From the Milan News-Leader:
People often say Milan was founded in 1831. The community we know and love today was started that year with a two-story log cabin built by John Marvin for his family.
The Marvin cabin was placed on the north side of Plank Road, an Indian trail dating back many centuries. Another Indian trail led north and south within a few feet of Marvin’s log structure, along present-day Wabash Street.
Many of the Native Americans were transported out of Michigan just before the gush of settlers from New York, Vermont, England and Ireland who came to the area about the time Marvin arrived. The Erie Canal brought new farming families to the Milan area literally by the boatload.
Turtle Talk 