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Situated in the Detroit Metro Region of Wayne County, the city of Livonia, Michigan is the ninth most-populated municipality in the state.

The city is about two miles west of the Detroit city limits, separated by Redford Township. Livonia abuts Farmington Hills, as well as a small section of Farmington, to the north, and Westland to the south. The southeast corner of Livonia touches the northwest corner of Dearborn Heights, its northwest corner touches the southeast corner of Novi, and its northeast corner touches the southwest corner of Southfield. Other cities and villages within twenty miles of Livonia are Plymouth, Garden City, Northville, Wayne, Inkster, Franklin, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Orchard Lake, Dearborn, Lathrup Village, Highland Park, Wixom, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, Oak Park, Melvindale, Walled Lake, Berkley, Hamtramck, Allen Park, Huntington Woods, Romulus, Birmingham, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac, River Rouge, Ferndale, and Lincoln Park.

The chief routes to and through the city are I-96, which runs east-west through Livonia, just south of center, and I-275, which passes north-south through the northwest part of the city. Livonia's northern border is 8 Mile Road, its southern border is Joy Road, its western border is Eckles Road and Hagerty Road, and its eastern border is Inkster Road.

Prior to the European-American settlement of the area, it was inhabited by the Potawatomi people. However, by the 1830s, European-Americans were settling the area, and the boundaries of Livonia Township were set in 1835, and named for the New York hometown of several of the early residents. For the first hundred years or so, the township was rural, with farmers raising crops, sheep, and dairy cattle. Over the years, dirt trails became roads and several small communities were developed throughout the township.

A post office was established as Livonia on May 7, 1834, with James Gunning as postmaster. On May 20, 1851, the post office was moved and renamed Plank Road. On May 20, 1856, the village was platted and renamed Livonia City, and the post office was moved back and took the name of Livonia on January 30, 1872. The post office was closed on September 16, 1906, restored as a branch of the Detroit post office in 1952, and once again made an independent post office on April 1, 1954.

In 1950, Livonia Township, with all of its communities, was incorporated as the city of Livonia. The merged communities included Schwartzburg, Clarenceville, Livonia Centre, Rough and Ready Corners, Stark, Newburg, Perrinsville/Pikes Peak, Elm, and Gilt Edge.

Situated on Ann Arbor Trail, near Wayne Road and Stark Road, Schwartzburg was named for General John E. Schwartz, who built a dam and sawmill on the Rouge River in 1826. However, the community declined rapidly in competition with nearby Perrinsville.

Situated in the northern part of the township, on the line between Wayne County and Oakland County, Clarenceville grew around a tavern built by Stephen Jennings in 1836. On May 20, 1851, the Livonia post office was moved to this location and named Plank Road. The post office was closed on January 20, 1860, but later reopened. It was named Clarenceville on December 23, 1897, but closed in 1907.

Livonia Centre was settled in 1854, and named for its position within the township. A post office was established on August 28, 1849, closed on March 14, 1864, restored on April 2, 1864, and closed again on May 25, 1865.

An offshoot of Schwartzburg, Rough and Ready Corners was centered at the intersection of Stark Road and Plymouth Road. The settlement was clustered around the House of Seven Gables, a tavern built by David McFarlane, and named for President Zachary Taylor.

The Detroit, Lansing, and Northern Railroad built its Detroit-Lansing line through Livonia Township. In 1871, Livonia Station was established at the Stark Road crossing, and the village that grew up around it became known as Starville, and later Stark, named for L.B. Stark, a local landowner. A post office was established on November 14, 1877. Originally named Livonia Station, it was renamed Stark on November 13, 1879, and operated until 1909. Stark was still a distinct community when it was merged with the city of Livonia in 1950.

Newburg was the largest community completely within Livonia Township. The first settler was Asa G. Johns, who came in 1819 and later became the postmaster. The village has been recreated in the Greenmead Historic Park.

Settled in 1831, Perrinsville was at Ann Arbor Trail and Merriman Road and named for Isaac F. Perrin, who platted the village in 1834. It was renamed Pike's Peak in 1887.

Originally named Elmwood, Elm was renamed with a post office was established on June 30, 1838. Two railroad stations were in the Elm area, McKinney's Station and Elm Station.

Gilt Edge was founded in the 1890s, and didn't last long enough to appear on any maps.

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