Ann Arbor, Michigan (pop. 123,851; met. area pop. 372,258), is the home of the University of Michigan. It lies in the southeastern part of Michigan, about 36 miles (58 kilometers) west of Detroit.
Downtown Ann Arbor is home to several county and civic buildings and part of the University of Michigan, the city’s largest employer. Another campus of the university is in the northeastern part of the city. Concordia University is also in Ann Arbor. Many computer and other electronics firms in the city conduct research and manufacture electronic equipment. The city is also a printing and publishing center. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, railroads, and bus lines serve the city. Ann Arbor has many parks and dozens of miles of bicycle trails.
Two pioneers from Virginia and New York founded Ann Arbor on the banks of the Huron River in 1823. They named it Ann after the first name of both their wives, and arbor for a grove of beautiful oak trees there. Ann Arbor was incorporated as a city in 1851. It is the seat of Washtenaw County and has a council-manager form of government.
