More historic than 25% of U.S. towns · #602 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Davison was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1968. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1902 on, and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Davison is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #602 of 701 in Michigan. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Davison’s overall grade.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Davison’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (32% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1889.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.1 points).
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Davison’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1902Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone
Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
On the map
Davison on the map, 1920 to 1975
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Davison. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1920Flint sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Davison.
Township section 3, 9 and 10 was Davison Station, which was first settled in 1842 by Eleazer Thurston in section 10. The line of the Chicago and Lake Huron Railroad (now Canadian National Railway) through the settlement was finished in 1871 marked the beginning of Davison Station. The first saw mill in the township was also built here that year by Dunn and Darling. The township and the settlement had in 1872 a number of firsts: doctor, L. W. Hanson, merchant Damon Stewart and tavern owned and operated by Henry S. Rising. On April 10, 1872, Davison Station post office open with Stewart as the postmaster. The Free Will Baptist Church, formed in 1859 at and hosted at Herrick Schoolhouse two miles away, moved to a frame church building in the village in 1872.
Passages that mention Davison, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Genesee county Michigan1916 · page 595Read the page →
Read the text
After the war William N. Monroe returned to Illinois, and in the spring of 1866 located in Davison township, this county, just fifty years ago, buying a farm two and one -half miles southwest of the village of Davison, which he improved and there engaged in general farming for twenty years.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
remarkable family are still living, Mrs. Clarissa Buell, aged ninety-three, and John Hill, aged eighty-nine, both of Burton township, this county. In the fall of 1846 Joseph E. Hill and his family came to Michigan from New York and settled in Davison township, Genesee county, fipon coming here Mr. Hill bought a farm of eighty acres two miles south and one and onefourth miles west of the village of Davison and there established his home.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1879 · page 257Read the page →
Read the text
ing-mill, one saw-mill, one plaster-mill, one plow-foundry, one store of general merchandise, post-office, district school, a few small shops, and about 125 iuhabitant.s. The first settlers in its vicinity were Judge Davison and his family, who settled here in 1831. Here were located the first mills, workshops, post-office, schools, and merchants in the township.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Davison, 1877 to 1982
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Hamlets and corners on the map
Continental Estates Mobile Home Park
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Davison’s history
What year was Davison founded?
In 1889, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 163 people here.
How does Davison rank for history?
Davison is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns, #602 of 701 in Michigan. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Davison?
7% of Davison’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.1 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1968.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1982
1982
2018
2013