Westland in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Cooper School

Photographed by Joel S., July 29, 2010

1. Cooper School Marker

Inscription. The first Cooper School, known officially as Nankin District No. 1 School, was built around 1837 on a farm owned by Gilbert Cooper at the southwest corner of present-day Ann Arbor Trail and Middlebelt Road. The Coopers were Nankin Township pioneers who owned a grist mill on the Rouge River. Cooper School became Fractional No. 1 of Nankin and Livonia in 1849. In 1865 the district built a one-room school on land leased from Cooper's son Loren. It was replaced in 1938 with a brick structure, which was annexed to the Livonia Public Schools in 1957. A fourth school, built in 1966 across the road from here, closed in June 1991 due to growing concern about the school's location on a landfill. In September 1991 the former Whittier Junior High School reopened as the fifth Cooper School.

Erected 1999 by Michigan Historical Center, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number L1578.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1991.

Location. 42° 20.977′ N, 83° 19.427′ W. Marker is in Westland, Michigan, in Wayne County. It is on Ann Arbor Trail half a mile east of Middlebelt Road, on the left

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when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 28550 Ann Arbor Trail, Westland MI 48185, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wilson Barn (approx. one mile away); Perrinsville (approx. 1.3 miles away); A Nankin Pioneer (approx. 1½ miles away); Henry Ford's Honeymoon House (approx. 1.7 miles away); Perrinsville School (approx. 1.8 miles away); Wallaceville School (approx. 1.8 miles away); History of the Straight Farmhouse (approx. 1.9 miles away); Redford Township School District No. 9 (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Westland.

Cooper School and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 29, 2010

2. Cooper School and Marker

The marker is barely visible to the right of the yellow school crossing sign.

Cooper School image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel S., July 29, 2010

3. Cooper School

This is the fifth Cooper School.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2010, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 2,577 times since then and 96 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 1, 2010, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.