Dansville

History

As far as European settlement is concerned, the area that is now the village of Dansville was originally settled by Samuel Crossman in 1844, who, like many settlers at the time, had come from the state of New York in search of a new life. Samuel Crossman's son, Daniel Crossman, officially platted the village in 1857, naming it after himself and the village's first postmaster, Dr. Daniel T. Weston. The settlement was not actually incorporated as a village until 1867. Dansville is one of the earliest settlements in Ingham County. Permanent home-seekers located there as early as 1836–40, and the first business establishment was a small store, with a general stock, opened by Samuel Crossman about 1847. The first hotel was the Union Hotel, built in 1856-7 by David D. Fox. A post office was established in the southern part of Ingham Township in 1846, and was first kept by John B. Lobdell. Later it was moved to Hayne’s Corners, one and one-half mile south of the present village, and Henry Densmore was postmaster. It finally came to Dansville, where Daniel T. Weston was the first postmaster in 1855. The original plat of the village was laid out May BG, 1857, by Samuel Crossman and Ephraim Hillaird. D. L. Crossman and Dakin and Otis made additions in 1866. Today, Dansville is a small village with much of its economy based on agriculture. While the village is in proximity to the state capital and Michigan State University, it has seen little commercial development over its history. The small town's economy is supported primarily by small business, agriculture research, and production.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,885
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,097
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  5,944
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  5,633
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,558
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  5,406
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,371
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  5,334

Largest nearby schools

• Mason High School
  High · MASON · 954 students · 19.5:1 ratio
• Mason Middle School
  Middle · MASON · 776 students · 18.5:1 ratio
• Stockbridge JrSr High School
  High · STOCKBRIDGE · 547 students · 17.1:1 ratio
• Steele Street Elementary School
  Elementary · MASON · 458 students · 18.3:1 ratio
• Woodworth Elementary School
  Elementary · LESLIE · 439 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• Williamston Discovery Elementary School
  Elementary · WILLIAMSTON · 425 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Williamston Explorer Elementary School
  Elementary · WILLIAMSTON · 408 students · 19.4:1 ratio
• Williamston Middle School
  Middle · WILLIAMSTON · 405 students · 17.6:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2026-05-04
  8 km N of Maybee, Michigan
• M 3.3 — 2015-06-30
  5 km NNE of Burlington, Michigan
• M 4.2 — 2015-05-02
  5 km S of Galesburg, Michigan