Garden City

History

The origins of Garden City started with the transfer of the property to John Lathers from Andrew Jackson for in October 1835. The city was patterned after the "garden city" concept that became popular in England during the 19th century, with most home sites sectioned off into plots to allow adequate farming area to support the family with fruit and vegetables. Most sites are now considerably smaller, some as small as 40 feet by 135 feet, with little room for gardening of fruits and vegetables, though the city maintains some large lots where an extra street has not been placed between two of the older streets, such as between some parts of Bock Street and John Hauk Street where Donnelly Avenue does not cut through. In June 1927, Garden City became a village within Nankin Township, with Arnold Folker as Village President. Six years later the village became the city of Garden City. Areas of interest in Garden City include the first Kmart store (opened in 1962, closed in early 2017, now demolished), the first Little Caesars (opened in May 1959, closed in October 2018), located at 32594 Cherry Hill Road, and the first dine-in McDonald's in Michigan. The Folker Building, a gray stone structure located at the southeast corner of Ford and Middlebelt Roads, at what is considered downtown Garden City, was the first city hall. It later contained Orin Jewelers and other retail establishments. A new city hall was eventually constructed on Middlebelt Road between Ford and Warren Roads. The honeymoon cottage of Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant, was moved here from Dearborn in 1952.

Geography

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

Race & ethnicity