Northville Now

Northville, MI Community

Visit Mill Race Historical Village: Unique History Tours in Northville

by Julie Moraitis on July 21, 2025

Step onto the gentle curves of Griswold Street in Northville, Michigan, and a quiet charm waves you closer. At Mill Race Historical Village, stories linger more than just in the wind. They greet you with every picket fence, shade from an old tree, and creak of a wooden bridge.

A Living Museum Awaits

Mill Race Historical Village is a reminder of the community spirit that built Northville. Founded in 1972 by the Northville Historical Society, the village brings to life a patchwork of the nineteenth century, carefully recreated on a brush of land once used by the Ford Motor Company. The village sits where a grist mill once stood, with the Rouge River looping alongside and whispers of the past riding its currents.

Here, history isn’t behind glass. It is right at your fingertips, waiting for your footsteps.

Village Attractions: A Walk Through Time

Feel the breeze in the Gazebo
A wide, white Victorian-style gazebo stands tall near the river, looking like a perfect spot for a breezy afternoon. Built by students, it now often hosts couples exchanging vows or families staging the yearly group photo.

The New School Church: A Place for All Moments
Step under the Greek Revival columns of the New School Church, built in 1845. Over the years, this warm white church has echoed with sermons, school lessons, and even library whispers. Today, it’s a favorite for weddings and community gatherings.

Cady Inn: From Coach Stop to Cozy Office
Once serving travelers as an early coach stop, Cady Inn now houses the Northville Historical Society. Its saltbox style invites curiosity about the many faces it’s seen.

General Store and Archives
Peek inside the General Store, reconstructed using timber from the original 1830s building. Wooden floors creak as you eye old-fashioned candies and essentials. Upstairs, careful hands sort archives that tell Northville’s story.

Homes With Heart
Explore the nine rooms of Yerkes House, built in 1873, with its sweet Carpenter Gothic details. Not far is the Hunter House, a simple Greek Revival home set up as a traditional house museum. Each home opens a window to past daily life—knitting by the fire, handwritten notes, laughter by lamp-light.

Weavers Cottage: Craft in Action
In the Weavers Cottage, the clack of a loom and swirl of colored yarn reveal a tradition carried forward. The session family and Morse Dairy hands called this place their own before it traveled to Mill Race in 1976.

Blacksmith Shop and the Bell Pier
Feel the heat at the Hirsch Blacksmith Shop, a working smithy echoing with the clang and spark of the iron. Wander to the Bell Pier to spot a grand bell, made in Northville, whose ringing once called whole communities together.

Wash Oak School & Interurban Station
The one-room Wash Oak School once served Northville’s children for almost a century. Follow a local teacher as visiting elementary kids sit at tiny wooden desks and dip feather pens in ink. The Interurban Station, a tiny building from the electric railroad’s golden days, dares you to imagine the clang of old railcars going by.

A Bridge With a Story
Cross the wooden bridge added in 1975. Modeled on Concord’s Old North Bridge in Massachusetts, it stands as a tribute to pivotal beginnings and echoes of change.

Moments Start Here:

Take a self-guided walking tour using your phone—no rush, just you and the unfolding setting
Snap photos of bright flowers and vintage architecture
Join in at parades or community events, where laughter carries between the buildings
Discover rotating exhibits and hands-on crafts

When To Visit

Open year-round from dawn to dusk, Mill Race dazzles in every season. Buildings open for tours on Sundays from 1 PM to 4 PM between June 22 and October 5. The rest of the time, the grounds wait patiently—ideal for a quiet stroll or lively outdoor gathering.

Find Mill Race at 215 Griswold Street, Northville, MI 48167. Got questions? Call (248) 348-1845, and a friendly representative will assist you in planning a visit.

Community in Action

Mill Race runs on the power of volunteers and those who care.

Love dressing up in Victorian attire? Act as a docent and tell others the secrets of each building
Want to wave from a parade float? March with the Northville Historical Society
Handy with a hammer or have a green thumb? The community “Stone Gang” and garden teams meet regularly to keep Mill Race shining
Interested in helping events run smoothly or getting students to try out the one-room schoolhouse experience? There’s a spot for everyone

Support Makes It Possible
The village thrives on donations, event bookings, and kind volunteers. Your next birthday party, small wedding, or afternoon tour helps keep this local treasure nourished for all. Want to make a direct impact? Donations of time or funds are always welcome.

Look Closer: Every Visit Feels New

With every visit, Mill Race challenges you to spot a new detail: maybe the way light bounces off the old station windows, or a forgotten note on a house door. Children race over the bridge while adults pause to take in the layers of history, mingling with the present.

Mill Race Historical Village is more than a stop on a map. It’s a living story that invites every visitor to be a part of Northville’s unfolding history. Make plans today, and see where time will lead you next.