About North Fairview FarmsNorth Fairview Farms is situated in northern Rochester Hills nestled between Tienken and Brewster Roads and offers residents a variety of beautiful homes with large lots, wooded areas and mature trees. Our friendly residents enjoy over 23 acres of commons areas and parks, a brand new playground, as well as fantastic neighborhood social events. We have an incredibly active Homeowner's Association Board of Directors and community.
Rochester Hills is a northern suburb of metro-Detroit within prestigious Oakland County, Michigan. In 2014 Time's Money Magazine voted Rochester Hills as the 9th best place to live list in the nation. In addition the Rochester area is home to some of the top-rated public and private schools in the country. |
Rooted in History
The present property (at one time part of Premier Farms, then later Farview Farms, and now surrounded by Fairview and Rochester Farms subdivisions) was purchased from the State of Michigan in 1837 at a cost of $2 per acre. It was a 40-acre parcel that was bought and sold 10 times between 1837 and 1865. An 1847 map of Avon Township shows the parcel enlarged to 120 acres, with a building on the property in the approximate place where the present house now stands at 1470 W. Tienken Road (on the corner of Tiverton Trail and Tienken). The property was bought and sold another 6 times from 1882 to 1936, when it was finally purchased by William D. McCullough (1886-1940) of Detroit. He added to the property to total approximately 320 acres.
Mr. McCullough was the owner of Premier Cushion Spring Company in Detroit. Premier made parts for the automotive industry. McCullough and his wife Grace lived on Boston Blvd. in Detroit with their adopted children, Jack and Virginia. He was part of a movement at the time in which wealthy Detroiters such as John Dodge, Alfred & Matilda Wilson, Charles Fischer, Crowley, and Kern bought property around Rochester to serve as weekend getaways and income producing farms. McCullough purchased the farmhouse at 1750 W. Tienken, where he kept a stable of jumping horses. The barn that housed his "jumpers" was torn down in 1976. He then hired John Kiekbusch, a local famer, to run a dairy farm on the property. McCullough housed the Kiekbusch family along with two hired hands in the house at 1470 Tienken.
When McCullough died in 1940, his son Jack took over, and William's widow continued to live at 1750 W. Tienken. Jack and his new wife moved into a log cabin with a swimming pool, where 1300 Grandview now stands. The log cabin is still there today. In 1958, John Kiekbusch retired to a brick ranch-style house on 40 acres he had purchased in 1941 at what is now 1364 W. Tienken -- just west of the farm. Jack then hired John's son Harold and his young family to run the dairy farm.
By 1965, Jack ran out of money (and maybe energy), and he sold the farm to a group of GM executives. The focus of the farm then changed from dairy to beef and veal cattle. The name also changed to Fairview Farms. The new owners bought another surrounding 320 acres for the purposes of building a golf course. In 1972, the land was acquired by Pulte Homes of Michigan, to be made into a subdivision of large tract homes.
Three generations of Kiekbusches lived in the house at 1470 W. Tienken from 1936 to 1972. The superintendent of construction for Pulte Homes lived in the house for the next 3 years, until Pulte sold the house, garage and brooder with an acre and a half of land to Edward Rice in 1975.
Mr. Edward Rice researched and is cited as the author of the above information. More detailed research was compiled by F.E. and N.K. Rice in March 2001. More information is available at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. Patrick J. McKay is both Supervisor of the museum and NFF resident.
Summer of 2014 was the grand opening of our new playground in Millbrook Park. Volunteers built the structures from the ground up because we were too cheap to hire a reputable company and it remains an amazing and often-used addition for the smallest members of our community.
Mr. McCullough was the owner of Premier Cushion Spring Company in Detroit. Premier made parts for the automotive industry. McCullough and his wife Grace lived on Boston Blvd. in Detroit with their adopted children, Jack and Virginia. He was part of a movement at the time in which wealthy Detroiters such as John Dodge, Alfred & Matilda Wilson, Charles Fischer, Crowley, and Kern bought property around Rochester to serve as weekend getaways and income producing farms. McCullough purchased the farmhouse at 1750 W. Tienken, where he kept a stable of jumping horses. The barn that housed his "jumpers" was torn down in 1976. He then hired John Kiekbusch, a local famer, to run a dairy farm on the property. McCullough housed the Kiekbusch family along with two hired hands in the house at 1470 Tienken.
When McCullough died in 1940, his son Jack took over, and William's widow continued to live at 1750 W. Tienken. Jack and his new wife moved into a log cabin with a swimming pool, where 1300 Grandview now stands. The log cabin is still there today. In 1958, John Kiekbusch retired to a brick ranch-style house on 40 acres he had purchased in 1941 at what is now 1364 W. Tienken -- just west of the farm. Jack then hired John's son Harold and his young family to run the dairy farm.
By 1965, Jack ran out of money (and maybe energy), and he sold the farm to a group of GM executives. The focus of the farm then changed from dairy to beef and veal cattle. The name also changed to Fairview Farms. The new owners bought another surrounding 320 acres for the purposes of building a golf course. In 1972, the land was acquired by Pulte Homes of Michigan, to be made into a subdivision of large tract homes.
Three generations of Kiekbusches lived in the house at 1470 W. Tienken from 1936 to 1972. The superintendent of construction for Pulte Homes lived in the house for the next 3 years, until Pulte sold the house, garage and brooder with an acre and a half of land to Edward Rice in 1975.
Mr. Edward Rice researched and is cited as the author of the above information. More detailed research was compiled by F.E. and N.K. Rice in March 2001. More information is available at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. Patrick J. McKay is both Supervisor of the museum and NFF resident.
Summer of 2014 was the grand opening of our new playground in Millbrook Park. Volunteers built the structures from the ground up because we were too cheap to hire a reputable company and it remains an amazing and often-used addition for the smallest members of our community.