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Farmington Hotel - Stage-Lines

In 1850 the old tavern which stood on the Territorial road, near the creek, was consumed by fire. At the time of its destruction it was kept by Horace Swan, who then at once set about the erection of the present Farmington hotel. It was completed in due time, and was opened as a public-house by Mr. Swan in 1851. Its location was a favorable one, being on the Grand river road, which had then passed into the hands of the plank-road company, and had become the main street of the town, and the stage-route from Detroit to Lansing, which had then recently been established as the State capital. This, and the planking of the road to Lansing, which was finished in the following year, gave a great impetus to the stage traffic, for which the new hotel became (that which the old one never had been) a stopping-place and a station. The travel required two four- horse stage-coaches each way daily, with frequent extras as far as the Farmington hotel or the Wixom tavern, and often the extras were obliged to continue as far as Brighton, and even to Howell. Twenty- four passengers were carried by each coach, and they almost always ran with a full freight both ways. It was a usual thing to see nine passengers riding upon the top, so great was the travel at that time.

These coaches were owned by Hibbard & Burrill, of Detroit, though at various times during the days of staging Hibbard had other partners; as for instance, Mr. Rose, of Mount Clemens, who died in Pontiac, proprietor of the Rose hotel at that place.

The stage-lines flourished until the opening of the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan railroad, after which they declined, first reducing their capacity to a single daily stage, and finally disappearing entirely, and with them departed the days of prosperity to the public-houses along their former route. The Farmington mail now comes and goes via Fisher's, and the passenger travel by way of Novi; both stations are on the Holly, Wayne and Monroe railroad.