Farmington, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Farmington is a city in Oakland County
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is a northern suburb
of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit
area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills
, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia
to the south. Since 2009, the city's downtown has been the center of an extensive renovation and remodeling featuring a refacing or rebuilding of many buildings on Grand River Avenue, as well as brick paver sidewalks, the Farmington Pavilion, new lighting, and landscaping. The area is known for its historic downtown, elegant Victorian-style homes, and one of Michigan's top rated public school systems, Farmington Public Schools
. In 2007, CNNMoney.com listed Farmington as number 55 in their Best Places to Live survey.
, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7 km²), all land.
of 2010, there were 10,372 people, 4,624 households, and 2,735 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,899.2 per square mile (1,505.5/km²). There were 4,959 housing units at an average density of 1,869.6 per square mile (721.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.5% White, 11.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 13.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races
, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 4,624 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $56,442, and the median income for a family was $67,407. Males had a median income of $54,780 versus $39,435 for females (2000 Census). The per capita income
for the city was $36,281. About 2.6% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
consisting of a mayor
and four council members. The city council appoints a city manager
, who manages the day-to-day operations of the city.
Farmington is surrounded by the city of Farmington Hills
. The cities combine to form a district represented in Michigan's state government. Farmington is part of State Senate District 14, represented since 2009 by Democrat Vincent Gregory
.
The Mayor of Farmington is Tom Buck. Buck was elected, by the council, to this position in November 2009.
In December 2006 a public meeting was held in Farmington Hills to review a sustainability study, which was undertaken by this neighboring city. One of several recommendations of the study was to investigate the possibility of merging with the City of Farmington. This has been an ongoing discussion for years but public awareness was heightened during this session. Farmington and Farmington Hills already share several services, such as a library and a district court.
, which also serve Farmington Hills, as well as local parochial and private schools in the area.
and the Detroit Free Press
, regional newspapers serving all of southeast Michigan, the city is served by two community newspapers. The Farmington Observer is published twice a week, on Sunday and Thursday. The Farmington Press is published weekly. The Oakland Press
covers all of Oakland County.
Downtown Farmington has over 160 businesses that include large national retailers and small boutiques. The Farmington Civic Theatre
shows family-priced movies. Downtown Farmington's Sundquist Pavilion and Riley Park host the Saturday Farmers Market, Rhythmz in Riley Park, a free Friday summer concert series and other activities.
National retailers in Downtown Farmington include Dress Barn, DOTS, H&R Block, CVS Pharmacy, Edible Arrangements, Goodyear, Firestone, Starbucks, Merle Norman and TJ Maxx.
Local restaurants include Luigi’s Tratoria, Bellacino's, Korea House, Page’s Food & Spirits, Green Olives, Dagwood’s Deli, Cedar, Basement Burger Bar, John Cowley & Sons, Dimitri's, Thai Kitchen and Burger King.
The Farmington Plaza is located at the corner of Grand River and Mooney, with anchor tenants ACO Hardware and Big Lots. Other retail and commercial tenants include Framery One, Domino’s Pizza and The Crossing Church.
The Winery Building is located on the south side of Grand River Avenue just west of Orchard Lake Road and houses most notably the "Haunted Winery" during the Halloween season. Community Living Centers which raises funds for the independent living of disabled adults is located in the northeast corner of the building.
The Drakeshire Plaza is located on Grand River Avenue, just east of Drake Road. In June 2007, the Drakeshire Plaza was approved by the City of Farmington for a substantial redevelopment of the center, with the primary tenant to be Walgreens Pharmacy. Existing retail and restaurant tenants in the center include Subway, Plato’s Coney Island and Suraj Indian Grocery.
The Halsted Grand Shopping Center is named after its two crossroads. Commercial and restaurant tenants include The Tile Shop, Diamond Boutique, Lin’s Kitchen, Yesterday’s Coney Island and Gift of India Grocery. K-Mart, a former anchor, closed in 2009.
Orchard Ten Plaza is a shopping center located at the southwest corner of Orchard Lake and Ten Mile roads. This neighborhood center has the following retail and restaurant establishments: Mrs. Maddox’s Cake Shop, Ramario’s Coney Island, Orchard Ten Foods, and a number of salons and boutiques.
The World Wide Center has a number of small ethnic businesses which include House of Lee Chinese Restaurant, NAM STE Indian Grocery, Bangkok Kitchen Thai Restaurant, and China Merchandise. Other retail businesses include Capitol Cigar, Harvey Electronics, and Tweeny’s Deli. The center is located at the southwest corner of Grand River and Whitaker.
Farmington was founded in 1824 by Arthur Power. Like many Oakland County pioneers, he hailed from the state of New York
. Power was a Quaker, as were the settlers who joined him, and the town was first known as Quakertown. In 1826, the name Farmington was officially chosen because it was the name of Power's hometown, Farmington, New York
.
The name Farmington, which properly refers to the 2.7 square miles (7 km²) municipality incorporated in the early 19th century, is sometimes erroneously used to refer to the 33.3 square miles (86.2 km²) neighboring city of Farmington Hills
(Farmington Township
until 1973), which surrounds it.
In 1976, the National Register of Historic Places
declared part of the city the Farmington Historic District
.
and Mickey Harris
have been residents of the city. NHL
goaltender Brent Johnson
of the Pittsburgh Penguins
is from Farmington.
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0707/gallery.BPTL_top_100.moneymag/55.html
Oakland County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is a northern suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,372. It is fully surrounded by Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
, except for a small portion bordered by Livonia
Livonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
to the south. Since 2009, the city's downtown has been the center of an extensive renovation and remodeling featuring a refacing or rebuilding of many buildings on Grand River Avenue, as well as brick paver sidewalks, the Farmington Pavilion, new lighting, and landscaping. The area is known for its historic downtown, elegant Victorian-style homes, and one of Michigan's top rated public school systems, Farmington Public Schools
Farmington Public Schools
Farmington Public Schools is a public school district located in southeastern Michigan, in southern Oakland County. The school district serves more than 12,000 students from Farmington Hills, Farmington, and a portion of West Bloomfield. The district is led by superintendent Susan Zurvalec, who...
. In 2007, CNNMoney.com listed Farmington as number 55 in their Best Places to Live survey.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 10,372 people, 4,624 households, and 2,735 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,899.2 per square mile (1,505.5/km²). There were 4,959 housing units at an average density of 1,869.6 per square mile (721.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.5% White, 11.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 13.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 4,624 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $56,442, and the median income for a family was $67,407. Males had a median income of $54,780 versus $39,435 for females (2000 Census). The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $36,281. About 2.6% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Farmington utilizes the council-manager form of government, and thus is governed by a city councilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
consisting of a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and four council members. The city council appoints a city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
, who manages the day-to-day operations of the city.
Farmington is surrounded by the city of Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
. The cities combine to form a district represented in Michigan's state government. Farmington is part of State Senate District 14, represented since 2009 by Democrat Vincent Gregory
Vincent Gregory
Vincent Gregory is a politician from the state of Michigan. In 2008, he was elected as a Democrat to the Michigan State House of Representatives. Taking office in 2009, he represents the 35th State House District, which is located in Oakland County and includes the cities of Southfield, Lathrup...
.
The Mayor of Farmington is Tom Buck. Buck was elected, by the council, to this position in November 2009.
In December 2006 a public meeting was held in Farmington Hills to review a sustainability study, which was undertaken by this neighboring city. One of several recommendations of the study was to investigate the possibility of merging with the City of Farmington. This has been an ongoing discussion for years but public awareness was heightened during this session. Farmington and Farmington Hills already share several services, such as a library and a district court.
Education
Farmington is served by the Farmington Public SchoolsFarmington Public Schools
Farmington Public Schools is a public school district located in southeastern Michigan, in southern Oakland County. The school district serves more than 12,000 students from Farmington Hills, Farmington, and a portion of West Bloomfield. The district is led by superintendent Susan Zurvalec, who...
, which also serve Farmington Hills, as well as local parochial and private schools in the area.
Media
In addition to The Detroit NewsThe Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
and the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
, regional newspapers serving all of southeast Michigan, the city is served by two community newspapers. The Farmington Observer is published twice a week, on Sunday and Thursday. The Farmington Press is published weekly. The Oakland Press
The Oakland Press
The Oakland Press is a daily newspaper published in Oakland County, Michigan. Owned by Journal Register Company, The Oakland Press was originally named The Pontiac Press until 1972.-External links:* *...
covers all of Oakland County.
Shopping
A number of neighborhood and regional shopping centers are located within Farmington, and a traditional village downtown serves residents and the surrounding population.Downtown Farmington has over 160 businesses that include large national retailers and small boutiques. The Farmington Civic Theatre
Farmington Civic Theatre
The historic Farmington Civic Theatre is located in downtown Farmington, Michigan. The theater opened in the 1940s and is still open to the public today. The Civic is a historical site and annually brings between 75,000 - 80,000 people to downtown Farmington each year.-History:In 1999 The city of...
shows family-priced movies. Downtown Farmington's Sundquist Pavilion and Riley Park host the Saturday Farmers Market, Rhythmz in Riley Park, a free Friday summer concert series and other activities.
National retailers in Downtown Farmington include Dress Barn, DOTS, H&R Block, CVS Pharmacy, Edible Arrangements, Goodyear, Firestone, Starbucks, Merle Norman and TJ Maxx.
Local restaurants include Luigi’s Tratoria, Bellacino's, Korea House, Page’s Food & Spirits, Green Olives, Dagwood’s Deli, Cedar, Basement Burger Bar, John Cowley & Sons, Dimitri's, Thai Kitchen and Burger King.
The Farmington Plaza is located at the corner of Grand River and Mooney, with anchor tenants ACO Hardware and Big Lots. Other retail and commercial tenants include Framery One, Domino’s Pizza and The Crossing Church.
The Winery Building is located on the south side of Grand River Avenue just west of Orchard Lake Road and houses most notably the "Haunted Winery" during the Halloween season. Community Living Centers which raises funds for the independent living of disabled adults is located in the northeast corner of the building.
The Drakeshire Plaza is located on Grand River Avenue, just east of Drake Road. In June 2007, the Drakeshire Plaza was approved by the City of Farmington for a substantial redevelopment of the center, with the primary tenant to be Walgreens Pharmacy. Existing retail and restaurant tenants in the center include Subway, Plato’s Coney Island and Suraj Indian Grocery.
The Halsted Grand Shopping Center is named after its two crossroads. Commercial and restaurant tenants include The Tile Shop, Diamond Boutique, Lin’s Kitchen, Yesterday’s Coney Island and Gift of India Grocery. K-Mart, a former anchor, closed in 2009.
Orchard Ten Plaza is a shopping center located at the southwest corner of Orchard Lake and Ten Mile roads. This neighborhood center has the following retail and restaurant establishments: Mrs. Maddox’s Cake Shop, Ramario’s Coney Island, Orchard Ten Foods, and a number of salons and boutiques.
The World Wide Center has a number of small ethnic businesses which include House of Lee Chinese Restaurant, NAM STE Indian Grocery, Bangkok Kitchen Thai Restaurant, and China Merchandise. Other retail businesses include Capitol Cigar, Harvey Electronics, and Tweeny’s Deli. The center is located at the southwest corner of Grand River and Whitaker.
History
Farmington was the site of three Native American trails - the Orchard Lake Trail, the Grand River Trail, and the Shiawassee Trail.Farmington was founded in 1824 by Arthur Power. Like many Oakland County pioneers, he hailed from the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Power was a Quaker, as were the settlers who joined him, and the town was first known as Quakertown. In 1826, the name Farmington was officially chosen because it was the name of Power's hometown, Farmington, New York
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
.
The name Farmington, which properly refers to the 2.7 square miles (7 km²) municipality incorporated in the early 19th century, is sometimes erroneously used to refer to the 33.3 square miles (86.2 km²) neighboring city of Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
(Farmington Township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
until 1973), which surrounds it.
In 1976, the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
declared part of the city the Farmington Historic District
Farmington Historic District (Farmington, Michigan)
Farmington Historic District is the town center of Farmington, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The area roughly corresponds to the section of Grand River Avenue and Shiawassee Avenue from Warner Street to junction of Grand River and Shiawassee.The...
.
Notable natives
Rex CawleyRex Cawley
Warren Jay Cawley is a former American athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 1964 Summer Olympics.Born in Highland Park, Michigan, Rex Cawley still holds the record time for the 100 yard dash at Farmington High School that he set in 1959...
and Mickey Harris
Mickey Harris
Maurice Charles "Mickey" Harris was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians . Harris was born in New York, NY...
have been residents of the city. NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
goaltender Brent Johnson
Brent Johnson
Brent Johnson is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :...
of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
is from Farmington.
Community
In 2007 CNNMoney.com listed Farmington as number 55 in their Best Places to Live survey.http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0707/gallery.BPTL_top_100.moneymag/55.html