The Banks-Dolbeer-Bradley-Foster Farmhouse tells the remarkable story of the Banks family and its descendants. Freeborn Henry Banks built the original log cabin in the 1830s along a trail blazed by Native Americans. During the 1840s the Banks family rebuilt the house in the Greek Revival style and then in the 1850s added on to remodel the house into the Italianate style. Family members that lived in the home confirm that the house was a “depot” on the “Underground Railroad” before the Civil War. Two of the Banks' sons fought in the Civil War. A daughter, Dr. Sarah Gertrude Banks, a descendant of the Mayflower's Miles Standish, was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Michigan Medical School, becoming one of the first female physicians in the state. Dr. Banks was the personal physician to many prominent people including Mrs. Henry (Clara) Ford. She was also a personal friend of Susan B. Anthony and was active in the suffragette movement.

The Farmhouse is a pathway that can take you from the present to the past. From the Native Americans who lived on the land, to early pioneers who settled it, to people who fought to relieve human suffering and seek equal rights of all. The Farmhouse leads us through many periods of local history and is a potent symbol of American dreams. Through your efforts, the house is free to stand as a lasting tribute to courage and the pursuit of liberty and peace.