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B+History
History · Farmington

Farmington dates to 1824, and 2 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 74% of U.S. towns · #172 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it

Most of Farmington was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1966. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 30 buildings. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1880.

1824founded
2on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
16famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Farmington began

When was Farmington founded?

1824

Farmington dates its founding to 1824 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 377 in 18802020 census: 11,597202 years

How historic is Farmington?

B+

More historic than 74% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1826.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Farmington’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Farmington is more historic than 74% of U.S. towns, #172 of 701 in Michigan. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Farmington’s overall grade.
Founding era1824, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19405.3% of homes (±1.9) · typical MI town 11.9% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register2 listings, 31 historic buildings, 26.9 per 10,000 residents · typical MI town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 74%
NewerOlder
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 76%

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 Farmington’s 26.9 sits above most of its state (88% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 31 historic buildings outnumber those of 82% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share (±1.9 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1824.

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 Farmington’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.A historic districtThe Farmington Historic District takes in 30 historic buildings.On the map since 19058 editions of the USGS map, 1905 to 1980. Watch Farmington change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1824: 202 years of Farmington.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Farmington’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Farmington’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewWoman with lambs. Photo by H. N. McCrac…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

2 listings protect 31 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
31
each building in a district counts
first listed
1976
Farmington Historic District
Farmington Historic DistrictFirst Methodist Episcopal Church of Farmington, built 1921
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Farmhouse1
Farmington Historic DistrictGreek Revival
First Methodist Episcopal Church of FarmingtonBuilt 1921

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

On the map

Farmington on the map, 1905 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Farmington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Farmington on the 1905 USGS mapFarmington on the 1912 USGS mapFarmington on the 1936 USGS mapFarmington on the 1945 USGS mapFarmington on the 1952 USGS mapFarmington on the 1969 USGS mapFarmington on the 1973 USGS mapFarmington on the 1980 USGS map1905Plymouth 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 Farmington.

The story

How Farmington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Farmington.

Read it all →

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. 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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Farmington in 1912

Passages that mention Farmington, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Farmington — Incorporated as a village by state law in 1807; charter amended in 1869. 1875; reincorporated in 1887; amended, limits extended. 1 89 1.
History of Oakland County, Michigan1912 · page 202Read the page →
Read the text

Farmington — Incorporated as a village by state law in 1807; charter amended in 1869. 1875; reincorporated in 1887; amended, limits extended. 1 89 1.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Farmington is a ])retty place, located on high ground and tlierefore on a healthful site. It has a modern Union school ; a good water supply drawn from two reservoirs (one for fire and one for domestic purposes), costing some $15,000; an Edison light plant; a sewerage system completed in 1906; a cr…
History of Oakland County, Michigan1912 · page 457Read the page →
Read the text

Farmington is a ])retty place, located on high ground and tlierefore on a healthful site. It has a modern Union school ; a good water supply drawn from two reservoirs (one for fire and one for domestic purposes), costing some $15,000; an Edison light plant; a sewerage system completed in 1906; a creditable newspaper, the Farmington Enterprise.

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

Farmington, 1824 to 1999

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1824
    FoundingFarmington is established
  3. 1826Post officeThe Farmington post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1902In the archiveWoman with lambs. Photo by H. N. McCracken, Farmington, Mich
  6. 1905On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1921BuiltFirst Methodist Episcopal Church of Farmington is built
  8. 1971Born hereGilbert Brown is born here
  9. 1977Born hereBrent Johnson is born here
  10. 1996Born hereMegan Keller is born here
  11. 1999Born herePaulson Adebo is born here
By decade

Farmington, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s1 item
Woman with lambs. Photo by H. N. McCracken, Farmington, Mich1902Woman with lambs. Photo by H. N. McCracken, Farmingto…
1910s–1990snothing yet
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.
Add from your album
Today16 recent
Former Farmington State Savings Bank building2020Former Farmington State Savings Bank buildingCivic Theater2020Civic TheaterDowntown Farmington Mich2018Downtown Farmington MichDowntown Farmington Fall2017Downtown Farmington FallCity Hall Farmingtn Mich2017City Hall Farmingtn MichRiley Park Ice Rink2014Riley Park Ice RinkFarmington, Michigan with Orchard and Cass Lakes in Background2014Farmington, Michigan with Orchard and Cass Lakes in B…DirectBuy Showroom2012DirectBuy ShowroomFarmington High School Farmington Hills Michigan2011Farmington High School Farmington Hills MichiganBotsfordInnFarmingtonMI2010BotsfordInnFarmingtonMIFred Warner House Historical Marker2009Fred Warner House Historical MarkerFirst Quaker Meeting2009First Quaker MeetingFarmington Methodist Episcopal2009Farmington Methodist EpiscopalFarmingtonMichiganWineryBldg2008FarmingtonMichiganWineryBldgFarmington, Michigan2005Farmington, MichiganFarmers and Artisans Market at Farmington - Michigan2005Farmers and Artisans Market at Farmington - Michigan
Every building

Farmington, building by building, 1926

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 sheet.

Farmington fire insurance map, 1926, sheet 11926Sheet 1 of 4
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Woman with lambs. Photo by H. N. McCracken, Farmington, Mich
Retake this viewWoman with lambs. Photo by H. N. McCracken, Farmington, Mich, 1902

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Farmington’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Farmington, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,0001880190019201940196019802000202011,597

Grew from 377 people in 1880 to 11,597 in 2020, more than tenfold.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Farmington’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

16 famous people were born in Farmington

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Megan KellerAmerican ice hockey player · b. 1996
Brent JohnsonAmerican ice hockey goaltender · b. 1977
Paulson AdeboAmerican football cornerback · b. 1999
Gilbert BrownAmerican football player · b. 1971
J
Jennifer O'DonnellAmerican archer · b. 1973
A
Andrew LivingstonSwimmer · b. 1978
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Farmington Hills3 historic placesC−

Questions about Farmington’s history

What year was Farmington founded?

In 1824, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Farmington’s post office opened in 1826, and the census of 1880 counted 377 people here.

How does Farmington rank for history?

Farmington is more historic than 74% of U.S. towns, #172 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.

What is on the National Register in Farmington?

Two places: the Farmington Historic District (listed 1976) and the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Farmington (2014).

How old are the homes in Farmington?

5% of Farmington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.9 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1966.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (17), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), 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.