Milan ( ) is a city in Monroe and Washtenaw counties in the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. The population was 6,079 at the 2020 census. The community was settled as early as 1831. Milan incorporated as a village in 1885 and much later as a city in 1967. The center of the downtown area is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as the Main Street Historic District.

History

The first settler to the area was John Marvin, who arrived in the spring of 1831 and settled the community under the name Tolanville after Marvin's brother-in-law Henry Tolan. He built his home and also operated a general store for travelers and other early residents. Other earlier settlers included Bethuel Hack and Harmon Allen, and their families became the area's first permanent residents. The population began to grow, and the first post office was established on March 27, 1833 under the name Farmersville. The name was changed to Milan on April 21, 1836. The post office has remained in operation ever since and is presently located at 123 East Main Street. The community became part of York Township when it was organized in 1833 in Washtenaw County and Milan Township when it was organized in 1836 in the northwest corner of Monroe County. Other nearby communities included Azalia (East Milan) and

Cone A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines con ...

(West Milan). Some of Milan's earliest structures that remain today include the Community House, which was built in 1834 as a gristmill. It was purchased by

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that mi ...

in 1935 and used for processing soybeans for automotive paint. It is currently used as a banquet hall. The Hack House Museum was built in 1888 and served as a private residence for many years, and it is now occupied by the Milan Area Historic Society. One of the most recognizable structures is the Old Milan Fire Barn, which was built in 1897 and served as a fire station until 1979. The fire department moved out of the building, and the building became abandoned until it was donated to the Milan Area Historical Society in 1983. The building was restored and rededicated in 2002. In the 1870s, a railway line was built through the community. The line was operated by the

Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including track in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri and the province of Ontario. Its primary con ...

and later became an intersection with the Ann Arbor Railroad. The railroad continues to pass through area but no longer has a station in Milan.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of of which, is land and (2.27%) is water. The Saline River passes through the center of Milan. The city of Milan uses the 48160 ZIP Code, which also serves a larger area including London Township and Milan Township in Monroe County and Augusta Charter Township and York Charter Township in Washtenaw County.

Major highways

* runs south–north along the eastern edge of the city.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 5,836 people, 2,308 households, and 1,532 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 2,487 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 2.8%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.9%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 1.0% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 4.6% of the population. There were 2,308 households, of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 28% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,775 people, 1,923 households, and 1,271 families residing in the city. The

was 2,127.4 per square mile (823.1/km²). There were 1,999 housing units at an average density of 890.6 per square mile (344.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.30%

, 1.74%

, 0.36% Native American, 0.69%

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 1.72% from

, and 1.17% from two or more races.

of any race were 3.50% of the population. There were 1,923 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were

living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $61,250. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $23,909. About 8.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

Education

The city of Milan is served by Milan Area Schools, which also serves portions of several adjacent townships in both Monroe County and Washtenaw County. All of the schools within the district are located within the city limits of Milan, including Milan High School.

Notable people

Denise Nicholas Denise Donna Nicholas (born July 12, 1944) is an American actress, author, and social activist. Nicholas is known primarily for her roles as high-school guidance counselor Liz McIntyre on the ABC comedy-drama series ''Room 222'' and Councilwoma ...

, film and television actress who starred in the TV series ''

Room 222 ''Room 222'' is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on ABC for 112 episodes, from September 17, 1969 until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 ( EST) fo ...

'', was born in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

and raised in Milan.

Images

File:Hack House Milan Michigan Register of Historic Places.JPG, File:Old Milan Fire Barn (2021).jpg, File:Milan, MI city hall.jpg, File:Milan, MI post office.jpg,

References

External links

City of Milan official websiteMilan Area Chamber of CommerceMilan Public Library
{{Authority control Cities in Monroe County, Michigan Cities in Washtenaw County, Michigan 1831 establishments in Michigan Territory Populated places established in 1831