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Bordered on the south by Ohio, Morenci is the southernmost city in Michigan. In Lenawee County, it is otherwise bordered by Medina and Seneca townships.

The Tiffin River begins as Bean Creek, which enters the city in the northwest, flows south through the city, where it becomes the Tiffin River, which continues south into Ohio. The Tiffin River is joined by Silver Creek, which enters the city from the east, flowing southwest to drain into the Tiffin River near the state line. Carter Drain enters the city in the northeast, flowing south to join Silver Creek shortly after the creek enters the city.

The chief route through the city are M-156, which begins at the Ohio state line with Star Route 108, and runs north to M-34 in Clayton. Other routes include Morenci Road (Main Street), Weston Road, and Yankee Road (Coomer Street). Sims Highway forms the city's western boundary, and Fay Highway forms a portion of its eastern border.

Michigan cities and villages within twenty miles of Morenci include Clayton, Waldron, Hudson, and Adrian, while the unincorporated communities of Canandaigua and Medina are within ten miles, as are the Ohio localities of Oakshade, Royalton, and Fayette.

Although its population has declined slightly during three of the last five decades, Morenci has mostly experienced steady growth, with a population above two thousand.

European-Americans began settling the area of Morenci in the early 1830s, mostly along Bean Creek. The virgin forest supplied timber and the creek furnished water power for grist mills and sawmills. In 1836, William Sutton opened a tavern, and Japheth Whitman opened a general store. A post office was established on October 12, 1838, with Japheth Whitman as postmaster. The post office was named Morenci, although the origins of the name are disputed.

The first hotel in the community was known as the Morenci House, and a furniture store and undertaking parlor were opened in 1851 by Silas A. Scofield. Franklin Cawley, who had come to the community in 1836, made the first plat of the townsite in 1852, naming it Brighton. However, as there was already another Brighton in Michigan, the village retained the name of Morenci.

Morenci became home to two railroads. The first was an interurban line that operated under several names, including the Ohio and Morenci. The O&M was created in 1833 to purchase the Toledo & Western Railroad along the Michigan and Ohio border. It operated from Allen Junction in Ohio to Morenci, Michigan, handling freight and passenger traffic. Its freight operations continued even after its interurban service was eliminated. The company went bankrupt several times. Passenger service was discontinued in 1933. The other was the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern/New York Central Railroad (LSM/NYC). Planning to reach Chicago from Canada, the Canada Southern got as far west as Fayette, Ohio, where it stopped and became the Fayette Branch of the LSM/NYC. Later, it truncated back to Morenci, and the line was served by a turn from Adrian to Fayette or Morenci, which returned back to Adrian.

Morenci was incorporated as a village in 1871 and became a city in 1934.

At one time, Morenci had more than seventy business and three schools, as well as doctors and law offices. Although it was never a large town, it served as the commercial center for a much larger area. Besides the railroad, a couple of stage lines served the town.

The first child born in Morenci was Mariette Beckwith, who later became the mother of E.D. Stair, who contributed money to build the Stair Auditorium, Stair Gymnasium, Stair Public Library, and for other causes. Unfortunately, many of Morenci's historical structures were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Morenci Fire Department began in the 1870s as the Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and a Fire and Bucket Brigade. Its first motorized fire engine was acquired in 1914, the second in 1924, and the third in 1934. Today, the Fire Department is a paid-on-call department that covers the city, Seneca and Medina townships, and Chesterfield Township in Ohio.

Morenci Area EMS provides emergency medical services to the city, as well as Medina and Seneca townships in Lenawee County, and Chesterfield Township in Fulton County, Ohio.

The Morenci Area School District serves Morenci, and parts of Medina, Seneca, Dover, Hudson, and Fairfield townships, operating an elementary school, and a combined middle and high school.

The city maintains twenty-eight acres of park and recreation property within the city limits, including Wakefield Park, Stephenson Park, Riverside Natural Area, and the sports facilities of the school district.

Morenci has a traditional downtown district, which contains the majority of the city's commercial businesses, although others are scattered throughout the city.

The focus of this category is on websites of businesses within the city.

 

 

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