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Northville, Michigan
City
City of Northville
East Main Street
East Main Street
Motto(s): 
Historically Distinctive
Location within Oakland County (top) and Wayne County (bottom)
Location within Oakland County (top) and Wayne County (bottom)
Northville, Michigan is located in Michigan
Northville, Michigan
Northville, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Northville, Michigan is located in the United States
Northville, Michigan
Northville, Michigan
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Michigan
Counties Oakland and Wayne
Settled 1825
Incorporated 1867 (village)
1955 (city)
Government
 • Type Mayor–council
Area
 • City 2.06 sq mi (5.32 km2)
 • Land 2.04 sq mi (5.28 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
830 ft (253 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City 6,119
 • Density 3,000.98/sq mi (1,158.62/km2)
 • Metro
4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
48167, 48168
Area code(s) 248 and 947
FIPS code 26-58980
GNIS feature ID 0633707

Northville is a city in Michigan, located in both Wayne and Oakland counties. It's a western suburb of Detroit, about 27 miles (43 km) northwest of downtown Detroit. It's also about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Ann Arbor. In 2020, Northville had a population of 6,119 people. The city is completely surrounded by Northville Township to the south and Novi to the north.

Northville's History

Early Settlement

Pic-Community-History-NortheastMain-Northville
A view of the northeast side of Main Street, showing a frame building built in 1830 by John Miller

Northville was first settled by European Americans in 1825. It became a village in 1867 and then a city in 1955. The first land grant in the area was given to Gideon Benton in 1823. However, the first settlers arrived in 1825. Many of them came from New York State or from the nearby Plymouth community.

One early settler, John Miller, built the first mill in the area between 1825 and 1828. Today, the Mill Race Historical Village is located at this historic site. Many mill workers built their homes nearby. Northville got its name because it was located north of Plymouth.

By 1827, Northville had a post office and its first doctor, J.F. Davis. Other businesses like a tailor, a tavern, a shoe shop, and blacksmiths also opened. Many of the early settlers' names are now street names in Northville. For example, Rufus Thayer Jr. (Thayer Blvd.) and Joseph Yerkes (Yerkes St.). The first church was built in 1836 by a Methodist group.

The Victorian Era

Northville continued to grow during the Victorian era. You can see this in the downtown area, where many homes are built in the beautiful Queen Anne style. Northville celebrates its Victorian past every September with the "Heritage Festival." This event used to be called the "Victorian Festival."

The first schoolhouse in Northville opened in 1853. By the end of the 1800s, Northville had a public school system with a superintendent.

Village Growth and Changes

Henry Ford bought a factory in Northville in 1919. This factory, called the Northville Valve Plant, made valves for Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln cars. It closed in 1981 and is now used for offices and a health club.

In 1925, the Penniman-Allen Theater opened downtown. It closed in the mid-1970s but reopened as the Marquis Theater in 1978. Today, it hosts live children's theater.

When Northville was more rural, skiing was a popular sport. In 1944, Northville Downs opened as Michigan's first nighttime harness racing track. It was built where the Wayne County Fair used to be. Famous boxer Joe Louis even trained there in 1939. Northville Downs operated continuously until 2024.

Becoming a City

Northville downtown
Downtown Northville

Northville officially became a city in 1955. It grew quickly as people moved from the City of Detroit in the mid-to-late 20th century. The city's boundaries expanded over the years by adding parts of nearby townships. The city's northern boundary was set when Novi became a city in 1969. Northville has also added small parts of Northville Township, mostly to expand its city-owned cemetery.

Northville Libraries

In 1889, the Ladies Library Association was started by Mary Lapham. By 1892, it had 1,200 books. The library moved several times before settling into the newly built Northville District Library in 1996.

Northville's Geography

Northville covers about 2.06 square miles (5.32 sq km). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

The city is split almost equally between Oakland County to the north and Wayne County to the south. Eight Mile Road (also called Baseline Road) is the county line. About half of Northville's area and population are in Wayne County, and the other half are in Oakland County.

Mill Race Village

In 1972, the historic Mill Race Village opened. It's located where John Miller's first gristmill once stood. This was made possible by a donation from Ford Motor Company. The village brings together several historic buildings to show what an early settlement might have looked like. It's located on Griswold Avenue and includes:

  • The New School Church, which used to be the Northville District Library. It still operates as a church today.
  • Wash Oak School, built in 1873. It was moved to the village in 1975.
  • Hunter House, a Greek Revival architecture house built in 1849.
  • Yerkes House, a Victorian architecture house built in 1868 for William Yerkes.
  • A Victorian-style gazebo built in 1979 by Northville High School students.
  • Cottage House, built in the 1890s. It's now used by a weavers' guild.
  • Hirsch Blacksmith Shop, a replica built in 1985. This building now houses the village's store.
  • Cady Inn, built in 1832. This building was a stop on the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom in Canada. It was moved to the village in 1987.
  • Interurban Station, built in 1898. It was moved to the village in 1990.
  • A replica general store.
  • MillRaceVillage1NorthvilleMichigan

    Mill Race Village - Wash Oak School and New School Church

  • MillRaceVillage2NorthvilleMichigan

    Mill Race Village - Yerkes House

  • MillRaceVillage3NorthvilleMichigan

    Mill Race Village - Blacksmith shop

Fun Events in Northville

Northville summer fri conc
Summer Friday Night Concerts in Town Square

Northville hosts many fun events throughout the year:

  • Art in the Sun - An art fair held in June by the Northville Art House.
  • Farmers Market - Runs from May through October every Thursday.
  • Northville Grub Crawl - In July, people can ride shuttles to different restaurants to try their food.
  • Heritage Festival - Held in September, this big event celebrates the city's Victorian history. It includes games, magic shows, music, rides, and art. People often wear traditional Victorian outfits.
  • Summer Friday Night Concerts - Free concerts held in Town Square on Friday nights from June to August.
  • Holiday Lighted Parade - A festive parade held on a Friday night in November each year.

Northville's Population

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 620 —
1870 626 1.0%
1880 934 49.2%
1890 1,573 68.4%
1900 1,755 11.6%
1910 1,665 −5.1%
1920 1,738 4.4%
1930 2,566 47.6%
1940 3,032 18.2%
1950 3,240 6.9%
1960 3,967 22.4%
1970 5,400 36.1%
1980 5,698 5.5%
1990 6,226 9.3%
2000 6,459 3.7%
2010 5,970 −7.6%
2020 6,119 2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population in 2010

NorthvilleMichiganDowntown3
Downtown Northville

In 2010, Northville had 5,970 people living in 2,596 households. About 27.7% of households had children under 18. Most households (53.8%) were married couples. The average household had 2.29 people.

The average age in Northville in 2010 was 45.3 years. About 22% of residents were under 18, and 16.1% were 65 or older. The population was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

Most of the people in Northville (93.7%) were White. There were also smaller percentages of African American (1.6%), Asian (2.6%), and other races. About 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Schools in Northville

Northville Public Schools is the main school district. Amerman Elementary School and Hillside Middle School are located within the city limits. Other schools like Moraine Elementary, Silver Springs Elementary, and Meads Mill Middle School are in nearby Northville Township. All students in the Northville District attend Northville High School in Northville Township.

Our Lady of Victory School is a Catholic school for grades K-8 in Northville. It opened in 1952 and has grown over the years. As of 2020, it has over 450 students.

St. Paul's Lutheran School is another K-8 school in Northville. It was re-established in 1959 and now has ten classrooms.

Places of Worship

Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church started holding mass in Northville in 1887. The first church building was acquired in 1905. A new church facility opened in 1956. Other churches in Northville include First United Methodist Church, St. Paul Lutheran Church, First Baptist Church, and First Presbyterian Church.

Famous People from Northville

Many notable people have lived in or are connected to Northville:

See also

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