Livonia, Michigan - 2003 Community Profile

Livonia’s history showcase, Greenmead Historical Village, preserves the city’s past in significant buildings and with related activities. Greenmead features some of Livonia’s original buildings from the 1800s, including the Hill House Museum, Farm Complex and Gardens (1841); Newburg Methodist Church (1848); Newburg School (1861); Kingsley House (1843); Friends Meeting House (1846); Judge Blue’s House, believed to be more than 130 years old; and many others. The Blue House has been renovated to meet current building codes and will be available for receptions and other events.

Sue Daniel walks comfortably through Greenmead Historical Village, bringing an untiring spirit and vast knowledge of Livonia’s past to the task of preserving community history. She is a graduate of Livonia schools and is extremely active in the Livonia Historical Commission, historical preservation and other tasks that keep Livonia’s agricultural and cultural past alive.

“Livonia was a farming community that experienced explosive growth in the 1950s,” notes Daniel. “There were 1,500 people just a few decades earlier; that doubled, then doubled again.

“The buildings here, except for Hill House, were all moved to Greenmead from other places in the city, as an alternative to demolition. It has just evolved, through energetic support from the community and Friends of Greenmead.”

Among the events held at Greenmead are the Arts & Crafts Festival, Livonia Garden Walk, Music Under the Stars, St. Andrews 151st Highland Games, Michigan Brewers Festival, Livonia Christmas Walk and much more. The Friends of Greenmead have been instrumental in keeping Greenmead going by raising money for refurbishing and enhancing the site. Activities such as the annual Christmas Walk and the Garden Walk help raise funds. A limited amount of city, state and private funding also helps maintain Greenmead. “A master plan is in place,” says Daniel. “There is much to be done.”

The Wilson Barn is a fascinating site that helps preserve the past for both residents and visitors. Wilson Barn is also the site of many events throughout the year, including flower sales, an antique car show and holiday programs. During the summer, a Farmers Market is operated to allow residents to purchase farm-fresh produce. Preserved by Friends of Wilson Barn, the location is listed as a local, state and national historic site.

The Livonia Symphony Orchestra, celebrating its 30th season, performs a full concert series as well as special events including the classics, semi-classics, Broadway and movie musicals, and “pop” repertoire. “We have from 65 to 75 musicians, depending on the performance,” says Bob Bennett, who not only helps guide the symphony as president of the Board of Directors, but served as mayor of Livonia from 1988–1995. “The organization stages 10 or 11 performances each year, including seven in our regular concert series.”

The Livonia Symphony’s director, Volodymyr Schesiuk, emigrated from the Ukraine in 1990 to direct one of the country’s finest community orchestras. “He is not only a fine director, but is also an accomplished violinist and has a list of degrees and experience that is quite lengthy,” says Bennett. “We have noticed recently some additional interest from younger people. Our programs include programs that are fresh and fun, in addition to traditional classical programs. We inject a jazz element, perform as part of the SPREE festival and have Music Under the Stars as well.”

The Livonia Civic Chorus is also an active group in the community. In addition to various performances throughout the City, the Chorus stages an annual spring musical, much to the delight of their enthusiastic fans. The Music Under the Stars series is performed in the Civic Center Park. Brown Bag Lunch concerts are performed at the Civic Center Library.

The Livonia Arts Commission helps create, promote, develop and sponsor the arts in the community. “Birds in Flight” is a sculpture commissioned by the Livonia Arts Commission that is enjoyed by the citizens of Livonia. It is installed in the Livonia Civic Center Plaza. The City Hall Lobby hosts monthly art exhibits of local artists and art clubs. Many of these artworks are for sale.

The annual Arts Festival is held the second weekend in June at the Greenmead Historical Park on Newburg Road at Eight Mile. The Festival features over 200 juried exhibitors, free admission and parking, entertainment, and food booths. The Fine Arts Festival is held in conjunction with the Annual Arts Festival and features the works of juried, established artists.

This exhibit is displayed in the restored historic buildings on the Greenmead grounds.

Music Under the Stars Concerts are free outdoor events sponsored by the Livonia Arts Commission and the Parks and Recreation Department. Concerts are held on Thursdays during July and August at various city park locations from 7:30–9 p.m.

The Livonia Community Foundation, established in 1995, has the express purpose of building and maintaining an endowment fund to enhance and preserve the arts and meet the cultural, historical, educational, recreational and charitable needs of the community. The foundation, one of only 66 in Michigan, maintains a true endowment that uses only the earnings of the fund to support its goals and objectives.

The endowment, already at the $250,000 level, distributes more than $10,000 annually to organizations that include the Livonia Symphony Orchestra; Greenmead; First Step, an area organization that focuses on child and spousal abuse situations; Wilson Barn; Livonia Family YMCA; Livonia Youth Chorus; Livonia Arts Commission; and the League of Woman Voters.

Approximately 65 percent of the financial support comes from community contributions, with the rest coming from corporate gifts.

Libraries

Livonia Civic Center Library, on Five Mile Road, is the main library of the community system. Opened in 1988, the fabulous facility has an annual circulation of more than 470,000 items; a 300-seat auditorium; and meeting rooms.

The Livonia Civic Center Library is a member of the Federal Government Depository Library Program. As a selective depository library, they receive approximately 17 percent of all federal government documents produced. The government document collection is housed on the second floor of the library in the Adult Reference area.

Noontime Concerts are held in the Civic Center Library September through May, on the 3rd Thursday of the month. The concerts are free, and guests are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch and enjoy free beverages during the 45-minute performances.

Alfred Noble Library, on Plymouth Road, opened in 1967 as the “main library.” A Livonia native, Noble became an accomplished engineer with many significant projects to his credit, including the Panama Canal. The branch has an annual circulation of more than 106,000 items. Phone: (734) 421-6600

Carl Sandburg Library, on Seven Mile Road, opened in 1961. The branch has an annual circulation of more than 137,000 items. The name was recommended by the Library Commission as an example of an American author representing the best of literature of the Midwest. Sandburg taught at the University of Michigan for a time.

The Vest Pocket Library is located in the Senior Center at 15218 Farmington Road in the southeast corner of Farmington and Five Mile Roads. Vest Pocket Library is staffed by volunteers and supervised by Carl Sandburg Library’s Toni LaPorte. Vest Pocket was opened as part of National Library Week on April 17, 1972. The collection at Vest Pocket is geared toward senior citizens’ interests and includes many large-print books.

Friends of Livonia Public Library is an active group with over 600 members. The mission of the Friends is to provide support for the services and programs of the Livonia Public Library. Volunteers meet this mission by helping at Library programs, events and fundraising efforts. Funds are raised by the Friends in three ways: membership dues, The Friends Gift Shop and used-book sales.

Historic Preservation

The Livonia Historic Preservation Commission’s responsibilities are to regulate the alteration, repair, moving or demolition of structures or sites of historic or architectural value within the corporate limits of Livonia. The Historic Preservation Commission has books and videos for residents to borrow. The Livonia Historical Commission collects, arranges and preserves historical material relating to the early settlers of Livonia.