Marygrace Liparoto | RE/MAX Platinum

Ann Arbor

Location
Ann Arbor is located about 40 miles west of Detroit, Michigan and is within convenient driving distance from Chicago, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and Toronto. It also has an Amtrak rail passenger depot as well as terminals for major interstate bus lines. In addition, it has a public bus service, “The Ride.” Detroit Metropolitan Airport is about 20 miles away via freeway. The city also boasts its own municipal airport. The major traffic corridors that provide highway access include U.S. 23, a north-south corridor that traverses Michigan’s Lower Peninsula from south to north, and I-94, a freeway that runs from Port Huron on the east to Benton Harbor in the west.

History
Ann Arbor was settled in 1824 by Elisha Rumsey and John Allen, two pioneers who were attracted to the lush, wooded land along the Huron River about 40 miles west of Detroit, which then was a major trading post.

Theories abound about how Ann Arbor got its name, but the most widely accepted version is that both Rumsey and Allen had wives named “Ann” and the name was combined with “arbor,” describing the tree-shaded areas where they first staked their land claims.

Education
The Ann Arbor area has superb public elementary and secondary schools and a broad range of superior private schools. It also is home to the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College. The UM campus features a vast assortment of libraries and museums. In addition to being a Big 10 school and a world-renowned research institution, it also hosts the University of Michigan Hospitals, which provide a range of specialized and general care regarded as second to none.

2010 Demographics
City population: 113,521
Households: 45,693
Median household income: $46,299
Median housing value: $181,400
Housing owner-occupied: 44 percent
Households in poverty: 15 percent

Culture and Recreation
Ann Arbor has a dizzying array of cultural attractions, perhaps typical of a large university town. Each summer, its streets are the venue for the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, which draws artisans from across the nation. Downtown bars and restaurants also routinely feature live entertainment and Hill Auditorium and the Power Center for the Performing Arts attracts national acts. For urban dwellers who also are nature lovers,
Ann Arbor has it all. The Huron River cuts through the town, providing ample opportunities for anglers, canoeists and kayakers. Dozens of parks dot the region and the area is surrounded by natural assets and state recreation areas.

Official government Web site: http://www.a2gov.org/