Exactly 175 years ago, the first settler laid down roots in what is now known as the Village of Lakeville.
To commemorate and honor that historic local event, Michigan State Representative James Marleau (R-Lake Orion) and Oakland County Commissioner Bill Patterson (R-Oxford) presented three proclamations to Addison Township officials during their May 16 meeting.
One tribute was signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Lt. Governor John Cherry and State Sen. Mike Bishop (R-Rochester). The second was signed by Representative Marleau. And the final proclamation was signed by Commissioner Patterson and Chairman of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Bill Bullard Jr.
Marleau spoke kind words of the citizens of Lakeville and thanked those who have committed themselves to the village. ‘Lakeville can trace its roots to the pioneer spirit of the men and women who first cleared the land and built the institutions and the homes that make this community what we know and celebrate today,? he said.
According to resident Barbara Stafford’s 2000 book The Addison Album, which outlines the history of Addison Township, New Yorker Sherman Hopkins was the first settler of Lakeville in 1830. He built a six-foot dam that created a mill pond at the south end of what is now Lakeville Lake, and flooded smaller lakes to the north, creating the large lake.
Water from Lakeville Lake was used to power surrounding sawmills (used to provide lumber for building homes) and gristmills (used to fring grain into flour for people’s daily use).
Although Hopkins is considered to be the community’s official first settler, the original plat for the Village of Lakeville is dated May 24, 1840 ? 10 years after Hopkins arrival.
It’s on this date that the community of Lakeville was officially established, so technically the village is actually turning 165 this year.
At the meeting, Patterson called the Village of Lakeville one of Michigan’s most ‘prized communities? with its historic homes and landmarks.
the first settler of Lakeville in 1830. He built a six-foot dam that created a mill pond at the south end of what is now Lakeville Lake, and flooded smaller lakes to the north, creating the large lake.
Water from Lakeville Lake was used to power surrounding sawmills (used to provide lumber for building homes) and gristmills (used to fring grain into flour for people’s daily use).
Although Hopkins is considered to be the community’s official first settler, the original plat for the Village of Lakeville is dated May 24, 1840 ? 10 years after Hopkins arrival. It’s on this date that the community of Lakeville was officially established, so technically the village is turning 165 this year.
At the meeting, Patterson called the Village of Lakeville one of Michigan’s most ‘prized communities? with its historic homes and landmarks.