Farmington Hills Real Estate

Farmington Hills is the second largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census. It is part of the upscale northwestern suburbs of Metropolitan Detroit and is also around 20 miles (32 km) northeast of downtown Ann Arbor.
Farmington Hills consistently ranks as one of the safest cities in the United States, as well as in the state of Michigan. In 2010, the area ranked as the 30th safest city in America. Farmington Hills also ranks as the 36th highest-income place in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more and ranks as 14th America's best cities to live by 24/7 Wall St.

Although the two cities have separate services and addresses, Farmington and Farmington Hills are often thought of as the same community. Features of the community include a recently renovated downtown, boutiques, a vintage cinema, numerous restaurants, exotic car dealerships, art galleries, and public parks including Heritage Park. There are several historical sites including the Longacre House and the Governor Warner Mansion. Both cities are served by Farmington Public Schools. Farmington Hills serves as a major business center for the greater Detroit area.

Farmington Hills is the home of the Holocaust Memorial Center, the only Holocaust Memorial in the State of Michigan. The Center's mission is to educate the public about the tragedy and evils of the Holocaust. The Holocaust Memorial Center was originally located in neighboring West Bloomfield Township, but has since expanded and moved to its current facility.

The first white settler in what became Farmington Township was a Quaker from Farmington, New York, named Arthur Power. He purchased land in 1823 and returned in 1824 with a group of family and associates to clear the land. The settlement became known as Quakertown. A post office was established in February 1826 with the name of Farmington. The post office is still around today as a historical site. The township of Farmington was organized in 1827. The settlement incorporated as the village of Farmington in the winter of 1866-67. A fire on October 9, 1872, destroyed many buildings in the center of the village. Farmington incorporated as a city in 1926.
A small settlement also developed in Clarenceville, in the extreme southeast corner of the township on the boundary with Livonia in Wayne County. Stephen Jennings built a tavern and general store to accommodate travelers on the plank road between Detroit and Howell. The name remains in the Clarenceville School District. Even though the school buildings for Clarenceville are in Livonia in Wayne County, the school district serves a portion of Farmington Hills.
In 1847, a post office named North Farmington was established a mile south of the township line as Wolcott's Corners. After the death of postmaster Chauncey D. Walcott in 1865, the office moved to the township line in the northeast quarter of section 4 (near the intersection of 14 Mile Road and Farmington Road). The post office operated until September 1902.
In 1839 a post office named East Farmington was established. It only lasted until 1842.
Before the remainder of Farmington Township incorporated as the city of Farmington Hills, there were two other incorporated entities within the boundaries. The first began as a subdivision named Quaker Valley Farms that incorporated as the village of Quakertown in 1959. The other was Wood Creek Farms, developed in 1937 as a subdivision by George Wellington of Franklin, who named it after a New England estate. It incorporated as a village in 1957. The villages together with the remainder of Farmington Township incorporated into the City of Farmington Hills in 1973.
In 1964 the city of Farmington started a tradition that became known as the Founders Festival. The festival is always held in mid-July each summer and is a fair gathering held in the downtown Farmington area. It's filled with arts and crafts, entertainment shows, good food, friends and family, and a fun atmosphere.