The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HOW NOVI, MICHIGAN GOT ITS NAME

ACCORDING TO MY LATE FATHER, THE CITY OF NOVI, MICHIGAN GOT
ITS NAME BY ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE STORY, A MAP MAKER
MISTOOK A SURVEYOR'S NOTATION ON A ROUGH, EARLY MAP OF THE AREA.
THE SURVEYOR HAD MARKED "NO. VI" ON THE MAP, DESIGNATING THE
LOCATION OF STAGE COACH STOP NUMBER SIX ON THE RUN BETWEEN
DETROIT AND CHICAGO. THE MAP MAKER THOUGHT THE NOTATION WAS A
WORD AND RAN ALL THE LETTERS TOGETHER. THUS, "NO. VI" BECAME NOVI.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1968