1824 - 1899
POPULATION:
EST 100
1824
John Allen and Elisha Rumsey registered the name of Ann Arbor on May 25 at the Detroit Register of Deeds.
1825
First house, Lower Town, built by James Jones; Erie Canal was completed, a key route for early pioneers.
1826
First businesses started, including a drug store, tailor, grocery store, and blacksmith; first church (Presbyterian).
1827
Several taverns, sawmills, and grist mills opened. Population: 400-500 people; Elisha Rumsey died of fever. The Ann Arbor Library Association was formed.
1828
James Kingsley was appointed Judge of Probate.
1829
Population 900; a foundry was opened. First newspaper, Western Emigrant began publication; first Germans arrived.
POPULATION:
1,050
1830
James Kingsley became Register of Deeds; first public school. Anson Brown house built at 1029 Pontiac Trail.
1831
Fairview Cemetery opens.
1832
Anson Brown building constructed, oldest commerical building; Lower Town becomes part of Ann Arbor.
1833
First Protestant minister, Reverand Frederick Schmid arrived in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor incorporated as a village.
1834
First court house completed. Calvin Bliss opened a jewelry store.
1835
Wilson-Wahr House first built on 126 N. Division; expanded in 1844 and again in 1863. Two newspapers, The Whig and the Michigan Argus (Argus 1), began publication. It is the forerunner of the Ann Arbor News.
1836
Frostbitten Convention held in Ann Arbor, Michigan State Anti-Slavery Society founded in Ann Arbor. Argus Camera began manufacturing cameras.
1837
Michigan admitted to the Union. University of Michigan started in Ann Arbor. First fair grounds at the site of Bach School. Michigan Central Railroad began service to Ann Arbor this year.
1838
Volunteer fire department organized.
1839
First train reached Ann Arbor; Misses Clark School for Young Ladies, later relocated to N. Division at E. Kingsley. Argus became the first daily newspaper. Traver District School built at 1202 Traver. Guy and Phyla Beckley house built at 1425 Pontiac Trail.
POPULATION:
2,250
1840
Native Americans banished from Michigan and relocated to Kansas. U of M's President's house built.
1841
Mason Hall, the first U of M building, was completed to be used as a dormitory. Signal of Liberty, an anti-slavery newspaper, published by Beckley/Foster until 1848.
1842
Circus made first appearance. It was called the Bowery Ampitheater of New York by June, Titus & Company.
1843
Census reports that 231 Blacks were living in Washtenaw; Cosmopolitan Art Association formed.
1844
Cobblestone Farm built by Benajah Ticknor.
1845
Train depot was built on Broadway; St. Thomas Church built at 326 E. Kingsley, first brick church. William Maynard purchased a large tract of land, most of which was in the Old West Side Historic District. Cobblestone Farm completed.
1846
State legislature passed first city charter for Ann Arbor. North District Public School built at 324 E. Kingsley.
1847
Two district school systems developed, Lower Town and Upper Village. The First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor was founded. First telegraph office. The newspaper, Washtenaw Whip, replaced the State Journal.
1848
A revolution in Europe prompted a wave of immigrants, including those that settled in Ann Arbor. Medical School began.
1849
Bethelem Church completed.
POPULATION:
4,490
1850
First African American churches were established. First medical school built.
1851
John Allen (53) died near San Francisco on March 11, 1851. Ann Arbor incorporated as a City. Four Ward system created by state legislature. First Ward School created.
1852
Henry Tappan becomes the first President of University of Michigan.
1853
Kempf House constructed by Henry Dewitt Bennett. First Black student, Samual Codes Watson, enrolled at the University of Michigan.
1854
Detroit Observatory, 1398 E. Ann. Union African American Church built at 504 High St.
1855
James Kingsley was elected Mayor.
1856
Union High School opened.
1857
J. Fred Schlanderer started bottling works at 122 E. Washington. Washtenaw County Historical Society formed. Hutzels, Michigan’s oldest plumbing-heating-cooling contractor, was established.
1858
Detroit Observatory built. Gas plant opens. The first Ann Arbor YMCA was established.
1859
Forest Hill Cemetery opened.
POPULATION:
7,363
1860
First baseball games played.
1861
Dean & Company opened a fancy grocery store. His daughter, Elizabeth Dean, started a bequest for trees.
1862
In response to a call from President Lincoln, a regiment was assembled to fight in the Civil War.
1863
Law School built. Dr. Chase's best seller, Dr. A. W. Chase's Recipes: Coloring Department, published.
1864
Dr. Chase's Steam Printing Plant opened on North Main and Miller.
1865
Clark Girls School built at 505 N. Division.
1866
Methodist Church built, State and Washington. Ladies Library Association of Presbyterian Church formed.
1867
35 teachers in the system with an average pay of $419.43. Male teachers were paid 3 times female teachers. Cornerstone of St. Andrews Episcopal Church at 306 N. Division is laid.
1868
Dr. Chase's Steam Printing House completed, 301-305 N. Main.
1869
Wagner's Blacksmith Shop built. First University Hospital. John G. Miller Planing Mill (later Treasure Mart) built.
POPULATION:
5,097
1870
W.S. Perry was the Superintendent of Schools from 1870-1897. Schumachers Hardware opened (closed in 1940).
1871
Allmendinger Organ Company began manufacturing organs. Police department organized. Hill's Opera House, A2's first theater, opened on Main Street.
1872
Many commercial buildings erected on Main Street. George Krause opened the Northern Brewery at 1327 Jones Drive. The Benjamin Brown house was built.
1873
Luick Brothers Lumber Company formed and closed in 1931. Opening of University Hall. Depression of 1873 led to a population decline.
1874
An eight foot monument was installed to commemorate those who died in the War of 1812.
1875
Eberbach Hardware the first store to put in plate glass windows.
1876
Zion Lutheran completed at Fifth and Washington Streets. Mary Henrietta Graham, the first African American woman student at the University of Michigan, was admitted.
1877
Second courthouse built. Jose Celso Barbosa, the first Puerto Rican student at the University of Michigan, was admitted.
1878
Deke Shant built at 611 E. William; James Ashley built rail line linking Toledo with Northern Michigan. Courthouse built.
1879
In its first intercollegiate football game, the University Michigan defeated a team from Racine College. The University Musical Society was founded.
POPULATION:
8,061
1880
Cable cars were introduced. Eberbach's (later Fischer's) opened. First Baptist Church built.
1881
First telephone exchange was set up.
1882
First Unitarian Church built at 100 N. State. Brick fire station built.
1883
University Library built with clock tower, now Harlan Hatcher Library.
1884
Van Depoele Light and Power Company on Washington began producing electricity; roller skating rink built.
1885
Germania Hotel was built at 119-123 W. Washington. D.A.R. Library was completed.
1886
Schlenker's Hardware opened (closed in 1995). Northern Brewery built at 1327 Jones Dr.
1887
Reuben Kempf house built at 321 N. Ingalls. John Dewey, world reknown philosopher, wrote "Psychology" in this year while he worked at U of M.
1888
Kelsey Museum built.
1889
4th City Charter went into effect setting up a City Council, Board of Public Works, City Assessor, and a Fire Board.
POPULATION:
9,431
1890
A birdseye map of Ann Arbor was produced. Electric street cars first appeared and disappeared in 1925. Michigan Daily begins publication.
1891
Bethel AME church built at 632 N. Fourth.
1892
Weinman Block (219-223 E. Washington) built.
1893
A northbound Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michigan freight train derailed near Frankfort, killing the engineer, fireman and brakeman.
1894
May Festivals begin. Henry Cornwell house built at 538 N. Division.
1895
Second Ward School renamed Bach School. Gas plant explosion.
1896
U of M joined The Big Ten in its first season. Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) started a chapter.
1897
Ann Arbor Railroad extended into the UP to Munising. The U of M football team first played OSU and won 34-0.
1898
Michigan National Guard posed at the Courthouse steps before leaving to fight in the Spanish-American War.
1899
St. Thomas the Apostle Church built at 515 N. State.