The People of the Neighborhood

The areas presented in this section are two distinct neighborhoods: the Old Fourth Ward and Lower Town, which are physically separated from each other by the former Michigan Central Railroad tracks, and the Huron River.

The Old Fourth Ward developed its character as an African American community in the mid-19th century, and remained so throughout the 20th century up to the present. Yet there were also many African American families living in Lower Town, so the story of their history in Ann Arbor involves both neighborhoods.

Starting in the early 19th century, Lower Town became a diverse community with immigrants from many countries and second generation Americans who had moved westward from the eastern United States. This multiplicity of cultures flourished in Lower Town, as newcomers settled and established families there.

• The African American Community in Ann Arbor
• Lower Town: A Diverse Working Class Neighborhood