The Wayne County city of Allen Park, Michigan is the headquarters for the Detroit Lions, and home to several of the offices and facilities of the Ford Motor Company.
The city is bordered by Dearborn to the north, Melvindale to the northeast, Lincoln Park to the east, Southgate to the south, Taylor to the west, and Dearborn Heights to the northwest. The main routes through the city are I-75, I-94, and M-39.
When Europeans first came to the area, it had been inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years, including the Potawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa people, who were related, as well as the Huron.
The first European people in the area were the French, who came to trap beaver, and later the English came for the same reason.
The first European to acquire land in what was to become Allen Park was Pierre St. Cosme, a Frenchman who had been given more than 4,000 acres by the Native Americans. In the early 1800s, he encouraged other French pioneers to settle the region now known as the Downriver area.
Lewis Allen was five when his father moved him from New York to Detroit in 1819. He trained as a lawyer, but came to earn his living as a lumberman, acquiring 276 acres that extended from the Rouge River, which forms the northern border of the city today, to the area where Thunderbowl Lanes and Arena is situated today, establishing a sawmill along the river.
By the end of the 1800s, much of the land had been cleared during lumbering operations, and the land had become more suitable for agriculture. New agricultural lands attracted German immigrants, as the majority of its French population had moved closer to the Raisin River.
Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. introducing the Model T in 1908, and developed the assembly line in 1913, and several farmers from Allen Park and the surrounding area decided to seek jobs with Ford. Farmland was sold to developers, and subdivisions replaced the family farms. By the late 1960s, most of the land in Allen Park had been developed.
The village was officially platted in 1926 and named for Lewis Allen. It was incorporated as a village in 1927, and as a city in 1957. R. Donald Pretty became the city's first postmaster on September 10, 1957. Originally, Allen Park did not include the portion of the city directly west of Melvindale, as that was still part of Ecorse Township.
Allen Park is home to the Uniroyal Giant Tire, the largest non-production tire scale model ever built, and a popular roadside attraction. Originally created as a Ferris Wheel for the 1964 New York World's Fair, it was moved to Allen Park in 1966.
Fairlane Green is an unenclosed shopping center in Allen Park. Also known as The Hill, as it was built on top of a former Ford Motor Company landfill, and its elevation is high enough that portions of the Detroit skyline can be seen from the complex on a clear day. Previously, The Hill had been home to the Allen Park Veterans Administration Medical Center, which was demolished in 2014.
The focus of this category is on Allen Park, Michigan. Websites focused on the city itself, or those representing city government offices or programs are appropriate for this category, as are those of businesses, industries, places of worship, organizations, or schools, public or private, that are located in the city.
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Recommended Resources
Allen Park Chamber of Commerce
Organized in 1950, The Chamber is an advocate for the business community of Allen Park, Michigan, promoting economic growth and business partnerships, the chamber provides networking opportunities to its members, and it works with the city and other organizations to promote member businesses. Its site features a business directory and an information center. Membership benefits are defined, an online application is featured, and a calendar of events is included.
https://www.allenparkchamber.org/
The Legion is an organization of US war veterans that is made up of local posts. Post 409 is the Allen Park, Michigan post. Its site includes membership information, including an online membership application, meeting dates and times, club room hours, and a Bingo schedule. Post news is published to the site, along with information about veteran benefits, discounts, and discounts for Legion members. The American Legion Auxiliary at Post 409 is also highlighted.
https://allenparkamericanlegion.org/
Boy Scouts of America Troop 1051
Sponsored by the Allen Park Presbyterian Church, Troop 1051 offers the Scouting experience to boys and girls in grades six through twelve, or from eleven to seventeen years of age, as well as a Cub Scout program for those in grades kindergarten through the fifth grade, or from five to ten years of age, and a Venturing program for those fourteen to twenty years of age. Photographs, contacts, and an overview of Scouting are presented, troop news, and schedules.
http://www.allenparkpres.org/troop1051ap.html
Sponsored by Saint Frances Cabrini, Troop 1052 is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America and has been active for more than fifty years. An overview of its traditions and activities is put forth, including a gallery of photographs, a calendar of meetings, regular activities, and upcoming events, an Eagle Scout roster, Scout Master roster, and links to the national office of the BSA, the National Eagle Scout Association, and the Order of the Arrow.
http://www.bsatroop1052ap.org/
Created to facilitate communication between city officials, residents of the city, visitors, and others who have an interest in the community, the official municipal website posts news and announcements, budget reports, charter documents and ordinances, a city directory, and access to various forms and applications. Municipal departments and services are highlighted, employment opportunities posted, meeting agendas and minutes, and a gallery of photographs.
https://www.cityofallenpark.org
The Allen Park, Michigan car wash is family owned and operated and has been in business since 1987, offering a range of services for cleaning the inside and outside of a car, to protect it from damage, and give it a shine, including unlimited wash plans and gift cards. Its programs and options are described, and a wash menu may be viewed online. Its unlimited wash plans may be managed online, and wash certificates, gift cards, and unlimited plans may be purchased.
http://www.classicautowashap.net/
Locally owned and operated for more than twenty-five years, the flower shop is situated on Allen Road, Allen Park, Michigan. Open seven days a week, its hours of operation are posted to the site. Separated into categories for everyday flowers, Mother’s Day flowers, sympathy flowers, and wedding flowers, a product category is presented, with details, prices, and online ordering capabilities. Other resources include wedding reception table ideas and tips.
https://sayitwithflowersusa.com/
Located in Allen Park, the funeral home has chapels in Allen Park, Dearborn, and Taylor, Michigan, addresses and directions are posted to the site, along with a map. An overview of the facilities is presented, and its services are outlined, including its pre-planning services. Also included are various grief support resources, funeral and cemetery etiquette tips, and ideas as to what to expect after the funeral. Flowers and gifts may be purchased online, and obituaries are published on the site.
https://www.voranfuneralhome.com/
The address, directions, and a map showing the location of the funeral home are put forth on its site, along with contact information and office hours. It's planning ahead policies and programs are put forth, along with a guide and resources for planning a funeral. A calendar of scheduled funerals are put forth, and a guide to various resources, such as local florists, a grief library, a grief bookstore, and other helpful links are provided. Obituaries are published to the site.
https://www.weisefuneralhome.com
