Local History
Hello and welcome to a summary of the local history. This page will tell people of
Dearborn and from around the world about Dearborn, MI
or "The Hometown of Henry Ford" as it is often called. This city has many great things
to offer including a diverse community, Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and
the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters. We hope you will find this page to be
interesting and informative. Welcome to Dearborn!
Information gathered from the "Guide 2002" of the Press & Guide Newspapers.
Information condensed.
Abstract information about Dearborn, Wayne County, and Michigan
Dearborn
Area: 24.5 square miles
Neighbors: Allen Park, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, and Melvindale
Population: 97,775 (2000 census), 11th in state
Population Density: 3,991 people per square mile
First Settled: 1786
City Incorporated: 1929 (Current City)
City Motto: Be nice to people
City Flower: Petunia
City Colors: Maize and Blue
Mean Elevation: 620 feet above sea level
Highest Point: 626.06 feet above sea level at Ford Road and Telegraph
Geographic Position: 42 degrees, 18 minutes, 20 seconds N.
latitude, 83 degrees, 10 minutes, 0 seconds W. longitude
Named For: Major Gen. Henry Dearborn
Wayne County
History: The county was created in 1796. It initially covered 2 million square
miles, including much of Michigan, northern Indiana, northern Ohio and small parts
of Illinois and Wisconsin.
Area: 615 square miles
Neighbors: Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties and the Detroit
River
Population: 2,061,162 (2000 census)
Population Density: 3,351 people per square mile
County Motto: We're building a world-class county
Named for: General "Mad" Anthony Wayne
Largest Communities: Detroit, 951,270; Livonia, 100,545; Dearborn 97,270; Westland,
86,602; Canton Township, 76,366; Taylor, 65,868; Dearborn Heights, 58,264; Garden
City, 30,047; Southgate, 30,136; Wyandotte, 28,006; Allen Park, 29,376; Inkster, 30,115
(2000 Census)
Geographic Location: North of the 42 degrees N.
latitude paralellel, intersected in eastern corner by 38 degrees W.
longitude paral.
State of Michigan
Area: 58,527 square miles
Neighbors: Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ontario
Population: 9,938,444 (2000 Census) (8th in US)
Population Density: 175 people per square mile
State Motto: Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (If you seek a pleasant
peninsula, look about you)
State Nicknames: Wolverine State, Great Lakes State, Winter Wonderland
State Song: "Michigan, My Michigan"
State Flower: Apple blossom
State Bird: Robin
State Tree: White Pine
State Gem: Isle Royale greenstone (chlorastrolite)
State Stone: Petosky stone
State Soil: Kalkaska soil series
State Fish: Brook Trout
State Reptile: Painted Turtle
State Game Mammal: Whitetailed deer
Capital: Lansing
Settled: 1668
Admitted to the Union: Jan. 26, 1837 (26th state admitted)
Name Origin: Chippewa (Ojibwa) words "mici gama," meaning "great water" or
"large lake," for lake of same name
Geographic Center: Wexford, five miles NNW of
Cadillac
Number of Counties: 83
Number of Electoral Votes: 18
Highest Point: Mount Avron, Baraga County, 1,979 feet above sea level
Lowest Point: Lake Erie, Monroe County, 571 feet above sea level
Dearborn Dateline History
1603: French lay claim to unidentified territory in this region, naming it
new France.
July 24, 1701: Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his soldiers first land at
what is now Detroit
November 29, 1760: British take control of this area from France
1780: Pierre Dumais clears farm near what is today's Morningside Street in
Dearborn's South End. First non-Native American activity in present-day Dearborn.
1783: United States annexes British territory around the Great Lakes and southward.
1786: Agreed year of first permanent settler in present-day Dearborn
1787: Territory of the US north and west of the Ohio River is officially proclaimed
the Horthwest Territory
December 26, 1791: Detroit environs become part of Kent County in Upper Canada
(Onario)
1795: James Cissne becomes first settler in what is now west Dearborn
1796: Wayne County is formed. Original area is 2 million square miles, stretching
from Cleveland to Chicago and Northwest to Canada
May 7, 1800: Indiana Territory, which includes part of Michigan, including
th Dearborn area, created out of part of Northwest Territory
January 11, 1805: Michigan Territory officially created out of a part of the
Indiana Territory
June 11, 1805: Fire destroys most of Detroit
1812: Wayne County formally established by proclamation of governor of Northwest
Territory
November 15, 1815: Current boundaries of Wayne County drawn, county split into
18 townships.
January 5, 1818: Springwells Township established by Gov.
Lewis Cass
October 23, 1824: Bucklin Township created by Gov.
Lewis Cass. The area ran from Greenfield to approximately Haggerty and from Van Born
to Eight Mile.
1826: Conrad Ten Eyck builds Ten Eyck Tavern at Michigan Avenue and Rouge River
1827: Wayne County's boundaries changed to its current 615 square miles
April 12, 1827: Springwells and Bucklin townships formally organized and laid
out by gubernatorial act
October 29, 1829: Bucklin Township split along what is today Inkster Road into
Nankin (west half) and Pekin (east half) townships
March 21, 1833: Pekin Township renamed Redford Township
March 31, 1833: Greenfield Township created from north and west sections of
Sprinwells Township, including what is now today east Dearborn.
April 1, 1833: Dearborn Township created from southern half of Redford Township
south of Bonaparte Avenue (Joy Road)
1833-39: Detroit Arsenal built
October 23, 1834: Dearborn Township renamed Bucklin Township. Name returns
to Dearborn Township March 26, 1836
January 26, 1837: Michigan admitted to the Union as the 26th state. Steven
Thomas Mason is first governor.
1837: Michigan Central Railroad extended through Springwells Township. Hamlet
of Springwells rises along railroad
April 5, 1838: Village of Dearbornville incorporates. Village unincorporated
May 11, 1846
1849: Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Brooklyn Street.
April 2, 1850: Greenfield Township annexes another section of Springwells Township
February 12, 1857:Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Grand Boulevard
March 25, 1873: Springwells Township annexes back section of Greenfield Township
south of Tireman
May 28, 1875: Postmaster general changes name of Dearbornville post office
to Dearborn post office, hence changing the citys name
1875: Detroit Aresenal closed
1875: Detroit annexes another section of Springwells Twonship
1876: William A. Nowlin writes :"The Bark Covered House" in honor of country's
100th birthday
June 20, 1884: Detroit annexes Springwells Townshp east of Livernois
1889: First telephone installed in Dearborn at St. Joseph's retreat
March 24, 1893: Village of Dearborn incorporates
1906: Detroit annexes another section of Springwells Township
1916: Detroit annexes more of Springwells Township, forming Dearborn's eastern
boundary
1917: Rouge "Eagle" plant opens
November 1, 1919: The first house numbering ordinance in Dearborn starts. Residents
required to place standard plate number on right side of the main house entrance five
feet up.
December 9, 1919: Springwells Township incorporates as village of Springwells
October 16, 1922: Springwells Twonship annexes small section of Dearborn Township
east of present-day Greenfield Road
December 27, 1923: Voters approve incorporation of Springwells as a city. It
officially became a city April 7, 1924
September 9, 1924: Village of Warrendale incorporates
November 1924: Ford Airport opens.
April 6, 1925: Warrnedale voters and residents of remaining Greenfield Township
approve annexation by Detroit.
May 26, 1925: Village of Dearborn annexes large portion of Dearborn Township
December 23, 1925: Springwells changes name to city of Fordson
February 15, 1926: First U.S. airmail delivery made, going from Ford Airport
in Dearborn to Cleveland
September 14, 1926: Election approves incorporation of village of Inkster.
Unincorporated part of Dearborn Township splir into two unconnected sections
October 11, 1926: Only dirigible to moor in Dearborn docks at Ford Airport
February 14, 1927: Village of Deaqborn residents approve vote to become a city
June 12, 1928: Voters in Dearborn, Fordson and part of Dearborn Township vote
to consolidate into one city
January 9, 1929: Clyde Ford elected as first mayor of "new" Dearborn
1929: Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village opens
July 1, 1931: Dearborn Inn opens as one of first airport hotels in world
1936: John Carey becomes mayor of Dearborn
June 19, 1936: Montgomery Wards opens in Dearborn
May 26, 1937: Henry Bennett's Ford "service" men beat UAW official Richard
Frankensteen in the Battle of the Overpass
June 21, 1941: Ford Motoe Company signs its first union contract
January 6, 1942: Orville L. Hubbard takes office as mayor of Dearborn for first
time
April 7, 1947: Henry Ford dies
October 20, 1947: Dearborn City Council OK's purchase of land near Milford
for what would become Camp Dearborn. First section of camp opens following year
October 21, 1947: Ford Airport officially closes
1950: First pleasant Hours senior citizen group formed
1950: Dearborn Historical Museum formally established
January 1952: Oakwood Hospital formally opened and dedicated
April 22, 1958: Election held to annex part of South Dearborn Township to Dearborn.
Proposal fails.
April 6, 1959: Election held to annex part of North Dearborn Township to Dearborn.
Proposal fails.
1962: St. Joseph's retreat closed and razed
1962: New Henry Ford Community College campus dedicated.
November 9, 1962: Ford Rotunda burns down
1967: Dearbon Towers in Clearwater, FL opens.
March 2, 1976: Fairlane Town Center opens.
1978: John O' Reilleybecomes mayor of Dearborn
November 6, 1981: Cable Television reaches first home in Dearborn. First home
is on Abbot Street.
December 16, 1982: Orville hubbard dies
1986: Michael Guido becomes mayor of Dearborn
1993: Michael Guido first mayor to run unopposed