How did Metro-Detroit suburbs get their names?

**Detroitnerd** · April-24-14, 02:45 PM

I think Inkster was a Scottish immigrant who owned a sawmill and a lot of land.

http://www.examiner.com/article/robert-inkster-pioneer

So any story about ink [[and all things black like ink) inspiring the name would be a canard.

**sturge** · April-24-14, 02:46 PM

"Farmington was first settled in 1824 by Arthur Power, a Quaker from Farmington, New York." who named the city after where he came from.

**rb336** · April-24-14, 02:53 PM

was there ever a settlement called Plum Hollow?

**Hermod** · April-24-14, 03:22 PM

Many of the localities were named by the railroad as they built. Between Detroit and Plymouth, the Detroit & West Michigan [[Pere Marquette) gave all the stations "tree names" like Oak [[Oak Yard), Ash, Elm, Beech, etc.

**EastsideAl** · April-24-14, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

was there ever a settlement called Plum Hollow?

Perhaps near where Plum Hollow Country Club is on Lahser and 9 Mile in Southfield?

**EastsideAl** · April-24-14, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I think Inkster was a Scottish immigrant who owned a sawmill and a lot of land.

http://www.examiner.com/article/robert-inkster-pioneer

So any story about ink [[and all things black like ink) inspiring the name would be a canard.

It's amazing how long that story has persisted. I remember hearing my grandfather pass that one on years ago.

**Danny** · April-24-14, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by 65memories

Ferndale was named for Fern and Dale, an elderly couple who owned the corner party store once located at 9 Mile and Woodward.

Actually Ferndale was named for the fern plants that grew mostly around South Oakland when that area used to be very swampy area under Royal Oak TWP.

**Danny** · April-24-14, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Perhaps near where Plum Hollow Country Club is on Lahser and 9 Mile in Southfield?

Yes it was since the early 1800s. When Royal Oak TWP was formed it was very big area 6 by 30 miles wide. Same as Pontiac.

**Danny** · April-24-14, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by sturge

"Farmington was first settled in 1824 by Arthur Power, a Quaker from Farmington, New York." who named the city after where he came from.

Yes it was. It was Quaker Settlement after 1824. at the time it was called Quakertown.

**DetroitPlanner** · April-24-14, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

what's the story behind: Dearborn, Inkster, Pleasant Ridge?

Dearborn is the name of one of the townships that were cobbled together to form the City. One of the other townships was Fordson, and if I am not mistaken there is a small part of Springwells that became Dearborn. http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/62684/71657.html

The other two I don't know much about.

**jj84** · April-24-14, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

It was named after Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa tribe. Or maybe it was named after the car brand.

The Oakland Motor Company named the car line after the city where it would be assembled. Pontiac was the only GM brand that outlived it parent brand that started it.

The City itself is named after Chief Pontiac.

**gnome** · April-24-14, 10:30 PM

I believe Ferndale was originally called Urbanrest when it was part of Royal Oak twp. And speaking of Royal Oak, the story I have heard is that it was named by Alexis De Tocqueville when he was heading up the mud bog that was Woodward. His party came to rest under the branches of a massive oak and Alexis said it reminded him of the tree king Charlie of England hid inside of while hiding from the Roundheads.

but then again, I wasn't there, so who knows.

**Don K** · April-25-14, 12:17 AM

At one time there was Monguagon township in the area that now is Trenton and Riverview. Any knowledge on where that name came from? And any thoughts on how to pronounce it? I've thought of Mon-GWAY-gun, MON-gwah-gone. and Mon-GWAH-gun

**Steve** · April-25-14, 03:40 AM

Anybody know about Oak Park?

**Honky Tonk** · April-25-14, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by Don K

At one time there was Monguagon township in the area that now is Trenton and Riverview. Any knowledge on where that name came from? And any thoughts on how to pronounce it? I've thought of Mon-GWAY-gun, MON-gwah-gone. and Mon-GWAH-gun

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monguag...ship,_Michigan

**Danny** · April-25-14, 06:54 AM

Garden City, MI. is named because lot's of neighbors who lived at Nankin TWP. at the time made gardens in their properties.

**mkhopper** · April-25-14, 10:52 AM

If I recall from an old history book on the city, Redford was named such because it was easy for people to "ford" [[cross) the Rouge [["red) River in the area

**Detroitnerd** · April-25-14, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

I believe Ferndale was originally called Urbanrest when it was part of Royal Oak twp. And speaking of Royal Oak, the story I have heard is that it was named by Alexis De Tocqueville when he was heading up the mud bog that was Woodward. His party came to rest under the branches of a massive oak and Alexis said it reminded him of the tree king Charlie of England hid inside of while hiding from the Roundheads.

but then again, I wasn't there, so who knows.

In 1819, Michigan Gov. Lewis Cass and several companions set out on an exploration of Michigan territory to disprove land surveyors’ claims that the territory was swampy and uninhabitable. The beginning of their journey seemed to support those claims until they reached a desirable area of higher ground near the intersections of Main, Rochester and Crooks Roads. Here they encountered a stately oak tree with a trunk considerably wider than most other oaks. Its large branches reminded Cass of the legend of the royal oak tree, under which King Charles II of England took sanctuary from enemy forces in 1660. Cass and his companions christened the tree, the "Royal Oak." And so Royal Oak received its name.
https://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/porta...al-oak/history

**SaintMe** · April-25-14, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Don K

At one time there was Monguagon township in the area that now is Trenton and Riverview. Any knowledge on where that name came from? And any thoughts on how to pronounce it? I've thought of Mon-GWAY-gun, MON-gwah-gone. and Mon-GWAH-gun

Growing up in the area I had believed that the Monguagons were a native American tribe that lived along the river in the Wyandotte, Trenton, Riverview area. There is a school in Trenton named Monguagon Middle School and I'd always heard it pronounced, perhaps incorrectly, as muh-GWAH-gun.

**jt1** · April-25-14, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

In 1819, Michigan Gov. Lewis Cass and several companions set out on an exploration of Michigan territory to disprove land surveyors’ claims that the territory was swampy and uninhabitable. The beginning of their journey seemed to support those claims until they reached a desirable area of higher ground near the intersections of Main, Rochester and Crooks Roads.
https://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/porta...al-oak/history

First white flight from Detroit. They were saying you can't live south of Crooks. What jerks.

**jt1** · April-25-14, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by SaintMe

Growing up in the area I had believed that the Monguagons were a native American tribe that lived along the river in the Wyandotte, Trenton, Riverview area. There is a school in Trenton named Monguagon Middle School and I'd always heard it pronounced, perhaps incorrectly, as muh-GWAH-gun.

It's pronounced Mogwai and I have no idea what the furry guy from Gremlins has to do with this discussion.

**Hermod** · April-25-14, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

First white flight from Detroit. They were saying you can't live south of Crooks. What jerks.

Uhh, Crooks runs north and south so you have to be east or west of Crooks.

**Danny** · April-25-14, 06:11 PM

The City of Romulus, MI. was name after the person Romulus who had a twin brother named Remus. Both of them were built a city on the seven hills of Italy. After the bitter quarrel Romulus killed his brother Remus and called the city Rome. The people who came to live there were called Romans.

**Danny** · April-25-14, 06:13 PM

Highland Park was named for it was a Scottish village and farming settlement in the once Greenfield and Hamtramck Townships.

**Danny** · April-25-14, 06:22 PM

Erin TWP. was at the southern corner of Macomb County. It was a Irish farming settlement. When East Detroit was named, it maintained its Irish culture. Fewer Irish families live in there at the time. When more Germans, Polish and Italian Families came. Other Irish families move away. By the 1990s The name East Detroit was changed to Eastpointe. The people want their suburban name not to look like East Side Detroit. But to have a 'Grosse Pointe' of the East.