Dexter, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Dexter is a village in Washtenaw County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The majority of the village is in the northwest corner of Scio Township
with a small portion (approximately 200 homes) in Webster Township
. The population was 4,067 at the 2010 census. There is no political connection between the Village of Dexter and the nearby Township of Dexter
, which is located to the northwest of the municipality. The township was named for Judge Samuel William Dexter, but he named the village for his father Samuel Dexter
, the early American statesman. In 1824 Samuel W. Dexter became the first person to purchase land in what is now Dexter village.
Dexter is the birthplace of biologist, women's suffrage
tte, and philanthropist Katharine Dexter McCormick and Dr. Royal S. Copeland
, US Senator from New York
.
Dexter is also home to the high school boys cross country
team that tied the state record for most consecutive Michigan High School Athletic Association
state championship titles with five, winning from the years 2002-2006.
The nearby Mill Creek and Huron River
have long been valuable resources to Dexter. A sawmill
was built in 1827, a woolen mill in 1838, a grist mill in 1844, and a cider mill in 1886. After being appointed County Court Justice in 1826, Judge Dexter reportedly established a post office in his home shuttling mail between there and Ann Arbor
on horseback.
The village founder Samuel W. Dexter served as the chief justice of the Washtenaw County Court as well as being elected a University of Michigan
Regent. His home just southwest of the village overlooking the Huron River was built in the early 1840s in Greek Revival architecture
and is a recognizable landmark in the area. Samuel Dexter called it Gordon Hall to honor his mother's family. It and 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of surrounding property was gifted to the University of Michigan in 1950 by Katherine Dexter McCormick. It is said that Gordon Hall served as a refuge for slaves on the Underground Railroad
.
, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²). None of this area is covered by water.
is planned to link Dexter to Hudson Mills Metropark
and Dexter-Huron Metropark
.
, there were 2,338 people, 1,013 households and 641 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,236.7 per square mile (477.6/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 585.0 per square mile (225.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.58% White, 0.43% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.26% from other races
, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 1,013 households of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92.
26.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median household income
was $50,510, and the median family income was $62,697. Males had a median income of $49,375 versus $30,213 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $27,974. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
.
Washtenaw County, Michigan
Washtenaw County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 344,791. Its county seat is Ann Arbor. The United States Office of Management and Budget defines the county as part of the Detroit–Warren–Flint Combined Statistical Area...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The majority of the village is in the northwest corner of Scio Township
Scio Township, Michigan
Scio Township is a civil township of Washtenaw County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township's population was 15,759...
with a small portion (approximately 200 homes) in Webster Township
Webster Township, Michigan
Webster Township is a civil township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Originally settled in the 1820s and 1830s, this small town has a rich history, centered around the picturesque area known locally as "Webster Corners." The population was 5,198 at the 2000...
. The population was 4,067 at the 2010 census. There is no political connection between the Village of Dexter and the nearby Township of Dexter
Dexter Township, Michigan
Dexter Township is a civil township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,248 at the 2000 census. The nearby village of Dexter is not connected with the township and is located to the southeast.-History:...
, which is located to the northwest of the municipality. The township was named for Judge Samuel William Dexter, but he named the village for his father Samuel Dexter
Samuel Dexter
Samuel Dexter was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinet.-Life:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to the Rev. Samuel Dexter, the 4th minister of Dedham, he graduated from Harvard University in 1781 and then studied law at Worcester under Levi Lincoln,...
, the early American statesman. In 1824 Samuel W. Dexter became the first person to purchase land in what is now Dexter village.
Dexter is the birthplace of biologist, women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
tte, and philanthropist Katharine Dexter McCormick and Dr. Royal S. Copeland
Royal S. Copeland
Royal Samuel Copeland was an American academic, homeopathic physician, and politician who held elected offices in both Michigan and New York . He represented New York in the United States Senate from 1923 until 1938.-Early life and medical career:Born in Dexter, Michigan to parents Roscoe P....
, US Senator from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Dexter is also home to the high school boys cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
team that tied the state record for most consecutive Michigan High School Athletic Association
Michigan High School Athletic Association
-About:The Michigan High School Athletic Association is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing...
state championship titles with five, winning from the years 2002-2006.
History
The area was first settled in 1824, 13 years before Michigan became a state, when land speculator Samuel W. Dexter purchased a large tract of land and originated the village. It was known as "Mill Creek Settlement" until the Village was platted in 1830 and the name officially changed to Dexter.The nearby Mill Creek and Huron River
Huron River (Michigan)
The Huron River is a river in southeastern Michigan, rising out of the Huron Swamp in Indian Springs Metropark in northern Oakland County and flowing into Lake Erie on the boundary between Wayne County and Monroe County...
have long been valuable resources to Dexter. A sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
was built in 1827, a woolen mill in 1838, a grist mill in 1844, and a cider mill in 1886. After being appointed County Court Justice in 1826, Judge Dexter reportedly established a post office in his home shuttling mail between there and Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
on horseback.
The village founder Samuel W. Dexter served as the chief justice of the Washtenaw County Court as well as being elected a University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Regent. His home just southwest of the village overlooking the Huron River was built in the early 1840s in Greek Revival architecture
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
and is a recognizable landmark in the area. Samuel Dexter called it Gordon Hall to honor his mother's family. It and 70 acres (283,280.2 m²) of surrounding property was gifted to the University of Michigan in 1950 by Katherine Dexter McCormick. It is said that Gordon Hall served as a refuge for slaves on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²). None of this area is covered by water.
Transportation
The Border-to-Border TrailBorder-to-Border Trail
The Border-to-Border Trail is a partially constructed non-motorized trail in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The trail is planned to cover approximately from Livingston County to Wayne County along the Huron River....
is planned to link Dexter to Hudson Mills Metropark
Hudson Mills Metropark
Hudson Mills Metropark is a park in the Huron-Clinton system of metro parks in Michigan, USA. It is located on North Territorial Road at the crossing of the Huron River, twelve miles northwest of Ann Arbor...
and Dexter-Huron Metropark
Dexter-Huron Metropark
Dexter–Huron Metropark is a park on the Huron River in the Huron-Clinton system of metro parks. The park has three picnic areas, a children's play area, a softball diamond, fishing, and canoe launching. A Metropark daily or annual vehicle permit is required for entry...
.
Demographics
At the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 2,338 people, 1,013 households and 641 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,236.7 per square mile (477.6/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 585.0 per square mile (225.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.58% White, 0.43% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.26% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 1,013 households of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92.
26.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $50,510, and the median family income was $62,697. Males had a median income of $49,375 versus $30,213 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $27,974. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
Media
The Dexter Leader is a weekly newspaper that covers events in Washtenaw County, including Dexter.Education
Dexter residents typically send their children to public institutions, including Cornerstone Elementary School, Bates Elementary School, Wylie Elementary School, Creekside Intermediate School, Mill Creek Middle School, and Dexter High SchoolDexter High School (Michigan)
Dexter High School is public institution located at 2200 N. Parker Rd. in Dexter, Michigan. Dexter High School's mascot is a Dreadnaught, and its colors are maroon and gold. Though traditionally maroon and white, the school has now moved to school colors of maroon and gold. Dexter is one of two...
.
Notable natives and residents
- Harrison JeffordsHarrison JeffordsHarrison Jeffords was the colonel of the 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War...
, colonelColonel (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
in the Union ArmyUnion ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
and a hero of the Battle of GettysburgBattle of GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac... - Arthur HillsArthur HillsArthur Hills is an American golf course designer who achieved a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University. He has designed more than 180 new golf courses, including private, resort, upscale, and public golf courses...
, golf course architect - Rob MaldaRob MaldaRob Malda , also known as CmdrTaco, is founder and former editor-in-chief of the website Slashdot. He is a graduate of Hope College and Holland Christian High School....
, founder of SlashdotSlashdotSlashdot is a technology-related news website owned by Geeknet, Inc. The site, which bills itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters", features user-submitted and ‑evaluated current affairs news stories about science- and technology-related topics. Each story has a comments section... - Milo Radulovich
- Calvin FillmoreCalvin FillmoreCalvin Fillmore was an American farmer and politician from New York.-Life:...
, brother of 13th President Millard FillmoreMillard FillmoreMillard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...