Farmington’s iconic Governor Warner Mansion, built in 1867, wasn’t always white. The paint job, plus the signature wraparound porch, was added circa 1910 by Fred Warner, the home’s gubernatorial namesake.

33805 Grand River Avenue, Farmington

Historic photo from the Farmington Community Library Heritage Collection. Contemporary photo by Maria Taylor.

VINTAGE POINT is Preservation Farmington’s brand-new photo column, featuring an exclusive focus on Farmington history: a look at our city through the lens of time.

Farmington was founded in 1824. In the close to two centuries since then, what was once the Village of Farmington has evolved into what it is today: a city that retains reminders of its past as it moves forward into the 21st century. 192 years is a lot of history. Have you ever walked through the downtown and wondered, “What was there?” What did Governor Fred Warner see when he walked down his front steps in 1900? What kinds of businesses have operated in the Downtown Farmington Center? (Hint: One was Fred Warner’s cheese factory.)

What has changed–and what’s stayed the same?

Vintage Point aims to uncover just that with a side-by-side comparison format: old photos of Farmington in years gone and new photos showing the Farmington of today, taken at exactly the same angle. We hope you enjoy this peek into the past!

Look for Vintage Point every other week in the Farmington Observer and Farmington Voice and on our Facebook and Twitter pages. We’ll also keep an archive of all past issues on our website under the Vintage Point tab.