Barton Hills is a village in Ann Arbor Charter Township within Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Originally established by Detroit Edison president Alex Dow on land acquired for the Barton Dam, Barton Hills was designed as an exclusive, forested residential enclave just outside Ann Arbor. In 1944, the community was sold to its residents, and a village was incorporated in 1973. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 294. The village is located just northwest of Ann Arbor. The streets in the village were formerly owned by the Barton Hills Maintenance Corporation but were purchased by the village itself in 2010.
History
Adjacent to the City of Ann Arbor, an area known as "Huron Farms" was established by the Detroit Edison Company in 1913. The company acquired 2,000 acres in Ann Arbor township on both sides of the Huron River to build a series of dams for electric power production, including the Barton Dam. Land owned by the company was also used for agricultural purposes, including farms, dairy cattle, and fruit orchards. Detroit Edison's president, Alex Dow, devote parted of the company's acquisition as an exclusive residential community for company executives. Dow and his wife Vivienne selected a site just north of the Barton Dam, on former pastureland, for their own house. In 1915, the company contracted with the Olmstead Brothers, famous for their park and subdivision designs, as landscape architects for the new community. At first a denuded hill sloping into the pond, jokingly referred to as "Barren Hill," the Olmstead Brothers plan prescribed that the area be reforested. When homes were constructed in the 1920s, restrictions attached to each deed stipulated that the homes must be designed by a registered architect. The Barton Hills Country Club, the only business establishment within the township, was founded in 1917. Membership in the Barton Hills Country Club was considered by many to be a mark of distinction. In 2020, about 45% of Barton Hills residents were members of the country club. By the 1940s, through the economic and social turmoil of the Great Depression and World War II, the community had become an economic liability for a public utility. The company shareholders decided to make an outright gift of its holding to the residents of the community in exchange for assuming responsibility for maintaining the water system, roads, and other municipal services.ref name="Shackman-Kane"/> However, the community did not seek municipal status until some thirty years later. On December 12, 1973, the community became the first home rule village in Washtenaw County.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of, all land. Barton Hills sits on the north bank of Barton Pond, the impoundment of the Huron River, created by the Barton Dam, a low-head hydroelectric dam originally built by Detroit Edison.
As of the census of 2010, there were 294 people, 123 households, and 93 families residing in the village. The population density was. There were 137 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 88.1% White, 1.0% African American, 6.8% Asian, 1.7% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population. There were 123 households of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couplesliving together, 2.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.4% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age in the village was 53.7 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 10.2% were from 25 to 44; 37.3% were from 45 to 64; and 29.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 335 people, 136 households, and 112 families residing in the village. The population density was 418.2 per square mile. There were 141 housing units at an average density of 176.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 88.96% White, 1.49% African American, 5.07% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 3.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population. There were 136 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 81.6% of households were married couples living together, 0.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.6% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.73. The village population was 18.8% under the age of 18, 3.6% age 18 to 24, 14.6% age 25 to 44, 40.6% age 45 to 64, and 22.4% age 65 and older. The median age was 52. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males. The median household income was $149,056, and the median family income was $153,166. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $51,111 for females. The per capita income for the village was $110,683. None of the families and 0.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, none of whom were under the age of eighteen or over 64.
