Kensington, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kensington, Michigan
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Unincorporated community and former village
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 Kensington, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Townships | Lyon |
| Settled | 1831 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48178 (South Lyon)
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| Area code(s) | 248 |
| FIPS code | 26-84240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627218 |
Kensington was once a small community in Oakland County, Michigan. It was known as an unincorporated community, meaning it didn't have its own local government like a city or village. It was also a former village, which means it used to be a small town with its own government.
The community was first settled in 1831. However, it started to shrink when new railroads changed how people traveled and moved goods. Later, in the 1950s, the building of a major highway called I-96 and the creation of Kensington Metropark caused the community to disappear almost entirely.
Contents
History of Kensington
Kensington was settled in 1831 by early pioneers. It was officially "platted" in 1836. This means its streets and building lots were mapped out.
Early Days and Post Office
On June 9, 1834, a U.S. Post Office opened in the area. It was first called Lyon. This post office was located on Kent Lake Road, between Grand River Avenue and Silver Lake Road. On September 5, 1836, the Lyon Post Office changed its name to Kensington.
By 1854, Kensington had grown to more than 300 residents. It was a busy little village.
Impact of Railroads
The community faced challenges when new transportation routes were built. In 1871, the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad was constructed. This railroad took traffic away from Kensington. It made the nearby town of South Lyon a more important stop.
Kensington's population continued to drop. This was made worse by the building of the Michigan Air Line Railroad in 1882. This new railroad went through New Hudson instead of Kensington. Because of these changes, fewer people came through Kensington.
Decline and Disappearance
The Kensington Post Office closed its doors on July 31, 1902. By 1905, only four families were left living in the village.
Most of Kensington's buildings were torn down in the 1950s. This happened to make way for the construction of Kensington Metropark and the new I-96 highway. The highway was known as US-16 at that time. These projects led to the complete disappearance of the old Kensington community.
