Plymouth is a vibrant and diverse community located in Wayne County, Michigan. It has often been listed as one of the best places to live in the entire state and has a population of 9,054.
Located approximately 10 miles west of Detroit and 15.6 miles east of Ann Arbor, residents of Plymouth can enjoy all the great features and amenities of living in a big city while keeping cozy in the suburb of small-town Plymouth. Being conveniently located just south of the M-14 highway and west of Interstate 275, access to the larger cities is readily available to the locals of Plymouth.
Plymouth has often been described as one of Metro Detroit’s prettiest towns due to the beautiful central square, Kellogg Park, the many vast golf courses, and surrounding array of quaint boutique shopping areas and diverse dining establishments located in the downtown district. Potential residents of Plymouth can take all these beautiful features into consideration when choosing their perfect new home.
What Is The History Of Plymouth?
Plymouth, Michigan, was named after the historical Plymouth, Massachusetts, as many of the earliest settlers to the Michigan area came from Massachusetts in 1825. The settlers first came to the area due to the inexpensiveness of the land in Michigan, which was the affordable price of $1.25 per acre. Among these first settlers were Keziah and William Starkweather, a husband and wife who purchased land off of the U.S. government in March of 1825. In 1832, John Kellogg arrived from New York and built Plymouth House, which has now come to be known as the famous Kellogg Park.
Keziah and William Starkweather had a son, George Starkweather, who grew up to be an integral part of the community. In 1867, the same year that Plymouth became incorporated as an official town, George Starkweather was the one to convince the Detroit and Howell Railroad Company to run a line directly through Plymouth. The railroad was opened in 1871, running east-west, and the line running north-south, built by another railroad company, was finished in the same year. Plymouth is the only Michigan city where the tracks run in all four directions.
George Starkweather, as well as being responsible for the addition of the railway, also contributed to Plymouth’s economy by opening and running Starkweather’s General Store. This was among the earliest contributions to the city’s economy along with Luthor Lincoln’s Sawmill, the Plymouth Flour Mill, and May and Hendrick’s Rake Plant.
The Plymouth Iron Windmill Company was founded in 1882, furthering the city’s economic development. It was at this mill that an air rifle was created and introduced as a complimentary gift to anyone who would purchase a windmill. This rifle turned out to be so successful that the company moved on to distribute them exclusively and changed the name of the business to the Daisy Manufacturing Company, going on to be a rather successful BB gun business. The Markham Air Rifle Plant was built in 1886, jumping on the BB gun bandwagon. Due to this, Plymouth became known as the air rifle capital of the world.
By 1932, Plymouth, Michigan, had become a growing, successful, thriving area and was incorporated as a city.
During World War II, Plymouth dedicated much of its resources to helping out with its British counterpart, Plymouth, England. The city sent food, clothing, money, and letters containing encouraging sentiments across the ocean in show of support. In return, Plymouth, England, sent over a chunk of rock quarry, a small piece from the land where the pilgrims initially set out for America. This bit of rock is still proudly showcased at City Hall.
Continuing over the next several decades, Plymouth has remained a strong and thriving, yet cozy, city, home to friendly neighbors and proud, historic roots.
What is Real Estate Like in Plymouth?
The real estate found in Plymouth, Michigan, ranges greatly in size and style. The types of home designs include cozy condominiums, charming bungalows, multi-family row homes, and other single-family housing. The real estate costs typically range between $125,000 and $980,100, making Plymouth an affordable residence for all.
Neighborhoods
There are many fabulous neighborhoods for potential residents to choose from in Plymouth that are made up of a wide variety of housing styles. The following is an example of each housing type in various locations throughout Plymouth.
Andover Lakes is located in western Plymouth and was built up between 1998 and 2006. The average costs of living in the Andover Lakes neighborhood is between $140,000 and $450,000. The homes in this area range in size between 2,500-3,600 square feet. Most of these homes are colonial in style and showcase impressive entryways and two-storey front foyers and three to four bedrooms.
Ridgewood Hills is a beautiful subdivision located in northern Plymouth. The homes in this area are mostly cape-cod, colonial, and ranch style homes containing three or four bedrooms as well as two to three garages. The size of these fantastic houses ranges between $200,000 and $3,000,000 and are approximately 1,200-3,500 square feet.
Daisy Square Townhomes is a cozy subdivision made up of 110 condos in the traditional townhouse-style. These condominiums range in price between $95,000 to $450,000 and are approximately 1,100-2,800 square feet. The neighborhood was established in 2004 and was completed in 2015. Downtown Plymouth is only half a mile to the west of this quaint neighborhood.
Mayflower Village is located in the southern region of Plymouth. The homes found in this neighborhood are primarily cape-cod, colonial, and split-level floor plans ranging between $150,000 to $400,000. The neighborhood was built between 1975 and 1980 and consists of 1,400 to 2,300 square foot houses. Many of these homes feature beautifully landscaped backyards, mature trees for optimal privacy, and open-concept floor plans.
So Much To Do
Kellogg Park is the most well-known attraction of the city of Plymouth. With copious amounts of specialty shopping, unique dining options, and countless hours of entertainment, this thriving downtown district offers up something to suit all ages and interests.
Plymouth is home to a multitude of fantastic and championship-level golf courses. These clubs and courses include Fox Hills Golf Course, St. John’s Golf and Conference Center, Hilltop Golf Course, and Brae Burn Golf Club. The well-established golf facilities offer impeccable greens, driving ranges, pro shops, and quality banquet halls and dining services. Residents of Plymouth have many wonderful options to work on their golf swings.
There are also several fun-filled, family-friendly features in the city of Plymouth. From movie theaters to splash pads, go-karts to playgrounds, there’s countless hours of fun to be had for the whole family.
Enjoy the Outdoors
There are several beautiful parks and recreational facilities located throughout Plymouth, Michigan. The gorgeous Plymouth Township Park is made up of 80 acres of well-maintained grounds including four baseball diamonds, serene walking and hiking paths, a quaint fishing pond, and delightful children’s playgrounds and water features.
Another beautiful area is Hines Park, operated by Wayne County. This 15-mile park spans across several communities and features a scenic river flowing through the park, large enough for boating and fishing, as well as trails for hiking and biking and several picnic areas.
Wilcox Lake Recreational Park is one of the smaller parks in Plymouth, but just as fabulous. The scenic grounds offer visitors with plenty of opportunity for birdwatching, picnics, and tranquil walking paths. The small lake located at the center of the park features several fishing docks, available for public use. The park also consists of fantastic playground equipment to keep the littles entertained and active.
A Focus on Education
Plymouth is under the management and operation of the Plymouth-Canton Community School District. This award-winning school district is made up of sixteen elementary schools, five middle schools, and three high schools. PCCSD is also home to the only educational park in all of Michigan, the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, or P-CEP.
P-CEP consists of three public secondary schools in Canton Township. This 305-acre campus consists of three academic buildings, multiple athletic fields, and several musical facilities. Students that attend this campus are assigned to one specific home school where they attend most of their classes, and the three schools share specialty classrooms such as auto shop, a culinary arts facility, photography darkrooms, and swimming pools.
Outside of the Plymouth-Canton Community School District, Plymouth provides the option of private and religious educational institutes. Some of these exceptional schools include:
Spiritus Sanctus Academy Catholic School
Starkweather School
New Morning School
Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School
Arts and Culture
Plymouth is known to be a highly community-based city. The residents of Plymouth love to engage in festivals and community projects, uniting whenever they can to put on a spectacular fundraiser, festive event, or local artistry. Some popular festivals that occur annually include the Fall Festival, Ice Sculpture Spectacular (the oldest ice-carving festival in all of North America), and the Art in the Park displays.
The city is also host to other regular events such as “Music in the Air,” which is a sensational showcase held every Friday night from June through September. Locals bands perform a diverse selection of music to the delight of the locals. Other regular events include Bumpers Bikes and Banks, The Old Village Restaurant Crawl, and Haunted Halloween. Dedicated locals and volunteers work incredibly hard to put on these events to highlight local talent and businesses.
The Plymouth Historical Museum is a staple of the community and features an incredible collection of Plymouth’s origins and history. This includes detailed documentation and artifacts from the early pioneers, first businesses, the accounts of the city throughout the Civil War as well as WWII, and so much more. Visitors to this 26,000 square foot museum can take a walk through history and discover interesting facts and features of the good old times of Plymouth, Michigan.
Restaurants and Shopping
Plymouth is home to a plethora of unique shopping and dining opportunities. Kellogg Park is one of the main destinations of the city, featuring unique and local shopping boutiques, ethnically diverse eateries and specialty cafes, and Plymouth-specific giftware. Whatever it is you’re looking for, Kellogg Park is bound to provide.
Town Peddler Craft & Antique Mall is a unique shopping experience located on Plymouth Road. This incredibly friendly and extensive complex is home to over 400 dealers providing retro and repurposed collectable, handcrafted products, vintage artifacts and antiquities, and a myriad of other treasures.
Laurel Park Place is a large, enclosed shopping mall comprised of over 60 retail stores and restaurants, a movie theater, an attached Marriott Hotel, and office buildings. The anchor stores of Laurel Park PLace include Dunham’s Sports, Von Maur, Talbots, and Eddie Bauer.
The Northville Farmers Market is open every Thursday from May through October. This fantastic market consists of dozens of local vendors offering local produce, beautiful gardens and accessories, and handmade products. The market has been a local staple for many years and is a popular local tradition.
Plymouth is also home to dozens of locally-owned and operated dining establishments. The dedication to providing and supporting local businesses is evident through the city with the amount of successful family-run facilities, local craft breweries and pubs, and eclectic cafes and bistros. The selection of quality restaurant options in the city is phenomenal!
Moving to Plymouth, Michigan, is both the easiest and toughest decision you’ll ever make. It’s an easy choice because Plymouth is a wonderful city filled with friendly residents, proud local businesses and services, and top-quality schools. The tough part of choosing to move to Plymouth is deciding where to settle down. With so many great neighborhood options, it’s hard to pick just one place!
Between the rich history and culture of the city, the myriad of local artistry and crafting, and the endless amount of fun and entertainment to be had for the young and the old alike, it’s no wonder why Plymouth has been consistently rated as one of the best places to live in all of Michigan.
