Imlay City Real Estate

Imlay City is a town in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,869 at the 2000 census and 3,597 in 2010.

Imlay City was founded on April 1, 1850 by Charles Palmer, the chief engineer of the Port Huron and Lake Michigan Railroad, who bought 240 acres of land along the railroad's route at a location Palmer anticipated would be a likely produce center between the towns of Capac and Lapeer. Palmer named the city for the Connecticut-based capitalist William H. Imlay, who had invested heavily in the region after moving there in 1828. Within a year and a half, the newly established city had attracted 500 residents with over 120 buildings including two hotels, 20 stores, a sawmill, and a school. In 1914, the town started building streetcar lines -- a form of public transportation that was usually reserved for large cities. In April 1970, Imlay City celebrated its 100th birthday, and the residents voted to changed Imlay City from a village to a home rule city by a two to one margin. The construction of Interstate 69 in the 1980s connected Imlay City with Flint, Port Huron, and Canada, leading to significant economic growth to serve the interstate travelers.