Ann Arbor Is A City In The U.s. State Of

Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County.

Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, established in 1837.

natural history and sciences (see Museums at the University of Michigan). Regional and local performing arts groups not associated

As the dominant institution of higher learn-

with the university include the Ann Arbor Civic

It is the state’s seventh largest city with a

ing in the city and one of the top public

Theatre; the Arbor Opera Theater; the Ann

population of 114,024 as of the 2000 Census,

universities in the world, the university

Arbor Symphony Orchestra; the Ann Arbor

of which 36,892 (32%) are university or college

provides Ann Arbor with a distinct college-

Ballet Theater; the Ann Arbor Civic Ballet (es-

students. The city, which is part of the Detroit-

town atmosphere. The university shapes

tablished in 1954 as Michigan’s first chartered

Ann Arbor-Flint, MI CSA, is named after the

Ann Arbor’s economy significantly as it

ballet company); and Performance Network,

spouses of the city’s founders and for the

employs about 30,000 workers, includ-

which operates a downtown theater frequently

stands of trees in the area.

ing about 7,500 in the medical center. The

offering new or nontraditional plays.

city’s economy is also centered on highAnn Arbor was founded in January 1824 by

technology, with several companies drawn

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, located in

John Allen and Elisha Rumsey, both of whom

to the area by the university’s research and

a renovated and expanded historic downtown

were land speculators. On May 25, 1824, the

development money, and by its graduates.

fire station, contains more than 250 interac-

town plot was registered with Wayne County

On the other hand, Ann Arbor has increas-

tive exhibits featuring science and technology.

as “Annarbour”. The city became the seat of

ingly found itself grappling with the effects

Multiple art galleries exist in the city, notably

Washtenaw County in 1827, and was incorpo-

of sharply rising land values and gentrifica-

in the downtown area and around the Univer-

rated as a village in 1833. The town became

tion, as well as urban sprawl stretching far

sity of Michigan campus. Aside from a large

a regional transportation hub in 1839 with the

into the outlying countryside.

restaurant scene in the Main Street, South

arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad, and was chartered as a city in 1851. During the 1960s and 1970s, the city gained a reputation as a center for liberal politics. During the 20th

State Street, and South University Avenue

Many Ann Arbor cultural attractions and events are sponsored by the University of Michigan.

century, the economy of Ann Arbor underwent

areas, Ann Arbor ranks first among U.S. cities in the number of booksellers and books sold per capita. The Ann Arbor District Library maintains four branch outlets in addition to

a gradual shift from a manufacturing base to a

Several performing arts groups and facili-

its main downtown building; in 2008 a new

service and technology base, which acceler-

ties are on the university’s campus, as are

branch building replaced the branch located

ated in the 1970s and 1980s.

museums dedicated to art, archaeology, and

in Plymouth Mall. This new branch is called the

leanings, some occasionally refer to Ann Ar-

Traverwood Branch, and opened on June 30,

bor as The People’s Republic of Ann Arbor

2008. The city is also home to the Gerald R.

or 25 square miles surrounded by reality, the

Ford Presidential Library.

latter phrase being adapted from Wisconsin Governor Lee Dreyfus’s description of

Several annual events – many of them centered on performing and visual arts – draw visitors to Ann Arbor. One such event is the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, a set of four concurrent juried fairs held on

Madison, Wisconsin. Ann Arbor sometimes appears on citation indexes as an author, instead of a location, often with the academic degree MI, a misunderstanding of the abbreviation for Michigan.

downtown streets, which began in 1960. Scheduled on Wednesday through Saturday in the third week of July, the fairs draw upward

Customer Service Center

of half a million visitors. One event that is not related to visual and performing arts is Hash Bash, held on the first Saturday of April, ostensibly in support of the reform of marijuana

(Located diagonally across the street from City Hall)

laws. It has been celebrated since 1971.

City Center Building, 1st Floor

A person from Ann Arbor is called an “Ann

220 East Huron

Arborite”, and many long-time residents call themselves “townies”. The city itself is often called A² (“A-squared”) or A2 (“A two”), and, less commonly, Tree Town. Recently, some youths have taken to calling Ann Arbor Ace Deuce or simply The Deuce. With tongue-incheek reference to the city’s liberal political

Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 994-2700 Fax: (734) 994-1765 E-mail: customerservice@a2g

Ann Arbor Michigan