Long before railroads and highways, the Huron River and Native American trails made Ypsilanti the gateway to the county’s earliest American settlement.
Washtenaw County is officially turning 200 years old. The Sun Times News is celebrating with a look at what this place looked like when it was formally established. The story begins in Ypsilanti, which was, in many ways, the start of Washtenaw County’s story after the War of 1815.
A Land Already Well Traveled
Ypsilanti had already been inhabited by a vibrant community for thousands of years by then. European colonizers took advantage of the ancient trade routes in their arrival – either by boat up the Huron River, or by following the trails long established by Native Americans; some of which still survive as the roads used today. Ypsilanti’s first permanent European settlement, Woodruff’s Grove, was established where Grove Street meets I-94, according to local historian Matt Sigfried. Woodruff established a mill and traded with fur trappers and the still extant Native American population.
“I think some of the most surprising aspects of Washtenaw County is what a large Pottawatomi community was here. If you read the original sourcing, the settlers are living right besides these Pottawatomi communities; they’re visiting, sometimes the Pottawatomi would come in and dance for these settlers, and they did live together for a period of time, until removal happens,” Irene Mora, a historian from Dexter pursuing a PhD in history at the University of Michigan, told the Sun Times News.
Why Settlers Chose Ypsilanti
Ypsilanti was the natural first stop on the way in from Detroit. The Huron River at this point came to rapids near that part of the County, but is also relatively easy to ford, making it the natural place for a settlement…