Press enter after choosing selection

John Allen

John Allen image
Description

When Virginian John Allen and New Yorker Elisha Walker Rumsey met in Detroit in February 1824, they shared a strong sense of adventure as well as a history of questionable financial deals. Seeking to improve their fortunes, the two men set out to found a new town. Their timing was good--Michigan Territory was just opening up, and government land was selling for $1.25 an acre.

Other Reading:
John Allen and the Founding of Ann Arbor,
by Russell E. Bidlack, 1962

Bentley Image Bank: ">BL000117

Rights Held By
Image Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Historical Society

Photo

Subjects
AA Founders
John Allen