The Village of Romeo, Michigan is primarily situated in the southeast corner of Bruce Township, with a portion extending south into Washington Township, in northwest Macomb County.
South of the Detroit Metro Region, the village is adjacent to Armada Township to the east and Ray Township to the southeast. The chief route through the village is M-53, with passes north-south through the eastern portion of the village, about a half mile east of Romeo's downtown district. Van Dyke Road (Main Street) intersects 32 Mile Road (Saint Clair Street) in the center of the Central Business District.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of Romeo include Armada, Almont, Leonard, Richmond, Rochester, Utica, Lake Orion, New Haven, Oxford, Dryden, Rochester Hills, Sterling Heights, Imlay City, Memphis, Capac, New Baltimore, and Auburn Hills.
Prior to its settlement by European-Americans, the Ojibwa people had a village in the area, although not much is known about the settlement, as the early European-Americans simply referred to it as "Indian Village."
Jeremiah Allen, who came to the area from Canada in 1821 and built a cabin, was probably the first European-American settler, although he didn't remain long. That same year, Silas Scott cleared land for a homestead, but Mr. and Mrs. Ashael Bailey became the permanent residents when they came from New York State in January of 1822. They had been passengers on Walk in the Water, the first steamer to navigate the Great Lakes. In the fall of 1822, the Job Hoxie family came to establish an inn on Main Street known as The Old Red Tavern, and the village soon became known as Hoxie's Settlement, as it was designated on an 1828 map.
However, when a post office was established on April 18, 1827, the post office was named Indian Village, with Gideon Gates as postmaster. On November 11, 1830, the post office was renamed Romeo, which was suggested by Mrs. Laura Taylor, after the principal plat owners (Ashael Bailey, N.T. Taylor, and Major Larned) failed to agree on a name.
On March 9, 1838, Hoxie's Settlement was incorporated as a village and renamed Romeo, to match the post office.
The first school in Romeo was built on a parcel of land that later held the North School, and now the administration building. The original school building was 20x30 feet with a large entryway, which left only about 20x20 feet of classroom space. It was also used for church services and other meetings.
Established in 1835, the Romeo Academy became a branch of the University of Michigan in 1843, but the branch system lost state funding and the local academy later closed. A new school was founded as the Dickinson Institute and later became Romeo High School.
In its early days, Romeo was a trade center for those engaged in the lumber industry, as there were several mills in the surrounding region, and several wealthy timber families made their homes in Romeo. Some of their mansions are still standing.
As Romeo was fortunate in that it never suffered a significant fire, some of its downtown stores and restaurants have tin ceilings from the Civil War era.
Although it did not survive long, Romeo was home to a foundry of the Detroit Auto Vehicle Company from 1904 to 1908. However, some of those who would become influential in the automobile industry was involved with the company, including John North Willys, Josepf L. Hudson, and Roy D. Chapin.
The village's public K-12 population are served by Romeo Community Schools, which is headquartered in Romeo, although most of its campuses are outside the village limit. Within the boundaries of Romeo are Croswell Early Childhood Center, Amanda Moore Elementary School, and Romeo Middle School. The current Romeo High School campus is just outside of the village limits, to the west.
Topics appropriate for this portion of our guide include online resources representing the village government or any other governmental bodies within the village, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, activities, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities.
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Recommended Resources
Affiliated with the Romeo Downtown Development Association, the Romeo-Washington Chamber of Commerce, and the Romeo Lions Club, and sponsored by several area businesses, the site is a guide to the Romeo, Michigan region. It includes information about things to see or do within the area, as well as places to eat or drink, shopping venues, and community events. A profile of the community is provided, sponsors are acknowledged, and sponsorship opportunities are listed.
https://discoveringromeo.org/
Situated on South Main Street, in Romeo, Michigan, the chiropractic clinic is easily accessible from all of the major cities and villages in southeastern Michigan. Its location, phone number, email address, a map, and business hours are published on the site, which includes an overview of its chiropractic adjustments, modalities, and massage therapy services, an introduction to the staff, informational articles, and an online contact form. A FAQ answers common questions.
https://www.romeochiropractic.com/
Headquartered in Romeo, Michigan, the public school system serves the PK-12 population in northern Macomb County. Featured is a district map, and sub-sites for each of the school campuses in the district, including locations, school schedules, administrative and faculty contacts, and announcements. The district superintendent, board of education, and departments are acknowledged, and an overview of its academic programs, a district calendar, and enrollment policies are included.
https://romeok12.org/
The official municipal website for the Macomb County village lists the village clerk, president, treasurer, board of trustees, planning commission, zoning board of appeals, and other appointed officials and boards, as well as meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes. Departmental contacts are provided, and the text of the village's most recent master plan is available in PDF format. Other resources include a municipal calendar, public notices, and information about local utilities.
https://www.villageofromeo.org/
