Overview
Chelsea ·
Dexter ·
Saline
On July 4, 1827, Judge Samuel William Dexter told a group of farmers that the United States would soon have its own railroad system and that their village would be connected to it. The Michigan Central Railroad arrived in 1841, running right through Judge Dexter’s orchard. The judge moved out of its way and built a mansion now known as Gordon Hall.
Despite the railroad, the village remained a small rural center. Judge Dexter wanted it that way, reportedly turning down an offer to locate the University of Michigan there. Today, the village of Dexter remains small, with a quaint downtown complete with village green, but it is rapidly growing and traffic is increasing. Near plenty of recreation and natural areas, and with easy access both to unspoiled farmland and to the cultural attractions of Ann Arbor, Dexter is an attractive place to live.
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