At present, there are two major orchards in Washington Township: Westview Orchards and Cider Mill of Romeo and Verellen's Orchards and Cider Mill.īeginning in the 1950's, much of the farmland has been sold and converted to subdivisions.

In 1850, the township had 116 farms and by 1874 that number had grown to 196. A significant part of the farming history of this area is related to the beautiful orchards that have been, and are, here. Historically, Washington Township has been a productive farming community, with a strong emphasis on orchards. The church building still stands today across from the museum. The next church to appear in the township was the Washington Union Church which was organized in 1879. Services were first held in homes, then in schoolhouses, and finally a building was erected in 1846 where the Methodist Church is today. The first organized church was the Methodist Church formed in 1823. In the early days, there were circuit ministers who visited Washington Township, otherwise people had to travel to Utica for worship. The first school was a log schoolhouse built in 1824 just south of the Washington Village with Miss Emeline Allen, younger sister of the early settlers William and John Allen, as the first teacher. Bruce Township became a separate entity in 1833. The township originally included what is today Washington and Bruce Townships. When it came time to chose a name for the new township, Daniel Thurston, who presided over the meeting, said 'I move we name the town in honor of the father of our country.' The name Washington was enthusiastically accepted by the group.

The Museum has a map of the original land grants issued in the township.Ī meeting to organize the township was held in April 1827 at the home of Alvin Nye.

The first settler, James Thorington, came to Washington Township in 1819.īy the mid-1820's, many settlers had obtained government land grants in the township, the majority of them from New York. Washington Township, located in northern Macomb County, was first surveyed by Wampler in 1817.

Washington township mi