Overlook Farm, one mile south of Rochester, played an important part in the early history of Rochester. It was so named because of overlooking Clinton Valley.
Through the woods of "Overlook" an old indian trail was cut.
The trees had a way of branching over the top that was very picturesqus in effect. This old indian trail later became the road that extended from Birmingham to Romeo.
The First Congregational church of Avon Township and of Michigan was organized on the south end of this farm.
In about 1886, Henry Waldron had leadership of a private company that constructed a toll raod which lead from Pontiac to the stone shop, thence to Rochester. One of the toll gates was situated on top of a hill, on part of "Overlook."
The first white girl in Avon, named Laura Roberts, was born in a house directly across from the farm.
One of the earliest houses in the county was built back of the old indian trail, near Avon stop.
One of the old indian camping grounds was near the dwelling of Edwin T. Wilcox, two miles south of Rochester. Even at this late day, arrowheads and skeletons have been found by employees working on the Ferry Seed Farm.
Rochester's first pair of twins were Major and Randall Willcox.
Mr. Hemingway was the man who built the first frame house of Avon Township in 1835, a short distane north of Rochester. He used his home a few years, and then sold it to William Goodison. His public spirit was so great that the settlement about a mills, which were built on Paint Creek by him, was called Goodison.

Marguerite M. Flanigan