|
About the
Ann Arbor,Dexter
and Saline, Michigan Area SALINE
The Saline motto is, "Saline--Proud of our past and confident of our future." Saline is a growing community with small town character, but immediate access to big city services. Saline was chosen by Money Magazine as one of the most attractive small cities in America. With a current
population of more than 8,000, Saline provides a variety of local
employment opportunities for its citizens, an excellent school system
for its children and a strong tax base that keeps city services
first-rate. In addition, Saline has a top-notch local hospital, an
impressive array of community organizations including an active Chamber
of Commerce as well eight churches. Local attractions include the Bixby Marionette Exhibit, the Depot Museum, the Rentschler Farm Museum and the Saline Historical Society Museum. Enjoy yearly festivals such as the Saline Celtic Festival or take in a play performed by the Saline Area Players, now in their 31st year. Ann Arbor, one of America's fastest growing high-technology cities and home to the renowned University of Michigan is just a ten-minute drive away. The U of M is world famous for its research facilities, medical and business schools, cultural attractions and winning sports teams that do battle in the nation’s largest collegiate stadium. Visit museums, shops, restaurants and of course cheer on the University of Michigan Football team. Saline is a family community that celebrates its agricultural roots and places a premium on its traditional heritage. The values of family, faith, hard work, self-reliance and independence still imbue the spirit of the city, filling its citizenry with pride in their community. LOCATION
Saline is set along US-12 which runs which runs north-south through the city as part of its route between Detroit and Chicago. US-23 runs north-south, just a few miles west of the city, as part of one of the major routes between Ohio and northern Michigan. The I-94, the major interstate highway that serves the region, runs east-west, just a few miles north of the city as part of its route between Detroit and Chicago. Ann Arbor, one of America's fastest growing high-technology cities and home to the renowned University of Michigan is just a ten-minute drive away. The charming Village of Dexter is 19 miles northwest, about a 25 minute drive on the I-94 while the big city attractions of Detroit are only 45 miles away and a quick hour drive east on the I-94. Toledo is 45 miles south down the US-23 and fabulous Chicago is 250 miles west, and an easy 4-hour drive along the I-94. TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS Saline is ideally located in the southeastern corner of Michigan and sits at the center of a modern transportation infrastructure that includes well-maintained roads and bridges, superbly integrated public transportation and easy to use trains and convenient airports. Saline is set along US-12 which runs which runs north-south through the city as part of its route between Detroit and Chicago. US-23 runs north-south, just a few miles west of the city, as part of one of the major routes between Ohio and northern Michigan. The I-94, the major interstate highway that serves the region, runs east-west, just a few miles north of the city as part of its route between Detroit and Chicago. Detroit Metro Airport (DTW), located in Romulus, off the I-94, 45 miles east, serves Saline. DTW is the eighth busiest airport in the US and the major hub of Northwest Airlines, which carries approximately seventy-five percent of the passengers traveling in and out of the Detroit Metro Area. Easy and convenient commuter flights to major cities in the Northeast Region and along the East Coast are also available from the airport in Toledo, Ohio. Local private air service is available through Ann Arbor Airport, accommodating both private aircraft as well as helicopters. Cargo service is available through Willow Run Airport, which sprawls across the Washtenaw-Wayne County border and is the third busiest air cargo terminal in the U.S. Passenger rail service is provided via Amtrak, with a station located right in the heart of nearby Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor is the only stop in Washtenaw County on the route between Detroit and Chicago and is just ten minutes away. Amtrak's Michigan Services trains pass through the Ann Arbor Station on runs throughout the state and also connect the area conveniently to Illinois and Ohio. Michigan Services cover Chicago, Grand Rapids, Port Huron, and the Detroit Region. Train routes for getting around Michigan include the Pere Marquette offering daily service between Grand Rapids and Chicago, the Wolverine offering daily service between Pontiac and Chicago and the Blue Water offering daily service between Port Huron and Chicago. There are multiple departures daily from the Ann Arbor station with reserved coach and business class seating available. Freight service is available at the same station via the Ann Arbor Railroad. Local bus service is available through AATA - The Ride, which operates 110 buses throughout the Ann Arbor area including Saline, picking up passengers at more than 1500 stops. The AATA operates two transit centers including the Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor and the Ypsilanti Transit Center. Most bus routes originate at the BTC at 15 minutes after and 15 minutes before each hour. The AATA has been acclaimed as the best mid-size transit authority in the country and the current fare is $1.00 for adults and 50 cents for children. Long-distance bus service is provided via the Greyhound station in Ann Arbor, local taxi service is available from Ann Arbor Taxi and shuttle service from Metro Airport is provided by Commuter Express vans. BRIEF HISTORY Salt has been a valued commodity throughout history. As essential to our Indian predecessors, who established no less than six well-defined trails to the salt wells along the Saline River, south of the site of modern day Saline, as it was to the first European settlers drawn to the area for its natural riches. Saline's first permanent settler was Leonard Miller in 1826, following closely was Orange Risdon who purchased the land for $200 and surveyed Saline village in 1832. Mr. Risdon officially named the village Saline because of the salt wells and is honored today as the town’s founder. He died Nov. 27, 1876 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. Soon he was joined by others who settled along the river because it was an ideal site for a mill. A sawmill was constructed and soon after a gristmill. Risdon built his home on a hill at the western edge of his property, along the Detroit and Chicago Road. This was an ideal site for a city, where main north-south roads to Ann Arbor, Tecumseh and Monroe intersected. In 1832, Risdon laid out six city blocks, three north and three south of "Chicago Street" (which is now Michigan Avenue). This was intersected by "Adrian Street" (now North and South Ann Arbor) and bounded on the west by the "original" Monroe Street and by 1838 Saline was a real town. Later town additions including the areas of Risdon, Mills and Bennett ere added, the last after the railroad was built through Saline. Saline was settled chiefly by New Yorkers who came via the Erie Canal, then by boat across the Great Lakes to either Detroit or Monroe. They were drawn to the new territory for its fertile land, dense forests for buildings and fuel and the river for power. The Saline River was then large enough for canoes and small boats to travel from Lake Erie via the Raisin River. The Risdon home served as an inn for several years, with all travellers welcome when darkness fell. The first post office was in the Risdon home as well and Risdon himself was the first postmaster and served for ten years. A man named Silas Finch came from New York to start a store, and because no other building was available, Risdon rented him the parlor, so the Risdon home served as the first store as well. Finch later built the first store in the village, now the site of the Saline Savings Bank. Risdon was Justice of the Peace for twelve years and officiated at the first wedding in town and the first election was held in his home as well. Risdon was generous with his property and gave land for the first church, a Baptist one. He also donated land for the first Methodist Church as well as the first school. The village grew, supported by very productive surrounding farmland and by farmers who depended on the village for supplies. Significant growth was spurred on by Schuyler Haywood's construction of his mill at a fall in the Saline River. The result was growth of an industrial" area featuring mills, an ashery, blacksmith, hardware store and tin shop. The residential area, which developed just west, became known as Barnegat and the boundary of Saline moved west when this area became the first formal addition to the city in 1848. The village was incorporated on October 18, 1866. The town boomed when the railroad arrived in 1870 offering the farmers a way to ship their products including grain and cattle. Construction of the Detroit, Hillsdale and Indiana railroad spurred expansion of the city north into Lodi Township. Less than a year later, the town expanded including Bennett's Addition along the trackside while Mills Addition filled in the western area between the original settlement. Saline had now become an agricultural shipping center and in 1899 the electric car "Maude" made travel to Ypsilanti and points east even more convenient. By the turn of the century it was claimed that among the villages of Michigan, Saline could not be surpassed in beauty of location, regularity of streets or in the neatness of its commercial and dwelling houses. The people of the town were called “progressionists” who seizes on every opportunity to build up the interest of the town. The built business blocks, school buildings, churches and lovely homes. The business center of the village presented a busy scene and Saline was called, “one of the most pleasant little centers of population in Michigan." It has remained so to this day. Saline became an official city in 1931 but continued to protect, preserve and enhance its comfortable, small-town character. Saline has kept up to date with new banks, high schools, hospitals, recreational parks, industrial park, churches and housing. Good planning and the blending together of the ancestors of early pioneers with the residents and companies drawn to Saline by its quiet history and charm has maintained a quality of life that would make the village founders of 1866 proud. Today the character of Saline is an extension of the community's agricultural roots, whose heritage puts a premium on traditional values, hard work, self-reliance, independence, and an enduring pride in one's community, family and job. Strategically located in southern Michigan's booming east-west metropolitan corridor, combining the best aspects of small town life with the progressive attitude of a growing city, Saline's history is unique and its future prospects are unrivalled. ABOUT EDUCATION Saline has a public school system that sets high achievement goals for its students and boast many new facilities added within the last 3 years. There is one high school, one middles school and 5 elementary schools as well as a preschool program and an alternative learning program. The Saline Christian School, which offers class from prekindergarten through twelfth grade, is the only private school in town. The public school system is dedicated to, “…a consistency of purpose with a focus on providing educational experiences which meet or exceed World Class Standards.” The district prides itself on responsiveness to the needs of students, parents, community, business and industry and on creating a learning organization where all employees are supported and encouraged to continue to attain new knowledge and skills and constantly enhance their knowledge base. A brand new high school opened in Fall 2004 and it is one of the largest and most modernly appointed high school facilities in the state. The current student enrolment is just over 1600, but the new building has capacity for just over 2000 so there’s plenty of room for the town to welcome new residents and their children and continue to grow into the future. The building is fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities regulations and instructional features include classrooms designed with two distinct hallways on each of the three floors providing flexibility to place students in smaller groupings that provide a more intimate learning environment. In addition to computer technology classrooms and labs, there are five mobile laptop labs which can be rolled anywhere in the building to instantly provide a computer lab for specific learning activities. Wifi hotspots are also planned throughout the building. Nearby Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, one of the most distinguished universities in the world and a leader in higher education. It is one of only two public institutions consistently ranked in the nation's top ten universities and boasts of one of the largest health care complexes in the world, the best university library system in the country and the some of the best computer access for students and faculty of any campus in the world. Over 5,500 undergraduate courses are taught each term in over 100 programs. Undergraduate, graduate and professional students have a choice of 17 separate schools and colleges, 588 majors, over 600 student organizations, 350 concerts and recitals every year, as well as hundreds of speakers, symposia, films, and readings, many of which may also be attended by members of community as well. The University of Michigan is a vital part of the life of region and its worldwide reputation draws people from all parts of the globe creating a thrilling cosmopolitan mix that infuses the area with diversity. And cheering on the University of Michigan sports teams, especially the football team is a local tradition. Other nearby colleges and universities include Washtenaw Community College, Cleary College and Concordia College in Ann Arbor as well as Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti with a renowned teacher-training program. |
Saline ListingsEnjoy Our Easy To UseMap Search Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Office : 734-761-3040
Mobile : 734-646_.1333
|
Follow US:
RSS Feeds:
Go Mobile: 
Go Mobile:
Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Saline, Washtenaw County, MI, SE Michigan Homes & Real Estate - Copyright 2012 - NancyBishop.com