Willis, Michigan is in the northeast corner of Augusta Charter Township in southwestern Washtenaw County.
The unincorporated community is situated along Willis Road, between Bunton Road to the west and Potterville Drive to the east. Incorporated cities and villages within twenty miles of Willis include Milan, Ypsilanti, Belleville, Maybee, Saline, Carleton, Dundee, Ann Arbor, Flat Rock, Romulus, Britton, and Woodhaven, while the unincorporated communities of Whittaker, Stony Creek, West Sumpter, Rawsonville, Eastlawn, and Edgewater Heights are within ten miles.
Today, Willis is largely a residential community whose residents are employed in nearby larger cities, although the village does support a few commercial businesses along Willis Road. The Willis post office covers most of the eastern portion of Augusta Charter Township and a small portion of London Township in Monroe County.
Willis was founded as a railroad town, after the Grand Trunk (Wabash) Railroad extended its track through the area in 1880. The railroad demanded that area residents finance the construction of a railroad station if they wanted a stop at Willis. When Willis L. Potter contributed land for the railroad station, the open farmland became a town. He named the railroad station and post office Newcomb, for his wife's maiden name. The Newcomb post office was established on September 27, 1881.
However, as another Michigan town had that name, the station, and the office was renamed Willis on December 15, 1887. As the nearby communities of Paint Creek and Eaton Mills were not located on the railroad, they declined and eventually disappeared.
A creamery was opened on the north side of Willis Road, between Burton Road and the railroad. Soon, a grocery store opened in Willis, and the railroad station remained until the mid-1960s when it was demolished. Willis was never incorporated as a village.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the small community known as Willis, Michigan. Governmental entities, businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, and recreational opportunities in Willis are appropriate topics for this category.
Recommended Resources
Based in Willis, Michigan, the company offers manufactured and mobile home services that include bathtubs, carpentry, doors, electrical, flooring, kitchens, plumbing, and crawl space replacements, renovations, and repairs. A full list and details of its services are set forth on its site, along with client ratings and testimonials, a profile of the business, the areas that it covers, telephone numbers, and an online contact form, chat, and social media are provided.
https://www.acclaimmhs.net/
Offering locally-grown and handcrafted farm products, such as beef cuts, bundles, or shares, as well as farm-fresh eggs, goat milk soap, lip balm, maple syrup, whole chickens, or port cuts or shares, some of which may be available for purchase online. Other resources include an introduction to the proprietors of the Willis, Michigan farm, a gallery of photographs depicting the farm, as well as a profile of the farm, a calendar of events, and beef, poultry, desserts, and breakfast recipes.
https://newcreationff.com/
Meeting at its facilities on Bunton Road in Willis, Michigan, the congregation is highlighted here, including its address, a map showing its location, a telephone number, and an online contact form. Its weekly schedule, calendar of upcoming programs and events, leadership staff, and a statement of beliefs are published on the site, which includes an overview of its ministries, a photo gallery depicting church activities, its bus ministry, teen programs, and other events.
https://www.willisbaptist.org/
Situated on the northeast corner of Willis and Bunton roads, this may be the oldest house in Willis, Michigan, with the original structure believed to have been constructed in 1856 for a family by the name of Albin. A kitchen addition was built in 1872. The history of the building is told here, and the proprietors are introduced, along with their plans and experiences in turning the building into a bed and breakfast facility. Photographs. a video and a calendar of events is included.
https://willishouseinn.com/
