History of Dearborn, Michigan in Timeline

Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, is located in Wayne County. With a population of approximately 110,000 as of 2020, it ranks as Michigan's seventh-largest city. Dearborn is most notably recognized as the headquarters of the Ford Motor Company and the birthplace of its founder, Henry Ford.

1922: Fordson Island Created

In 1922, Fordson Island was created when engineers dug a secondary trench to reroute the River Rouge. This rerouting increased navigability for shipping purposes, which was necessary for businesses to accommodate large lake freighters.

1922: Dearborn City Hall Complex Built

In 1922, the Dearborn City Hall Complex was built.

1924: Ford Airport Opened

From 1924 to 1947, Dearborn was the site of Ford Airport, featuring the world's first concrete runway and the first scheduled U.S. passenger service.

1924: First Public Library Opens

In 1924, Dearborn's first public library opened in the building now known as the Bryant Branch. This served as the main library.

1927: Dearborn Established as a City

In 1927, Dearborn was established as a city, stimulated by industrial development in Detroit and within Dearborn itself.

1928: Dearborn and Fordson Consolidation

In 1928, Dearborn consolidated with neighboring Fordson (formerly Springwells) through a vote. Fordson feared being absorbed into the expanding city of Detroit, leading to the merger and the establishment of Dearborn's current borders.

1934: Murals Commissioned

From 1934 to 1943, murals were commissioned for federal public buildings in the United States.

1938: Mural Painted

In 1938, artist Rainey Bennett painted an oil-on-canvas mural titled "Ten Eyck's Tavern on Chicago Road" for the federal post offices in Dearborn.

1942: Orville Hubbard Becomes Mayor

In 1942, Orville Hubbard became the segregationist mayor of Dearborn.

1943: Murals Commissioned

From 1934 to 1943, murals were commissioned for federal public buildings in the United States.

1944: Northeast Branch Opens

In 1944, the Northeast Branch opened in a storefront. This branch was eventually replaced by the Warren Branch.

1947: Ford Airport Site

From 1924 to 1947, Dearborn was the site of Ford Airport, featuring the world's first concrete runway and the first scheduled U.S. passenger service.

October 12, 1953: Esper Branch Dedicated

On October 12, 1953, the Esper Branch, originally named the Warren Branch, was dedicated. It is located in the Arab residential quarter of the city.

October 1961: Branch Renamed

In October 1961, the Warren Branch was renamed after city councilman Anthony M. Esper.

April 1963: Ford Motor Company Grant

Around April 1963, the Ford Motor Company granted the City of Dearborn $3 million to build a library as a memorial to Henry Ford.

July 30, 1963: Land Deeded for Ford Library

On July 30, 1963, the centennial or 100th anniversary of Henry Ford's birth, the Ford Motor Company deeded 15.3 acres of vacant land to the City of Dearborn for the construction of a public library.

November 25, 1969: Ford Library Dedicated

On November 25, 1969, the Ford library was dedicated.

1969: Ford Library Opens

In 1969, the Ford library opened.

1970: Mason Building Classified

In 1970, what became known as the Mason building was classified as a branch library.

1977: Library Renamed

In 1977, the library was renamed after Katharine Wright Bryant, who developed a plan for the library and campaigned for it.

1978: Orville Hubbard's Last Year as Mayor

1978 marked the end of Orville Hubbard's term as the segregationist mayor of Dearborn.

1979: Library Space Changes

In 1979, the library gave up the western side's meeting rooms for the City of Dearborn Health Department.

2000: Census Data

According to the 2000 census, 61.9% of the population spoke only English at home, 29.3% spoke Arabic, 1.9% Spanish, and 1.5% Polish. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size was 3.42.

2000: Population Increase Estimate

Over the period from 2000 to 2012, SEMCOG estimated the city to have grown to 99,001, which is an increase of 1.2% since 2000.

2000: Arab American Population

Per the 2000 census, Arab Americans totaled 29,181 or 29.85% of Dearborn's population.

2000: Last Republican to Win Dearborn Before 2024

Prior to Donald Trump's victory in 2024, the 2000 presidential election was the last time a Republican candidate had won the city of Dearborn.

2003: St. Alphonsus High School Closure

In 2003, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit closed the high school of St. Alphonsus in Dearborn.

2003: Influx of Iraqi Refugees

Since 2003, following the start of the war in Iraq, more Iraqi refugees have come to Dearborn, fleeing the conflict in their country.

January 2005: Arab American National Museum Opens

In January 2005, the Arab American National Museum was opened to celebrate the Arab American community's history, culture and contributions to the United States.

2005: Sundown Towns Publication

In 2005, historian James W. Loewen's book "Sundown Towns" stated that Dearborn discouraged African Americans from settling in the city.

2005: Arab American National Museum Opens

In 2005, the Arab American National Museum (AANM) opened in Dearborn, becoming the first museum in the world dedicated to Arab American history and culture.

2005: St. Alphonsus Elementary School Closure

In 2005, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit closed the St. Alphonsus elementary school in Dearborn.

2006: Largest Lebanese American Population

As of 2006, Dearborn has the largest Lebanese American population in the United States.

2007: Clara B. Ford High School Becomes Charter School

In the 2007–08 school year, Clara B. Ford High School, located inside Vista Maria in Dearborn Heights, became a charter school.

2010: Dearborn Census Data

As of the 2010 census, the population of Dearborn was 98,153, with a racial and ethnic composition of 89.1% White, 4.0% Black or African-American, 0.2% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.2% Non-Hispanic of some other race, 4.0% reporting two or more races, and 3.4% Hispanic or Latino. 41.7% were of Arab ancestry.

2010: Missionaries Arrested at Arab Festival

In 2010, Nabeel Qureshi, David Wood, and two others were arrested at the Dearborn International Arab Festival for handing out Christian literature. They were initially prosecuted for breach of the peace but were later acquitted, leading to a civil suit and settlement where Dearborn was found to have violated their constitutional rights related to freedom of speech.

2010: Population Compared to 2012

The 2012 population estimate showed a decrease of 1.7% from the 2010 population count.

June 18, 2011: Protestors Block Terry Jones

On June 18, 2011, Terry Jones planned to speak at the annual Arab Festival. His route was blocked by protesters, six of whom were arrested. Police said they did not have enough officers present to maintain safety. Christian missionaries accompanied Jones with their own protest signs.

November 11, 2011: Breach of Peace Ruling Vacated

On November 11, 2011, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Robert Ziolkowski vacated the "breach of peace" ruling against Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp on the grounds that they were denied due process.

April 7, 2012: Terry Jones Protest at Islamic Center of America

On April 7, 2012, Terry Jones led another protest in front of the Islamic Center of America, where he spoke about Islam and free speech. The mosque was locked down, and the city used thirty police cars to block traffic and prevent a counter protest.

2012: Population Estimate Decrease

As of the 2012 estimate, Dearborn's population was thought to have fallen to 96,474, a decrease of 1.7% since 2010.

July 2014: SEMCOG Population Estimate

In July 2014, SEMCOG estimated Dearborn's population at 102,566.

2014: Dearborn Christian School Closed

Dearborn Christian School closed in 2014.

2014: Dearborn City Hall Operations Moved

In 2014, government operations moved from the Dearborn City Hall Complex, built in 1922, to the new Dearborn Administrative Center. The former city hall was redeveloped by Artspace Projects.

2016: Bernie Sanders Wins Dearborn Primary

In 2016, Bernie Sanders received the most votes in the heavily Muslim and Arab parts of Dearborn in the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

2019: Ethnic Groups

In 2019, U.S. Census estimates identified Lebanese Americans as the largest ethnic group in Dearborn, followed by Yemeni Americans.

2020: Ancestry Statistics

In 2020, U.S. Census data revealed that 54.5% of the population in Dearborn reported Middle Eastern or North African ancestry.

2020: Dearborn Population Count

In 2020, the census recorded Dearborn's population as 109,976, making it the seventh-most populous city in Michigan. The 2020 census also revealed that 54.5% of Dearborn's population reported Middle Eastern or North African ancestry.

2020: 2020 Presidential Election Results in Dearborn

In the 2020 United States presidential election, 68.8% of voters in Dearborn selected Joe Biden, while 29.9% selected Donald Trump.

March 2021: SMART Flex Launched

In March 2021, SMART Flex, an on-demand public transit service, was launched in Dearborn in partnership with Via Transportation. Residents and workers in several cities, including Dearborn, could book rides using the SMART Flex app.

2021: Dearborn Government Officials in 2021

In 2021, Dearborn operated under a mayor-council form of government. Abdullah Hammoud was the Mayor, George T. Darany was the City Clerk, and Michael T. Sareini was the City Council President.

2021: Yemeni Americans Advocate for Role in Dearborn Government

In 2021, Niraj Warikoo of the Detroit Free Press reported that Yemeni Americans in Dearborn were advocating for more of a role in their city's government.

2022: Largest Employers

According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: (list of employers not specified)

2022: Shift Toward Republican Party in East Dearborn

In the 2022 Michigan elections, there was a shift in east Dearborn (heavily Arab and Muslim) toward the Republican Party as LGBTQ+ materials in schools became a political issue. Democrats still won the city overall by a comfortable margin.

2023: Dearborn Becomes Arab-Majority City

In 2023, Dearborn became the first Arab-majority city in the US, with 55% of residents claiming Middle Eastern or North African ancestry, according to a 2023 survey.

February 2, 2024: Controversial Article Published

On February 2, 2024, The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece titled "Welcome to Dearborn, America's Jihad Capital," which led to increased online hate speech and prompted increased police patrols, according to Mayor Abdullah Hammoud.

2024: Uncommitted Vote Majority in Dearborn Primary

In the 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary, the Uncommitted vote won a majority in Dearborn, as well as in Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights. This was a protest against Biden's handling of the Gaza war.

2024: Dearborn Mayor Refuses to Endorse Biden; Trump Wins City

In the run-up to the 2024 United States presidential election, Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud refused to endorse President Joe Biden for re-election. In that election, within Dearborn, 42.48% of the voters voted for Trump, 36.26% voted for Kamala Harris, and 18.37% voted for Jill Stein. Trump became the first Republican to win the city since the 2000 presidential election.

2025: Police Badge Controversy

In 2025, Police Chief Haidar unilaterally released an image of a police badge featuring Arabic script on social media, leading to the post's removal and a statement from the city's mayor rescinding the badge.