Historical Photos: Latest Photos

Downtown Farmington Circa 1905

SuperUser Account — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:23:00 GMT

The north side of Grand River Avenue several decades after the fire of 1872. E.C. Grace's Dry Goods store is still with us as The Korner Barbers. The Warner Block (brick building) was built where the Dohany Building once stood. Notice Grand River Avenue is unpaved, yet there were paved sidewalks and hitching posts. Also, the interurban trolley system transported street lamps to Farmington at the turn of the century. However, the businesses didn't get electricity until 1911.

Downtown Farmington Circa 1920

SuperUser Account — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:23:00 GMT

In 1917 Fred Cook changed the faade of the Warner Block, dating this photo near 1920. Notice the interurban trolley tracks on the south side of Grand River Avenue which is still a dirt road. The Oakland County Road Commission would not allow the paving of Grand River as long as trolley tracks were still in the road. Although the Detroit United Railway, DUR, owned the land between the rails and was responsible for its upkeep, the road commission refused to get caught maintaining the DUR's property. Grand River Avenue wasn't paved until 1930 a year after the tracks were removed.

Downtown Farmington Circa 1870

SuperUser Account — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:22:59 GMT

This is the oldest known photograph of Downtown Farmington, believed to have been taken in the early 1870s. It shows the early businesses on the north side of Grand River Avenue, which was known as Main Street, east of Farmington Road, then called Division Street. The stone building pictured in the center was Oliver B. Smith's Dry Goods Store and Dr. Woodman's Pharmacy. The second floor of that building was the first home of the Farmington Masonic Lodge. Other businesses seen here are John N. Power Hardware, Pierman's Millinery, Warren Selsby's Jewelry Shop (clock on building), the Dohany Building (brick) and Jackson's Blacksmith Shop. All of these buildings were destroyed in the disastrous fire of 1872. Pictured in front of the Power Hardware store are (left to right) John Hiler, Jack Northrup (tree behind shoulder), Thomas Hanafon, James Wilbur, Ben Arnold, William Kennedy, Uncle Fields and Walker Brown.

Downtown Farmington Circa 1930

SuperUser Account — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:22:59 GMT

This photograph was taken around 1930. Two observations give evidence to that - the vintage of the automobiles and Grand River Avenue being paved. The service station on the left sports a curbside gas pump. On-street parking was acceptable for cars which, at the time, had a top speed of about 30 miles per hour.

Downtown Farmington Circa 1940

SuperUser Account — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:22:59 GMT

The Downtown Farmington business district looking west from Warner Street around 1940. The Farmington Cleaners offered public parking behind the store for 15 cents. On the south side of Grand River Avenue you can see Himmelspach's Farmington Dairy and the Kroger grocery store. The blade marquee of a familiar downtown icon, the Civic Theater, is plainly visible on the north side of the street. The theater first opened in 1940.