▁agricult ural ▁industry ▁was ▁the ▁dominant ▁economic ▁driver ▁for ▁the ▁area . ▁A ▁dis astr ous ▁fire ▁struck ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁destroy ing ▁many ▁business es ▁in ▁the ▁commercial ▁district . ▁After ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁Farm ington ▁continued ▁to ▁grow ▁as ▁technology ▁and ▁transport ation ▁evol ved , ▁but ▁even ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁the ▁population ▁was ▁only ▁ 2 3 0 0 . ▁By ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁with ▁the ▁ex od us ▁from ▁Detroit , ▁that ▁number ▁had ▁grown ▁to ▁ ▁over ▁ 7 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁reached ▁ 1 2 0 0 0 ▁by ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁Farm ington ▁Historic ▁District ▁is ▁tri angular ▁in ▁shape , ▁and ▁consists ▁primarily ▁of ▁resident ial ▁buildings , ▁with ▁the ▁remainder ▁mostly ▁commercial ▁in ▁nature . ▁Some ▁structures ▁date ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s , ▁with ▁a ▁great ▁may ▁farm ▁houses ▁and ▁mod est ▁Greek ▁Rev ival ▁structures . ▁ ▁The ▁district ▁includes ▁some ▁significant ▁buildings ▁in ▁Farm ington : ▁Governor ▁Fred ▁M . ▁Warner ▁House , ▁a ▁symmetric , ▁block ▁sh aped ▁house ▁with ▁a ▁low ▁hi pped ▁roof ▁to pped ▁by ▁a ▁cup ola , ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁The ▁Mason ic ▁L odge ▁( former ly ▁Township ▁Hall ), ▁a ▁two - story ▁building ▁with ▁to wers , ▁cor b els , ▁arch ed ▁door ways ▁and ▁a ▁m ans