The History of Novi

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The History of Novi
1825 to 2006
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Located on 10 Mile Road, near the Dunkin Donuts,
is the Ingersol Creek.
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In 1824, Erastus Ingersoll bought this land on
the Northwest corner of 10 Mile and Haggerty.
Today there is a Jaguar car dealership and
Dunkin Donuts across the street.
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William Yerkes came to Novi in 1825, and brought
his family. This picture, from 1890, shows his
sons Silas, Joseph Dennis, William Purdy, and
Robert. In the back are Charles, George, and
Harrison.
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Cousins William Yerkes and Thomas Pinkerton
(1825), were among the first settlers in Novi.
The Yerkes family made up a large group in Novi
and Northville. On Eight Mile Road, one can see
the Yerkes Cemetery.
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1827
Oakland County was divided into 5 parts, or
townships. These were named Pontiac, Oakland,
Troy, Bloomfield, and Farmington. Novi was in
Farmington Township, believed to be the 6th in
the whole township. It was finally named in the
1830s.
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Sally Thornton and her 5 children moved to Novi
from Caledonia,New York. The house they lived in
was built in 1840, near Nine Mile and Novi Road.
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In September of 1990, the Thornton house was
relocated to Eleven Mile and Taft Roads where it
is located today.
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Under the Grand River Bridge sits the old
Railroad Depot. This railroad that connected
Detroit with Novi and Northville, through
Farmington, was completed in 1899. Although,
railroads to Novi began in the 1870s.
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Railroad Depot
West of the railroad tracks were a barrel factory
and cheese factory.
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D. Goodell opened a general store at this corner.
This picture is from the 1900s.
Grand River
Novi Road
Originally called Novi Corners, the four
corners are at the crossing of Novi Road and
Grand River.
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Looking at the site in 2006, we can see that the
old General store is now a business building.
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This is what the Four Corners looks like today.
A Fidelity investment company is now located on
the northwest corner. In 1830, this was Benjamin
Browns General store.
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Behind this was Fitchs Tavern, owned by Esquire
Fitch. Today there is a patio furniture store.
Just west of this was where the first hotel was
built in 1835, and today is a store for baby
furniture and goods.
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A man by the name Holmes had run his Meat Market
in this Mobil Gas location. Also, just west of
this location, is where the first schoolhouse and
church were built. In 1868, Franklin Sacker
invented the kiln and opened the business further
west.
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Just south of the four corners one would have
passed the Town Hall then the Novi Cemetery.
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The Novi Cemetery is where the Simmons family
members were buried.
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Traveling south on Novi Road, and across the
railroad tracks, we find the U.S. Post Office.
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Novis Post Office was first established in 1827,
when the town was still called West Farmington.
John Gould was the first postmaster.
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David Guile opened a blacksmith shop and sawmill
in 1829, which were the first industries in Novi.
This Walgreens is where the blacksmith shop was
and across 10 Mile was the sawmill.
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Further south of the sawmill on Novi Road is
where the mansion of Charles Rodgers (1929) is.
Samuel Rodgers had come to Novi in 1830.
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Across from the mansion is where the Knapp
Cemetery is.
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This small cemetery on Nine Mile is where members
from the large Knapp family were buried, such as
Mariah Knapp, who died in 1837.
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Around 1840, Samuel White built his home on Nine
Mile, just west of Taft Road.
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On Beck Road, near 10 Mile, one can view Novis
Methodist church from 1875. It was located on
Grand River, and was spared from a fire that
struck the Baptist Church and township hall, in
1913. The steeple was removed in the 1980s.
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On Ten Mile, across from St. James Church, one
can see the home of Richmond Simmons. This was
one of the first homes made of brick in Novi.
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1917 is when Jacob and Bessie Fuerst brought
their family to Novi. Their home is still
located on Taft Road and Ten Mile by the High
School.
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In 1876, the first Novi Town Hall was built next
to the Baptist Church on Grand River. Since the
fire, it was rebuilt and relocated next to the
Novi Public Library
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The expressway, I96, went through Novi in 1957.
Think of why it is called an expressway.
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Twelve Oaks shopping mall was built in 1977,
after debate of it becoming a landfill. Much has
changed since the past. What else has changed
since the early 1800s?
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Look at us now.....