Dexter, Michigan


When you have a day off and want a Quick & Easy Getaway you want a new destination and you want to know what there is to do for fun around there. Dexter is often described as a charming, old-fashioned Midwest town with an up-to-date flair. You’ll find a bustling downtown area with historic architecture, an eclectic collection of shops and excellent food options. This is a walking town with ample street parking and this town is BUSY, especially on weekends. After you have scouted around a bit that you discover the historical attractions, hidden treasures and the awesome Huron River Trail.

dexter mill

Downtown eateries include the Bakery where the car club meets on Saturdays, the Creamery, a Pasta Shop where they make their own pasta, the Dexter Pub, known for awesome sandwiches and more, all within the Social District. That eclectic collection of shops includes a hardware store that’s been there since 1857, Grace Proper that specializes in products that help customers just slow down, calm down and reconnect, The Fox & The Feather offers books, cards, art prints, and some items they describe as “witty and wonderful”, 3 Bird is the place for home décor and gifts, and there is also Destination Cyclery a top notch bicycle shop. There are attractions that are not in the downtown district. The Dexter Mill opened in 1886; it is the oldest in Michigan. The A &W Drive Inn still has car hops, and the Jolly Pumpkin brewery can be found in the industrial park.

Some people come for events like the Dexter Summer Festival, Music in the Park, Trick or Treat, Light Up Dexter, or the Dexter Ice Fest. The Dexter Arts, Culture, and Heritage Committee hosts its annual S’mores N More event in Monument Park Saturday evening following Apple Daze. The Encore Theater offers live performances. The Social District is open from April to October, approximately, to accommodate all the festivals and events. Downtown you’ll find numerous parks where some of these events are held. In addition to the festivals, there is the annual Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival, the Dexter Art Gardens featuring juried outdoor sculptures in the historic district.

The HISTORICAL MUSEUM, maintained by the Historical Society, is housed in an old German Church. The museum houses exhibits on two floors, some are what you would expect such as period collections of clothing, military paraphernalia, and genealogy archives among many others. The museum also has exhibits that are unique and a bit unexpected.
Colonel Harrison Jeffords, 4th Michigan Infantry, was the hero of the Wheatfield at Gettysburg. His exploits are depicted in a painting in the Civil War exhibit. There are dolls collected in Europe during the world war - people were selling them to make ends meet. There is a very rare paddle tip protector machine used to make metal protectors for the tip of wooden canoe paddles.
Perhaps the most unusual exhibit is the Model Railroad Layout. It isn’t your normal model train. The tracks of this run through a replica of the town showing actual Dexter events - man falling off a roof - a fire - tractor stuck in mud - a kid skinny dipping in a local pond, It’s just plain awesome. The railroad was an integral part of the development of Dexter. The Ann Arbor Model RR Club meets at the Railroad Station Depot on Wednesday nights.

The historical society also maintains the magnificent Gordon Hall, built between 1841-1843 by Judge Samuel Dexter, whose influence is evident all over town. After falling into disrepair in the 1900s, the hall is currently a work in progress. The original floors are being restored. The marble and brick hearths of the fireplaces are also being fixed up. Gordon Hall is used for several events throughout the year.

RIVER TRAIL
The Huron River Water Trail passes through Dexter in close proximity to downtown. There are two launches to choose from in this section of the trail, miles 61-63. A favorite is near the Dexter District Library at Mill Creek Park. This spot leads to a half mile paddle down Mill Creek into the Huron. There is a low bridge at the library and logjams do occur. The shops and eateries of downtown are just a short walk away.
There is another launch that leads to a class II rapids. This launch is upstream from the Main Street bridge. Locate the Water Trail information kiosk and head down the ramp. The rapids is at the old site of Mill Creek dam. Experienced kayakers know to check local conditions. Low water can produce shallow areas where it is easy to scrape your kayak and there may be deep holes during high water. There is also an excellent paved pathway for walking and biking that follows this section of the water trail.

Dexter has grown up along ancient trails and the Huron River. Consequently, the layout can be confusing for first time visitors. Not to worry, the excellence you find in Dexter extends to helping visitors. There is a full color Walking Map PDF provided by the Downtown Development Authority/City of Dexter and a map of Public Art PDF provided by the Dexter Arts, Culture, and Heritage Committee. These maps are downloadable on the Dexter page at the Michigan Back Roads website.

Directions: Dexter is just 10 miles west of Ann Arbor and a couple miles north of I-94. Visitors should be aware that traffic can be heavy in the late afternoon hours.

The Dexter Quick & Easy Getaways project is sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority and Caryl Burke for the Dexter Historical Society.