stayed on the farm until 1915. In 1920, the farm was purchased by Sherwin and Jean Boyd Hill, who renamed it "Greenmead." Hill raised dairy cattle at the farm until his death in 1961. The farm was placed on the

in 1972, and the city of Livonia purchased in 1976 for use as a park, and moved other historic structures, including a number of pre-

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

houses, onto the grounds. As of 2010, the property is open to the public.

Description of the original farm complex

The 1841 farmhouse is a two-story,

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an 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 States and Canada, but a ...

frame house with side

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

s and

clapboard Clapboard (), also called bevel siding, lap siding, and weatherboard, with regional variation in the definition of these terms, is wooden siding of a building in the form of horizontal boards, often overlapping. ''Clapboard'' in modern Americ ...

siding, sitting on a stone foundation. Drip molding surmounts the windows, and Ionic

pilaster In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wal ...

s flank the front door. The interior has five fireplaces, and period 19th-century woodwork. In addition to the house, nine of the original eleven outbuildings are still standing. These include the 1829 North Barn (the first barn built in Livonia), the farmhand's house (believed to be the original Simmons cabin), an additional barn and a greenhouse.

Other structures moved to Greenmead

Four additional structures built in the mid-19th century, collectively known as "the village," are located on the Greenmead grounds: The eastern part of the park features seven more historic buildings, restored to the appearance they had in the 1915-1920 timeframe. This cluster of buildings mimics the actual intersection of Ann Arbor Trail and Newburgh Roads in Livonia. The seven buildings are:

References

External links

Greenmead Historical Park
- official site from the city of Livonia {{National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Protected areas of Wayne County, Michigan Museums in Wayne County, Michigan Open-air museums in Michigan Historic house museums in Michigan Farm museums in Michigan Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Houses completed in 1841 Michigan State Historic Sites Houses in Wayne County, Michigan National Register of Historic Places in Wayne County, Michigan