Where did Ann Arbor get it's Name?

Downtown Ann Arbor is characterized by architectural diversity as a result of the growth that began in the early 1800’s and has spread outward. When I first moved to Ann Arbor, I was amazed at the vibrancy of all the older buildings. Living in downtown Ann Arbor is a quality of life-style and the prices of homes in the downtown area are priced for the lifestyle they afford. I recently posted on how much Ann Arbor people like to walk.

There has been much debate through the years and history buffs disagree on how Ann Arbor got its name.

Legend has it that Ann Arbor was named after the two mens wives, that founded Ann Arbor, two settlers named John Allen and Elisha Rumsey. They made their way from Detroit and registered the name AnnArbour after their wives. John’s wife was named Ann and Elisha’s wife middle name was Ann. The name was registered on February 12, 1824 as AnnArbour, because of the grape arbours and lush vegetation.

Originally registered AnnArbour, and later separated as Ann Arbor, it is the only place in the United States with that name. This is why when you do a Google Search you only have to put in Ann Arbor and not Michigan.

Local people abbreviate the name Ann Arbor to A2 and yes mail gets delivered using that ancronym.

A few interesting facts about Ann Arbor that you might not know:

In 1860, Ann Arbor had five hotels, one drug store and 10 saloons. But 1872, Ann Arbor had 8 hotels, five drug stores and 49 saloons.

The 1901-1905 University of Michigan football team, coached by Fielding H. Yost was known as the “point-a-minute” team. It had a record of 55-1-1. In the first Rose Ball Game in 1902, U of M defeated Stanford 49-0

In 1929, Ann Arbor had more cars and telephones per capita than any city in the world.

“Handel’s Messiah” has been performed annually in Ann Arbor since 1880.

The printed version of the letter Columbus sent to Queen Isabella of Spain in 1493, is part of the collection at the Clements Library on U of M. Campus.

Nickels Arcade, built in 1915 to 1918 is one of the few glass-roofed shopping arcades in the county.

Ann Arbor is one of only 11 cities that can boast of a Presidential library. The papers of President Gerald Ford comprise nearly 15 million pages and over a mile of shelving.

There is a walking tour of downtown Ann Arbor where you can see all the historical sites. There are 16 sites that are on display.

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