Situated in south-central Holly Township, in the northwest corner of Oakland County, the Village of Holly, Michigan is bordered by Holly Township to the north, east, and west, and by Holly Township to the south.
There are seven named lakes (Bars Leak Lake, Belvins Lake, Bush Lake, Lake Arrowhead, Mauna Loa Lake, Simonson Lake, and Stiff's Mill Pond), as well as several other smaller bodies of water. The Shiawassee River flows through the southwestern section of the city, and several other lakes are in the immediately surrounding region.
The Holly Recreation Area is just east of the village, and Seven Lake State Park is west of the village. Other nearby outdoor recreation areas include Groveland Oaks County Park, Long Lake Park, and Rose Oaks County Park.
Holly Road enters the village in the north, where it is also known as North Saginaw Street, turning east to form East Maple Street in the lower part of the village. Grange Hall Road intersects Holly Road in the north. Other routes to and from the village include Academy Road, Milford Road, and Quick Road.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of Holly include Fenton, Grand Blanc, Linden, Ortonville, Clarkston, Goodrich, Milford, Burton, and Flint.
WaterWorks Park in Holly is the starting point of the Shiawassee River Heritage Water Trail, which currently runs eighty-eight miles downstream to St. Charles, Michigan, and is extended each year as the Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition coordinates with local governments to sign on.
Holly also hosts the annual Holly Dickens Festival and the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Fifty-three buildings within the village are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Battle Alley, between South Saginaw Street and South Broad Street, in downtown Holly, is one of the most historic streets in Michigan. It includes the Holly Hotel, where Carry Nation smashed up the saloon in 1908. The street received its name for the brawls that were common there.
Until recently, Holly had a small-town feel, despite its proximity to more urban areas. However, over the past few decades, agricultural properties have been developed, expanding single-family and multi-family residential areas within the village, while commercial areas have remained essentially the same, with the exception of a large industrial area on the south side of Grange Hall Road, on the east side of the village.
The first land purchase in the area that was to become Holly was by Nathan Herrick, who acquired land there in 1830. However, Ira C. Alger was the first permanent settler. He came in 1836, building a log cabin in the area where Stiff's Mill Pond and Broad Street are today. In the early 1840s, he constructed a dam on the Shiawassee River to power a sawmill and a grist mill, creating the community's first business district. When the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad came through in 1855, Alger became the station agent for what was then named Algerville.
A post office was established on July 3, 1851, and named Holly Mills, with Marcus L. Young as the first postmaster. James G. Mitchell platted the village in 1855 and it was renamed Holly on December 7, 1861, probably for the shrub that still grows in the area. The Pierre Marquette Railroad completed its lines to Holly in 1862, making it one of the first Michigan communities with a railroad junction.
Although passengers and other products and materials were also transported, the railroad mostly brought white pine from the forests of northern Michigan to the Eastern United States.
Holly was incorporated in 1865. By then, its business district had concentrated in the Saginaw and Broad Street area, and included several hotels and stores, banks, a train depot, foundries, a coal yard, and a lumber yard. Soon, Martha Street was added to the village's business district. In 1885, Martha Street was renamed Battle Alley after a quarrel between members of a traveling circus and some local men turned into a brawl.
A the region's pine resources dwindled, other businesses took the place of the lumber industry. At one time, the H.J. Heinz Company, the Grinnell Brothers Piano Factory, the Hartz Spring Factory, and the Lane Fence Factory were located in Holly.
Employment in Holly today consists largely of management and professional occupations, sales, and other office jobs, although the production and transportation industries are also active.
Since Holly first appeared on a census report in 1860, the village has experienced only two periods of decline, including a 12.3% decline in 1890 and a 0.8% decline in 2010. Its population is projected to increase slightly in the 2020 census.
The focus of this guide is on the village of Holly, Michigan. Appropriate topics include online resources for the village, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, and events.
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Recommended Resources
Broad Street Nationwide Valuations
Based in Holly, Michigan, Broad Street Valuations is an independent nationwide appraisal management company that specializes in residential real estate appraisals, providing all traditional Fannie Mae form residential appraisal products required for conventional, FHA, and USDA mortgage lending. Its products, technology, and advantages are defined, and its licenses in each state are listed, along with contacts and registrations for lenders, clients, and appraisers.
https://www.broadstreetvaluations.com/
Begun in 1972, Christmas in Action provides assistance to low-income elderly and disabled people throughout the country, sixty years of age or older, with homes that are in need of repair. The Holly CIA location was organized in 2004 when volunteers were able to work on two houses. An overview of the Holly location and the national organization is put forth, including its mission, board of directors, and contacts. Sponsors and donors are acknowledged, and fundraisers are highlighted.
http://www.hollycia.org/
Established in 1935, the organization is located in the old Holly Theater in historic downtown Holly, Michigan, where its layout depicts the fictitious Detroit Union Railroad, a double-track line running from Detroit to Dorrance, with a continuing single-track and branch line service to Keatington, Millersburg, and beyond. Narrow-gauge tracks interchange at Millersburg, serving customers in the mountain region. Membership information, photos of its layout, and upcoming projects are presented.
http://www.dmrrc.org/
The free public school academy in Holly, Michigan offers a curriculum for young 5's, kindergarteners, and students in grades one through eight. Sponsored by Central Michigan University, the school was founded in 1999. Its philosophy, beliefs, and values are set forth, along with its curriculum, sports and extracurricular programs, and a guide for prospective and current families. Also included is a school calendar, and its Coffee and Conversation days for parents and guests.
https://www.hollyacademy.org/
Serving the Holly, Michigan area, HAS provides a K-12th-grade curriculum through several campuses, including Davisburg Elementary School, Holly Elementary School, Patterson Elementary School, Rose Pioneer Elementary School, Holly Middle School, Holly High School, and the Karl Richter Campus, each of which is featured here. Also featured are a district calendar, accreditation data, a staff directory, student support services, district news, and an annual education report.
https://www.hask12.org/
Also known as the Auburn Hills/Holly KOA, the campground on East Grange Hall Road in Holly, Michigan offers cabin camping, tent sites, and recreational vehicle sites, each of which is featured here, with numerous photographs, lists of amenities, descriptions, rates and other fees. Activities and events in the area surrounding the campground are listed and shown in photographs, including links to those that have web addresses. Its location is shown on a map, and contacts are posted.
https://www.hollycampground.com/
The historic Holly Hotel is no longer a guest facility, but a restaurant housed in a circa 1891 building that is listed on the United States Register of Historic Places. The history of the building and stories of ghosts are told, and its hours of operation, menu, and Comedy Club are featured, and its accommodations for weddings and other private events are outlined. Its location, restaurant hours, and reservation policies are posted. Gift certificates may be purchased online or by telephone.
https://www.hollyhotel.com/
The full-service preventative maintenance and auto repair center has been in operation since 1991, servicing and repairing imported and domestic cars and trucks, as well as towing services during normal business hours. Its services, appointment policies, and finance options are published on the site, and specific information for the servicing of various types of vehicles is included. Special offers are posted on the site, and a blog offers informational articles on various auto issues.
https://www.hollytire.com/
Main Street Holly Downtown Development Authority
The Holly, Michigan DDA is part of the Main Street Programs, designed to revitalize downtowns and commercial districts. The DDA board of directors is made up of nine members who are owners of businesses, have business interests within the DDA district, live within the district or are residents of the Village of Holly. Its board is identified, and a calendar of events is posted on the site. Maps, directions, available properties, and area attractions are highlighted.
http://www.mainstreetholly.com/
Offering personal and corporate engraving services on nearly any material, including wood, metal, glass, plastics, firearms, acrylics, and others, the Holly, Michigan company also carries a large selection of gifts, such as wallets, jewelry, leather goods, and trophies. A gallery of engraved items is set forth in photos and videos, its services are described and illustrated in pictures, and an online shopping area includes clocks, pie plates, knives, signage, bottle openers, and others.
https://milaserengraving.com/
The Oakland County village is about fifteen miles south of Flint and fifty-five miles northwest of Detroit. The official municipal website offers contacts for the village government, clerk and treasurer, public works, public safety, and community development. Public notices, news, announcements, and access to various reports and other documents are included. Council meeting agendas and minutes are published, along with a schedule of upcoming events, and job opportunities.
https://www.hollyvillage.org/
