Dexter, Michigan
Dexter is a city of 4,521 people in Washtenaw County, Michigan, founded in 1824.
Why visit Dexter
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 16 places to eat and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include The Encore Theater, Gordon Hall, James Litchfield House and Dexter–Huron Metropark.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 33 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Dexter
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Dexter
Dexter is a city in Washtenaw County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 4,500.
From the Wikipedia article Dexter, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks6
Gordon Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Private house located at 8341 Island Lake Road in Dexter, Michigan
James Litchfield House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Michigan, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
,_Dexter,_Michigan_-_panoramio.jpg){kind=link}
Dexter–Huron Metropark
Park · 1.1 mi
Park in Michigan, United States of America
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes16
Erratic Brewing Company
Brewery and winery · 0.5 mi
Suite 3
8080 Grand Street
Tu-Sa 07:00-22:00; Su 07:00-18:00
Classic Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.6 mi
8015 Huron Street, Dexter
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:30
4 more on the map.
History
The area that became Dexter was settled in 1824 by land speculator and lawyer Samuel W. Dexter, who purchased a tract of land at the confluence of Mill Creek and the Huron River. Prior to white settlement, the area was home to members of the Potawatomi tribe. Dexter was the village's first postmaster and became the first chief justice of Washtenaw County when it was formally organized in 1826, earning the nickname "Judge Dexter" for the rest of his life. The settlement, originally known as the Mill Creek Settlement, was officially platted in 1830 and renamed Dexter in honor of Dexter's father, Samuel Dexter, a former U.S. senator and cabinet member under President John Adams.
In the early 1840s, Dexter built a Greek Revival-style residence northwest of the village known as Gordon Hall (named after Dexter's mother, Catherine Gordon Dexter), which has since become a prominent local landmark. The property has been associated by historians with abolitionist activity and possible involvement with the Underground Railroad.
Many of the buildings in Dexter's downtown were constructed in the 1870s after a series of major fires along Main Street and the surrounding areas destroyed much of the original wood structures.
From the History section of Dexter, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Map of Dexter
63 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 16°F | 2.4 in | 10.9 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 17°F | 2.0 in | 8.6 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 2.2 in | 4.7 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.0 in | 0.9 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 59°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 31°F | 2.6 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 23°F | 2.1 in | 6.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chelsea (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Washtenaw County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-07-15: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ann Arbor Municipal Airport (ARB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 10 miles away.
- Chelsea 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Ann Arbor 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Pinckney 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Ypsilanti 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- South Lyon 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Brighton 15 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Manchester 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Stockbridge 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Howell 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Novi 23 mi northeast, about 36 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Dexter, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Saint Andrews United Church of Christ, 7610 Ann Arbor Street, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Saint Andrews Lutheran Church, 3443 Inverness, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Dexter Michigan Community Schools Boad of Education Offices ^ Senior Center, 7720 Ann Arbor Street, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Mill Creek Middle School, 7305 Dexter Ann Arbor Road, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- St. Joseph Catholic Church at Night, (1874), Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Dexter Andy Fowler 4, Andy Fowler from Ann Arbor, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dexter Andy Fowler 3, Andy Fowler from Ann Arbor, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dexter Mill, 3515 Central Street, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Nativity Scene, Monument Park, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Christmas Decorations in Monument Park, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Civil War Veterans Memorial at Night, (1898), Monument Park, Dexter, Michigan. - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Dexter Andy Fowler 2, Andy Fowler from Ann Arbor, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Saint James Episcopal Church, 3279 Broad Street, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Dexter Area Fire Department Station 1, 8140 Main Street, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- John ^ Mary Raywalt House historic site, 8120 Huron Street, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Dexter Andy Fowler 1, Andy Fowler from Ann Arbor, USA, CC BY 2.0
- American Legion Post Civil War veterans memorial, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- American Legion Post, 8225 Dexter Chelsea Road, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Knights of Columbus, 8265 Dexter Chelsea Road, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Mark's Auto Service, 8256 Dexter Chelsea Road, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Haas Transmission Services, 8260 Dexter Chelsea Road, Dexter, Michigan - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Water tower in Dexter, Michigan, approx. 2182 Bishop Circle East. - panoramio, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- JamesLitchfieldHouseDexterMI, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gordon Hall Dexter Michigan, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- Dexter-huron metropark nature trail, Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
- North Vietnamese Gains in the last week of March of '75, Hyperblast30, CC BY-SA 4.0
,_Monument_Park,_Dexter,_Michigan._-_panoramio.jpg){kind=link}
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