Surrounded by Addison Township, Leonard, Michigan is a small village in the northeastern segment of Oakland County.
Rochester Road (Forest Street) and Leonard Road (Elmwood Avenue) intersect in the center of the village. Cities and villages within twenty miles of Leonard include Dryden, Oxford, Lake Orion, Romeo, Almont, Metamora, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Imlay City, Ortonville, Armada, Auburn Hills, and Capac.
The Polly Ann Trail, a non-motorized trail following the former Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad bed that connects the townships of Orion, Oxford, and Addison, as well as the villages of Oxford and Leonard. Owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the trail may be used for non-motorized travel. The Polly Ann Trail Management Council is located in Leonard.
Founded by Leonard Rowland, who came to the area in 1882, the same year that the Pontiac, Oxford, and Northern Railroad came through, the community was originally known as Trombley, while the railroad depot was known as Dryden Station. The settlement was renamed for its founder when the Trombley post office was moved a mile and a half north to the railroad station on December 22, 1884.
Leonard was incorporated as a village in 1887, but got off to a slow start. One year after it was incorporated, the population was only twenty. Besides the depot, there was a general store and a justice of the peace office.
However, by 1890, its population had climbed to 276, then to 335 by 1900. Early businesses included a sawmill, a hardware store, drugstore, meat market, grocery store, and hotel. Leonard Rowland opened the Leonard Grain Elevator and Beanery next to the railroad tracks in 1889, serving area farmers. By this time, local timber resources had depleted, and agriculture had become the chief industry. In 1912, a fruit evaporator opened in Leonard
With the decline of the timber industry and the introduction of automobiles and improved roads, rail service to the area declined. Passenger service was ended in 1955, and rail service to Leonard was ended completely in 1984. The suspension of rail service led to the closure of the grain elevator, which was converted to a dry goods store, then closed in 2004.
The Addison Township Firefighters Strawberry Festival has its origins in 1952, when the township fire department, which worked out of its station in Leonard, first served strawberry sundaes to the public, since expanding to include a parade, cook-off contests, a car show, a talent show, arts and crafts, and live music.
Today, Leonard is largely a residential community, although it is home to a variety of businesses and local industries, as well as churches.
The community is hoping to save its historic grain elevator, with a plan to refurbish the building and make it a point of interest on the Polly Ann Trail. Constructed in 1898, Rowland Hall was donated to the village by its founder, and remains in operation today.
Over the years, the village population has experienced ups and downs, but the trend has been one of increase. Currently, the population of Leonard is just above four hundred.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the small village of Leonard, Michigan. Appropriate topics include websites representing the village government, or any businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, or recreational opportunities.
Recommended Resources
Offering traditional Irish and Scottish cuisine, as well as an eclectic menu that includes American burgers, pizza, fish and chips, and other items, the Irish pub opened in 2015, including a bar and restaurant, with a private event room upstairs that can accommodate up to thirty people. Its business address is published on the site, along with its hours of operation, telephone number, and social media addresses. Its services are outlined, and a contact form is included.
http://www.barinleonardmi.com/
A campus of Oxford Schools, Leonard Elementary is a K-5th-grade public school in Leonard, Michigan. Faculty and staff introductions and contacts are provided, along with an office phone number, attendance number, and fax number. Enrollment information, lunch menus, a principal's message, and a parent portal are available, and a school calendar, events calendar, classroom pages, curriculum guides, and an overview of student support services are set forth, and various documents may be downloaded.
https://leonard.oxfordschools.org/
Previously a working farm and summer home, the building that houses the B&B is more than a century old, and recently renovated, and situated on fourteen acres. Catering to guests twenty-one years of age or older, the accommodations are highlighted, with photographs, descriptions, and an online availability check, as well as a list of amenities. Policies, prices, special offers, and gift certificates are featured, contacts are posted, and a blog is included.
https://www.maplecovebandb.com/
Based in Leonard, Michigan, the full-service painting and high-performance coating installer can accommodate turnkey operations as well as cost-effective services, including industrial and commercial painting services, utilizing precise planning and scheduling, proper equipment, and safe working practices. Its painting, preparation, and flooring services are defined, a gallery of photographs is featured, and its office hours, phone number, email address, and a contact form are provided.
https://mastercraftandassociates.com/
The small village in Oakland County was incorporated in 1889. The official municipal website presents a profile and brief history of the village, village office schedules and contacts, monthly meeting agendas and minutes, the village master plan, a village calendar of events, public notices, and an overview of village projects and policies. Village officials are introduced, a guide to local programs and services are included, and links to other online local resources are posted.
https://www.villageofleonard.org/
