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Dearborn, Michigan

Dearborn is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. It is an inner-ring suburb in Metro Detroit, bordering Detroit to the south and west, and roughly 7 mi west of downtown Detroit. In the 2020 census, it had a population of 109,976, ranking as the seventh-most populous city in Michigan. Dearborn is best known as the hometown of the Ford Motor Company and of its founder, Henry Ford.

The first written settlement of Dearborn is from the 18th century by French Canadian voyageurs who initially called the settlement La Belle Fontaine or Place aux Fontaines because of the abundant springs in the city. Therefore, Dearborn was once named Springwells, an anglicization of the French name. The settlement was connected to the Detroit River ribbon farm communities and other farms connected to the Rouge River and the Sauk Trail. The community grew in the 19th century with the establishment of the Detroit Arsenal on the Chicago Road linking Detroit and Chicago. In the 20th century, it developed as a major manufacturing hub for the automotive industry.

Henry Ford was born on a farm that was once at the intersection of Ford Road and Greenfield Road. Ford later built his estate, Fair Lane, and his River Rouge Complex, the largest factory of his empire, in Dearborn. He developed mass production of automobiles, and based the world headquarters of the Ford Motor Company here. The city has a campus of the University of Michigan, and Henry Ford College. The Henry Ford is the largest indoor-outdoor historic museum complex in the United States, and Metro Detroit's leading tourist attraction.

Dearborn residents are Americans primarily of European or Middle Eastern ancestry, many descendants of 19th and 20th-century immigrants. The census identifies primary European ethnicities as German, Polish, Irish, and Italian. New waves of immigration came from the Middle East in the late 20th century, Muslims and Christians from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Dearborn has the largest Muslim population in the United States per capita and the largest mosque in North America.

History
Before European encounter, the area had been inhabited for thousands of years by successive First Nations peoples. Historical tribes belonged mostly to the Algonquian-language family, especially the Council of Three Fires, the Potawatomi and related peoples. In contrast, the Huron (Wyandot) were Iroquoian speaking. French colonists had a trading post at Fort Detroit and a settlement developed there in the colonial period. Another developed on the south side of the Detroit River in what is now southwestern Ontario, near a Huron mission village. French and French-Canadian colonists also established farms at Dearborn in this period. France ceded all of its territory east of the Mississippi River in North America to Great Britain in 1763 after losing to the English in the Seven Years' War.

Beginning in 1786, after the United States gained independence in the American Revolutionary War, more European Americans entered this region, settling in Detroit and the Dearborn area. With population growth, Dearborn Township was formed in 1833 and the village of Dearbornville in 1836, each named after Henry Dearborn, a general in the American Revolution who became Secretary of War under President Thomas Jefferson. The Town of Dearborn was incorporated in 1893. Through much of the 19th century, the area was largely rural and dependent on agriculture.

Stimulated by industrial development in Detroit and within its own limits, in 1927 Dearborn was established as a city. Its current borders result from a 1928 consolidation vote that merged Dearborn and neighboring Fordson (previously known as Springwells), which feared being absorbed into expanding Detroit.

According to historian James W. Loewen, in his book Sundown Towns (2005), Dearborn discouraged African Americans from settling in the city. In the early 20th century, both white and black people migrated to Detroit for industrial jobs. Over time, some city residents relocated in the suburbs. Many of Dearborn's residents "took pride in the saying, 'The sun never set on a Negro in Dearborn'". According to Orville Hubbard, the segregationist mayor of Dearborn from 1942 to 1978, "as far as he was concerned, it was against the law for a Negro to live in his suburb." Hubbard told the Montgomery Advertiser in the mid-1950s, "Negroes can't get in here. Every time we hear of a Negro moving in, we respond quicker than you do to a fire."

The area between Dearborn and Fordson was undeveloped, and remains so in part. Once farm land, much of this property was bought by Henry Ford for his estate, Fair Lane, and for the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters. Later developments in this corridor were the Ford airport (later converted to the Dearborn Proving Grounds), and other Ford administrative and development facilities.

More recent additions are The Henry Ford (a reconstructed historic village and museum), the Henry Ford Centennial Library, the super-regional shopping mall Fairlane Town Center, and the Ford Performing Arts Center. The open land is planted with sunflowers and often with Ford's favorite crop of soybeans. The crops are never harvested.

The Arab American National Museum (AANM) opened in 2005, the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. Arab Americans in Dearborn include descendants of Lebanese Christians who immigrated in the early twentieth century to work in the auto industry, and more recent Arab immigrants and their descendants from other, primarily Muslim nations.

On February 2, 2024, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece titled "Welcome to Dearborn, America's Jihad Capital", claiming that there were a large number of supporters of Islamic extremism in the area. Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said the article was inflammatory and was responsible for increased online hate speech against the city's citizens, so he increased police patrols.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.5 sqmi, of which 24.4 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (0.37%) is water. The city developed on both sides of the Rouge River. An artificial waterfall/low head dam was constructed by Henry Ford on his estate to power its powerhouse. The Upper, Middle, and Lower Branches of the river come together in Dearborn. The river is widened and channeled near the Rouge Plant to allow lake freighter access.

Fordson Island (42.29389°N, -83.14778°W) is an 8.4 acre island about three miles (5 km) upriver on the River Rouge from its confluence with the Detroit River. It is the only major island in a tributary to the Detroit River. It was created in 1922 when engineers dug a secondary trench to reroute the River Rouge to increase navigability for shipping purposes, and businesses needed it to be navigable by the large lake freighters. The island is privately owned, has no public access, and is part of the city of Dearborn which has no frontage along the Detroit River.

Dearborn is among a small number of municipalities that own property in other cities. It owns the 626 acre Camp Dearborn in Milford, Michigan, which is located 35 mi from Dearborn. Dearborn was among an even smaller number of cities that hold property in another state. For a time, the city owned the Dearborn Towers apartment complex in Clearwater, Florida, but this has been sold. Camp Dearborn is considered part of the city of Dearborn. Revenues generated by camp admissions are incorporated into the city's budget.

Population
As of the 2010 census, the population of Dearborn was 98,153. The racial and ethnic composition was 89.1% White, 4.0% black or African-American, 0.2% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.2% Non-Hispanic of some other race, 4.0% reporting two or more races and 3.4% Hispanic or Latino. 41.7% were of Arab ancestry (categorized as "White" in Census collection data).

In the 2000 census, 61.9% spoke only English at home, 29.3% spoke Arabic, 1.9% Spanish, and 1.5% Polish. There were 36,770 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.42.

In the city, 27.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.3% was from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,560, and the median income for a family was $53,060. Males had a median income of $45,114 versus $33,872 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,488. About 12.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 and over.

As of the 2012 estimate, Dearborn's population was thought to have fallen to 96,474, a decrease of 1.7% since 2010. Over the same period, though, SEMCOG, the local statistics agency of Metro Detroit Council of Governments, has estimated the city to have grown to 99,001, or an increase of 1.2% since 2000. SEMCOG's July 2014 estimate listed Dearborn with a population of 102,566.

Ethnic groups
Dearborn has a large community of descendants of ethnic Europeans who arrived as immigrants from the mid-19th into the 20th centuries. Their ancestors generally first settled in Detroit: Irish, German, Italians, and Polish. It is also a center of Maltese American settlement, from the Mediterranean island of Malta. Also attracted to jobs in the auto industry, some were among immigrant Maltese who first settled in Corktown.

The city has a small African-American population, many of whose ancestors came to the area from the rural South during the Great Migration of the early twentieth century.

The city's population includes 40,000 Arab Americans. Per the 2000 census, Arab Americans totaled 29,181 or 29.85% of Dearborn's population; many are descendants of families who have been in the city since the early 20th century. The city has the largest proportion of Arab Americans in the United States. As of 2006 Dearborn has the largest Lebanese American population in the United States.

The first Arab immigrants came in the early-to-mid-20th century to work in the automotive industry and were chiefly Lebanese Christians (Maronites). Other immigrants from the Middle East (Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs) have also immigrated to the area. Since then, Arab immigrants from Yemen, Iraq and the Palestinian territories, most of whom are Muslim, have joined them. Lebanese Americans comprise the largest group of ethnic Arabs. The Arab Muslim community has built the Islamic Center of America, the largest mosque in North America, and the Dearborn Mosque. More Iraqi refugees have come, fleeing the continued war in their country since 2003.

Warren Avenue has become the commercial center of the Arab-American community. The Arab American National Museum is located in Dearborn. The museum was opened in January 2005 to celebrate the Arab American community's history, culture and contributions to the United States.

In the 2019 U.S. Census estimates, the largest ethnic group were Lebanese Americans, and the second largest were Yemeni Americans.

Christian missionaries and politicians
In 2010, Nabeel Qureshi, David Wood, and two other people acting as Christian missionaries, were arrested at the Dearborn International Arab Festival. They had been handing out Christian literature aimed at Muslim believers. The four were prosecuted for breach of the peace. Police ordered them to stop filming the incident, to provide identification, and to move at least five blocks from the border of the fair. After reviewing the video evidence, the jury acquitted the defendants. The four defendants filed a separate civil suit against the city. Dearborn was found to have violated their constitutional rights related to freedom of speech. The city settled the lawsuit and issued a formal apology to the individuals.

Sharron Angle, a Republican senatorial candidate in Nevada, said in an October 2010 political speech that the Arab Americans in Dearborn contributed to a "militant terrorist situation," and that the city government was enforcing Islamic sharia law. Mayor Jack O'Reilly strongly criticized Angle, saying "She took it as face value and maligned the city of Dearborn and I consider that totally irresponsible".

Preacher Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida, known for burning a Quran, the sacred book of Islam, planned a protest in 2011 outside the Islamic Center of America. Local authorities required him either to post a $45,000 "peace bond" to cover Dearborn's cost if Jones incited violence, or to go to trial. Jones contested that requirement, and he and his co-pastor Wayne Sapp refused to post the bond. They were held briefly in jail, while claiming violation of First Amendment rights. That night Jones was released by the court. The ACLU had filed an amicus brief in support of Jones's protest plans. One week later, on April 29, Jones led a rally at the Dearborn City Hall, in a designated free speech zone. Riot police were called out to control counter protesters. Jones also planned to speak at the annual Arab Festival on June 18, 2011, but his route was blocked by protesters, six of whom were arrested. Police said they did not have enough officers present to maintain safety. Christian missionaries accompanied Jones with their own protest signs.

On November 11, 2011, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Robert Ziolkowski vacated the "breach of peace" ruling against Jones and Sapp on the grounds that they were denied due process. On April 7, 2012, Jones led another protest in front of the Islamic Center of America, where he spoke about Islam and free speech. The mosque officials had locked it down to prevent damage. The city used thirty police cars to block traffic from the area in an effort to prevent a counter protest.

Economy
The world headquarters of Ford Motor Company is in Dearborn. Its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance, and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford, including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses, such as the Fairlane Town Center shopping mall. DFCU Financial, the largest credit union in Michigan, was created for Ford and related companies' employees.

One of the largest employers in Dearborn is Oakwood Healthcare System (now a part of Beaumont Health) H. Other major employers include auto suppliers like Visteon, education facilities such as Henry Ford College, and museums such as The Henry Ford. Other businesses headquartered in Dearborn include Carhartt (clothing), Eppinger (fishing lures), AAA Michigan (insurance), and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

Largest employers
According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:

Colleges and universities
University of Michigan–Dearborn and Henry Ford College are located in Dearborn on Evergreen Road and are adjacent to each other. Concordia University Dearborn Center and Central Michigan University offer classes in Dearborn. Career training schools include Kaplan Career Institute, ITT Tech, and Sanford Brown College.

Primary and secondary schools
Dearborn residents, along with a small portion of Dearborn Heights residents, attend Dearborn Public Schools. The system operates 34 schools including the major high schools Fordson High School, Dearborn High School, and Edsel Ford High School. The public schools serve more than 18,000 students in the fourth-largest district in the state.

Divine Child High School and Elementary School are private schools in Dearborn; the high school is the largest private coed high school in the area. Henry Ford Academy is a charter high school inside Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. Another charter secondary school is Advanced Technology Academy. Dearborn Schools operated the Clara B. Ford High School inside Vista Maria, a non-profit residential treatment agency for girls in Dearborn Heights. Clara B. Ford High School became a charter school in the 2007–08 school year.

A small portion of the city limits is within the Westwood Community School District. The sections of Dearborn within the district are zoned for industrial and commercial uses.

The Islamic Center of America operates the Muslim American Youth Academy (MAYA), an Islamic elementary and middle school.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit operates Sacred Heart Elementary School. It previously operated the St. Alphonsus School in Dearborn. In 2003 the archdiocese closed the high school of St. Alphonsus; and in 2005 closed the St. Alphonsus elementary school.

Global Educational Excellence operates multiple charter schools in Dearborn: Riverside Academy Early Childhood Center, Riverside Academy East Campus (K-5), and Riverside Academy West Campus (6–12).

Dearborn Christian School closed in 2014.

Public libraries
Dearborn Public Library includes the Henry Ford Centennial Library, which is the main library; and the Bryant and Esper branches.

Dearborn's first public library opened in 1924 at the building now known as the Bryant Branch. This served as the main library until the Ford library opened in 1969. In 1970 what became known as the Mason building was classified as a branch library. The library was renamed in 1977 after Katharine Wright Bryant, who developed a plan for the library and campaigned for it.

Around April 1963 the Ford Motor Company granted the City of Dearborn $3 million to build a library as a memorial to Henry Ford. The company deeded 15.3 acre of vacant land for the public library to the city on July 30, 1963, the centennial or 100th anniversary of Henry Ford's birth. The Ford Foundation later granted the library an additional $500,000 for supplies and equipment. On November 25, 1969, the library was dedicated. Originally only the library had offices in the building but in 1979, the library gave up the western side's meeting rooms for the City of Dearborn Health Department.

The Esper Branch, the smallest branch, is located in what is known as the Arab residential quarter of the city, dedicated on October 12, 1953. Originally named the Warren Branch, this structure had replaced the Northeast Branch, which opened in a storefront in 1944. In October 1961, it was named after city councilman Anthony M. Esper.

Post office
During the years 1934 to 1943, during and after the Great Depression, murals were commissioned for federal public buildings in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department. They often featured representation of local history. In 1938 artist Rainey Bennett painted an oil-on-canvas mural for the federal post offices in Dearborn titled, Ten Eyck's Tavern on Chicago Road.

Sports facilities
Sports facilities include the Dearborn Ice Skating Center and the Dearborn Civic Center.

Transportation
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Dearborn, operating its Wolverine three times daily in each direction between Chicago, Illinois and Pontiac, via Detroit. Baggage cannot be checked at this location; however, up to two suitcases, in addition to any "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment, are allowed on board as carry-ons. There is one rail stop in Dearborn: the John D. Dingell Transit Center. Amtrak operates on the Michigan Department of Transportation Michigan Line. This track runs from Dearborn to Kalamazoo, Michigan. CSX Transportation's Detroit Subdivision, Canadian National Railway/Grand Trunk Western Railroad's Dearborn Subdivision, and Conrail Shared Assets' Junction Yard Running Track also pass through Dearborn. Most of the freight traffic on these rails is related to the automotive industry.

Dearborn is served by buses of both the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) systems.

From 1924 to 1947, Dearborn was the site of Ford Airport. It featured the world's first concrete runway and the first scheduled U.S. passenger service.

Launched in March 2021, SMART Flex is an on-demand public transit service launched in partnership with TransitTech company Via Transportation. SMART Flex is available to residents and workers in Dearborn, Troy, the Hall Road corridor between Utica and New Baltimore, Pontiac/Auburn Hills, and Farmington/Farmington Hills to book rides using the SMART Flex app.

Museums

 * Arab American National Museum
 * Automotive Hall of Fame
 * The Henry Ford (Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village)
 * Fair Lane Estate
 * Dearborn Historical Museum
 * The Stamelos Gallery at the University of Michigan Dearborn Mardigan Library
 * The Alfred Berkowitz Gallery at the University of Michigan Dearborn Mardigan Library

Parks

 * Crowley Park and Field
 * Ford Field Park
 * Ford Woods Park
 * Hemlock Park
 * Levagood Park
 * Rouge Gateway Park / Trail

Theaters

 * Ford Community & Performing Arts Center
 * Ford-Wyoming Drive-In

Architecture
Several designs are by architect Albert Kahn for Henry Ford.
 * Edward Hotel & Convention Center
 * Ford Motor Company Research and Engineering Center (under construction)
 * Ford World Headquarters building
 * Ford Homes Historic District
 * Islamic Center of America
 * Dearborn Inn
 * Ford Engineering Laboratory
 * Ford River Rouge Complex

Government
Dearborn has a mayor-council form of government. As of 2021, the Mayor of the City of Dearborn is Abdullah Hammoud. The City Clerk is George T. Darany. The City Council President is Michael T. Sareini.

Built in 1922, the Dearborn City Hall Complex was in operation until 2014 when government operations moved to the new Dearborn Administrative Center. The former city hall was redeveloped by Artspace Projects to preserve affordable and sustainable space for artists and arts organizations.

Politics
Dearborn has historically firmly voted for the Democratic Party.

In 2016, Bernie Sanders received the most votes in the heavily Muslim and Arab parts of Dearborn in the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

In 2021 Niraj Warikoo of the Detroit Free Press reported that Yemeni Americans in Dearborn were advocating for more of a role in their city's government.

In the 2022 Michigan elections there was a shift in east Dearborn (heavily Arab and Muslim) toward the Republican Party as LGBTQ+ materials in schools became a political issue. According to Niraj Warikoo of The Detroit News, "Democrats still won the city overall by a comfortable margin".

In the 2024 presidential election, mayor Abdullah Hammoud refused to endorse Joe Biden for reelection because of the federal government's position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Media
The metropolitan-area newspapers are The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.

The Dearborn & Dearborn Heights Press and Guide publishes local news for Dearborn and the neighboring Dearborn Heights. The Arab American News is published in Dearborn.

European exploration and colonization

 * 1603 – French lay claim to unidentified territory in this region, naming it New France.
 * July 24, 1701 – Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his soldiers first land at what is now Detroit.
 * November 29, 1760 – The British take control of the area from France.
 * 1780 – Pierre Dumais clears farm near what became Morningside Street in Dearborn's South End.

Early U.S. history

 * 1783 – By terms of the Treaty of Paris ending the American Revolutionary War, Great Britain cedes territory south of the Great Lakes to the United States, although the British retain practical control of the Detroit area and several other settlements until 1797.
 * 1786 – Agreed year of first permanent settler in present-day Dearborn.
 * 1787 – Territory of the US north and west of the Ohio River is officially proclaimed the Northwest Territory.
 * December 26, 1791 – Detroit environs become part of Kent County, Ontario.
 * 1795 – James Cissne becomes first settler in what is now west Dearborn.
 * 1796 – Wayne County is formed by proclamation of the acting governor of the Northwest Territory. Its original area is 2000000 sqmi, stretching from Cleveland, Ohio, to Chicago, Illinois, and northwest to Canada.
 * May 7, 1800 – Indiana Territory, created out of part of Northwest Territory, although the eastern half of Michigan including the Dearborn area, was not attached to Indiana Territory until Ohio was admitted as a state in 1803.
 * January 11, 1805 – Michigan Territory officially created out of a part of the Indiana Territory.
 * June 11, 1805 – Fire destroys most of Detroit.
 * November 15, 1815 – Current boundaries of Wayne County drawn, county split into 18 townships.
 * January 5, 1818 – Springwells Township established by Gov. Lewis Cass.
 * October 23, 1824 – Bucklin Township created by Gov. Lewis Cass. The area ran from Greenfield to approximately Haggerty and from Van Born to Eight Mile.
 * 1826 – Conrad Ten Eyck builds Ten Eyck Tavern at Michigan Avenue and Rouge River.
 * 1827 – Wayne County's boundaries changed to its current 615 sqmi.
 * April 12, 1827 – Springwells and Bucklin townships formally organized and laid out by gubernatorial act.
 * October 29, 1829 – Bucklin Township split along what is today Inkster Road into Nankin (west half) and Pekin (east half) townships.
 * March 21, 1833 – Pekin Township renamed Redford Township.
 * March 31, 1833 – Greenfield Township created from north and west sections of Springwells Township, including what is now today east Dearborn.
 * April 1, 1833 – Dearborn Township created from southern half of Redford Township south of Bonaparte Avenue (Joy Road).
 * 1833 – Detroit Arsenal built.
 * October 23, 1834 – Dearborn Township renamed Bucklin Township.
 * March 26, 1836 – Bucklin Township renamed Dearborn Township.
 * January 26, 1837 – Michigan admitted to the Union as the 26th state. Stevens T. Mason is first governor.
 * 1837 – Michigan Central Railroad extended through Springwells Township. Hamlet of Springwells rises along railroad.
 * April 5, 1838 – Village of Dearbornville incorporates. Village later unincorporated on May 11, 1846.
 * 1849 Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Brooklyn Street.
 * April 2, 1850 – Greenfield Township annexes another section of Springwells Township.
 * February 12, 1857 – Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Grand Boulevard.
 * March 25, 1873 – Springwells Township annexes back section of Greenfield Township south of Tireman
 * May 28, 1875 – Postmaster general changes name of Dearbornville post office to Dearborn post office, hence changing the city's name.
 * 1875 – Detroit Arsenal closed.
 * 1875 – Detroit annexes another section of Springwells Township.
 * 1876 – William A. Nowlin writes The Bark Covered House in honor of country's 100th birthday.
 * June 20, 1884 – Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Livernois.
 * 1889 – First telephone installed in Dearborn at St. Joseph's retreat.

Incorporation as village

 * March 24, 1893 – Village of Dearborn incorporates.
 * 1906 – Detroit annexes another section of Springwells Township.
 * 1916 - Henry, Clara, and Edsel Ford move to Dearborn.
 * 1916 – Detroit annexes more of Springwells Township, forming Dearborn's eastern boundary.
 * 1917 – Rouge "Eagle" Plant opens.
 * November 1, 1919 – The first house numbering ordinance in Dearborn starts. Residents required to place standard plate number on right side of the main house entrance five feet up.
 * December 9, 1919 – Springwells Township incorporates as village of Springwells.
 * October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes small section of Dearborn Township east of present-day Greenfield Road.
 * December 27, 1923 – Voters approve incorporation of Springwells as a city. It officially became a city April 7, 1924.
 * September 9, 1924 – Village of Warrendale incorporates.
 * November 1924 – Ford Airport opens.
 * April 6, 1925 – Warrendale voters and residents of remaining Greenfield Township approve annexation by Detroit.
 * May 26, 1925 – Village of Dearborn annexes large portion of Dearborn Township.
 * December 23, 1925 – Springwells changes name to city of Fordson.
 * February 15, 1926 – First U.S. airmail delivery made, going from Ford Airport in Dearborn to Cleveland.
 * September 14, 1926 – Election approves incorporation of village of Inkster. Unincorporated part of Dearborn Township split into two unconnected sections.
 * October 11, 1926 – Only dirigible to ever moor in Dearborn docks at Ford Airport.

Reincorporation as city

 * February 14, 1927 – Village of Dearborn residents approve vote to become a city.
 * June 12, 1928 – Voters in Dearborn, Fordson and part of Dearborn Township vote to consolidate into one city.
 * January 9, 1929 – Clyde Ford elected as first mayor of Dearborn.
 * 1929 – Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village opens.
 * July 1, 1931 – Dearborn Inn opens as one of the first airport hotels in world.
 * March 7, 1932 – Ford Hunger March crosses Dearborn city limits. Four marchers are shot to death by police and Ford service men.
 * 1936 – John Carey becomes mayor of Dearborn.
 * June 19, 1936 – Montgomery Ward opens in Dearborn.
 * May 26, 1937 – Harry Bennett's Ford "service" men beat United Auto Workers (UAW) official Richard Frankensteen in the Battle of the Overpass
 * June 21, 1941 – Ford Motor Company signs its first union contract.
 * 1939 – The Historic Springwells Park Neighborhood is established by Edsel B. Ford to provide company executives and auto workers with upscale housing accommodations.
 * January 6, 1942 – Orville L. Hubbard takes office as mayor of Dearborn for first time.
 * April 7, 1947 – Henry Ford dies.
 * October 20, 1947 – Dearborn City Council approves purchase of land near Milford, Michigan for what would become Camp Dearborn. First section of camp opens following year.
 * October 21, 1947 – Ford Airport officially closes.
 * 1950 – First Pleasant Hours senior citizen group formed.
 * 1950 – Dearborn Historical Museum formally established.
 * January 1953 – Oakwood Hospital formally opened and dedicated.
 * April 22, 1958 – Election held to annex part of South Dearborn Township to Dearborn. Proposal fails.
 * 1959 – University of Michigan (Dearborn Campus) opens.
 * April 6, 1959 – Election held to annex part of North Dearborn Township to Dearborn. Proposal fails.
 * 1960 – Remaining parts of Dearborn Township incorporated as Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
 * 1962 – St. Joseph's retreat closed and razed
 * 1962 – New Henry Ford Community College campus dedicated.
 * November 9, 1962 – Ford Rotunda burns down
 * 1967 – Dearborn Towers in Clearwater, Florida opens.
 * March 2, 1976 – Fairlane Town Center opens.
 * 1978 – John B. O' Reilly, Sr. becomes mayor of Dearborn
 * November 6, 1981 – Cable Television reaches first home in Dearborn, on Abbot Street.
 * December 16, 1982 – Orville Hubbard dies.
 * 1986 – Michael Guido becomes mayor of Dearborn.
 * 1993 – Michael Guido is the first mayor to run unopposed.
 * 2006 – Michael Guido dies at the age of 52 during his 6th term, the only mayor to die in office.
 * 2006 – John B. O'Reilly, Jr. is to become temporary Mayor. O'Reilly's father was the mayor who had preceded Mayor Guido.
 * 2007 – John B. O'Reilly, Jr. is elected mayor of Dearborn winning 93.97% of the vote.
 * 2008 – John B. O'Reilly, Sr. dies at the age of 89; he was Mayor of Dearborn (1978–1985) and also served as Chief of Police for 11 years.

Notable people

 * Myles Amine – Olympic bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling at 2020 Summer Olympics representing San Marino
 * Frankie Andreu – professional cyclist, rode Tour De France multiple years
 * Anthony Bass – pitcher for the Miami Marlins
 * Robert Bierman – author
 * Dave Brandon – CEO of Toys "R" Us, chairman of Domino's Pizza
 * Claire-Marie Brisson – academic, Harvard University faculty
 * David Burtka – chef and actor, married to Neil Patrick Harris
 * Brian Calley – 63rd Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
 * Garrett Clayton – actor
 * Jim Cummins – NHL player
 * John Dingell – former dean of the U.S. House of Representatives, longest-serving Congressman
 * Agnes Dobronski – Michigan educator and legislator
 * Kristen Doute – television personality, best known for Vanderpump Rules
 * Ronnie Duman – auto racer
 * Chad Everett – actor, Medical Center, The Last Challenge, Made in Paris, Airplane II: The Sequel
 * Rima Fakih – Miss Michigan USA 2010, Miss USA 2010.
 * Henry Ford – iconic automaker, founder of Ford Motor Company
 * Edsel Ford – Henry Ford's son, second president of Ford Motor and co-namesake of Fordson
 * Scott Freidheim - CEO, Investor & Author
 * Dan Gheesling – winner of Big Brother 10 (U.S.) and runner-up on Big Brother 14 (U.S.)
 * Russ Gibb – concert promoter and media figure
 * George Z. Hart – Michigan state senator
 * Ahmad Harajly – rugby player (USA Rugby)
 * Orville L. Hubbard – Mayor of Dearborn from 1942 to 1978
 * Al Iafrate – NHL defenseman
 * Art James – TV quiz-show host
 * Dakota Joshua – professional ice hockey player
 * Ali Kabbani – better known as "Myth", YouTube live streamer and professional gamer
 * John C. Kornblum – diplomat, former Ambassador to Germany
 * Mei Lin – chef, winner of Top Chef: Boston
 * Derek Lowe – Major League Baseball pitcher, 2004 World Series champion with Boston Red Sox
 * Don Matheson – actor, Land of the Giants
 * Nancy Milford – author and biographer
 * Alan Mulally – CEO of Ford Motor Company
 * Dorothy Naum – baseball player
 * Johnny Pacar – actor, Flight 29 Down, Make It or Break It, Now You See It...
 * Eugenia Paul – actress and dancer
 * George Peppard – film actor, known for Breakfast at Tiffany's, How the West Was Won, and more
 * Tom Price - United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
 * Brian Rafalski – NHL defenseman (New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings)
 * Doug Ross – college ice hockey coach
 * Soony Saad – soccer player
 * Robert Saleh – NFL Head Coach of the New York Jets
 * Scott Sanderson – All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher in 19 Major League seasons for seven teams
 * Norbert Schemansky – four-time Olympic medalist in weightlifting
 * Suzanne Sena – host of IFC program Onion News Network and former Fox News anchor
 * Serena Shim – Lebanese-American journalist
 * Jim Snyder - Major League Baseball player and manager
 * Edward Stinson – aviation pioneer
 * Pat Shurmur – NFL offensive coordinator and former head coach
 * Gary Wayne – former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
 * Ahmad Musa Jibril – Islamic preacher

title: Dearborn, Michigan


text:
Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Dearborn Heights is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Dearborn Heights is located about 12 mi west of downtown Detroit. The city shares a small border with Detroit, and is considered a bedroom community. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 63,292.

History
Dearborn Heights was incorporated from the two discontinuous sections of Dearborn Township and a quarter-mile connecting strip of land from the village of Inkster. Incorporation petitions were filed on Friday, March 4, 1960, while Inkster officials delivered their petitions for incorporation on Monday, March 7, 1960. The residents approved Dearborn Heights' incorporation on an election held June 20, 1960, which is the official date of incorporation. Inkster, a predominantly black community, filed a lawsuit, claiming that the shape of Dearborn Heights reflected a racial gerrymander. The Michigan Supreme Court held that Inkster had failed to demonstrate any legally cognizable harm and dismissed the lawsuit.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.75 sqmi, of which 11.74 sqmi is land and 0.01 sqmi (0.09%) is water.

The southern portion of the city is in the watershed of the north branch of the Ecorse Creek (also known as Ecorse River). The area surrounding the Ecorse is subject to flooding. The northern portion of the city is in the Rouge River watershed.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 57,774 people, 22,266 households, and 14,591 families living in the city. The population density was 4921.1 PD/sqmi. There were 24,068 housing units at an average density of 2050.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.1% White, 7.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the population.

There were 22,266 households, of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.23.

The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

In 2014 the Dearborn Heights director of community and economic development, Ron Amen, stated that Arabs are about 25% of the city's population. Many Arab businesses in Dearborn have established branch operations in Dearborn Heights.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 58,264 people, 23,276 households, and 15,781 families living in the city. The population density was 4,973.1 PD/sqmi. There were 23,913 housing units at an average density of 2,041.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 91.64% White, 2.12% African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 2.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population. 19.8% were of Polish, 12.3% German, 8.8% Arab, 8.3% Italian, 8.0% Irish and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 82.1% spoke English, 6.6% Arabic, 2.3% Polish, 2.1% Spanish, 1.5% Italian and 1.0% Macedonian as their first language.

There were 23,276 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,222, and the median income for a family was $54,392. Males had a median income of $45,226 versus $29,234 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,829. About 4.4% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
As of 2014 the largest employer in the city is the city government itself. The second largest employer is H.Y.P.E Athletics, which has over 200 employees.

Dearborn Heights Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA)
Since TIFA's establishment in 1986, many projects have been completed, including the new Justice Center and JFK Library. The Dearborn Heights Tax Increment Finance Authority is a community service office branched out of the State of Michigan and the City of Dearborn Heights. The goal is to encourage economic revitalization and historic preservation. TIFA remains established to continue efforts in elevating the standard of living for all residents of the district.

Property availability list A property availability list (PAL) is regularly updated on the TIFA website. It is a comprehensive list of all commercial and industrial parcels for sale in the district, which provides the browser with property specifications and contact information for the appropriate real estate agent. The goal of the PAL is not to promote or advocate businesses, but rather to avoid vacancies and assist in the occupancy of commercial buildings in the district, in turn stimulating the local economy.

Recent programs The Business Improvement Program was launched in June 2008. It is a grant program designed to assist business owners in the TIFA district who wish to repair structural or exterior deterioration of their buildings.

Public schools
Dearborn Heights is divided into five school districts. Most north end residents are in the Crestwood School District or Dearborn Public Schools, while south end residents fall into the Westwood Community School District or the Dearborn Heights No. 7 School District. There are three zoned high Schools within the Dearborn Heights city limits: Crestwood High School on Beech Daly Road (Crestwood School District), Hamilton Robichaud High School on Janet Street (Westwood Community Schools), and Annapolis High School on Clippert Street (Dearborn Heights District No. 7).

Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology, a Dearborn schools magnet school, is in Dearborn Heights. Residents in Dearborn Public Schools are zoned to either River Oaks (in Dearborn Heights), Haigh, or Lindberg elementary schools. Middle schools serving that section include Bryant and Smith. Dearborn High School serves all residents of Dearborn Heights in Dearborn schools.

A small portion is within the Wayne-Westland Community Schools. It is zoned to Hicks Elementary School in Inkster, Franklin Middle School in Wayne, and John Glenn High School in Westland.

Portions of Dearborn Heights in the Taylor School District are assigned to Taylor Parks Elementary School, Hoover Middle School, and Harry S. Truman High School, all in Taylor.

Charter schools: Prior to 2011, Universal Learning Academy had two campuses in Dearborn Heights. It is now in Westland.
 * Clara B. Ford Academy is in Dearborn Heights.
 * Global Educational Excellence operates one charter school in Dearborn Heights: Global Heights Academy (K-5).

Private schools
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit operates two Catholic K-8 schools:
 * St. Anselm Catholic School - Established in 1955
 * St. Linus Catholic School (Dearborn Heights)

The archdiocese once operated St. Mel Elementary School in Dearborn Heights, which closed in 2005, and St. Sebastian School, which was established in the 1950s and closed in 2019. It also once operated St. Albert the Great.

Post-secondary education
A campus of Henry Ford College was located in the north end from the mid-1970s until 2014.

Public libraries
The Dearborn Heights Library System operates the Caroline Kennedy Library and the John F. Kennedy Jr. Library.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Dearborn Heights, Michigan


text:
Ecorse, Michigan

Ecorse ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,512 at the 2010 census.

Ecorse is part of the Downriver community within Metro Detroit. The city shares a northwestern border with the city of Detroit and also borders the cities of Lincoln Park to the west, River Rouge to the north, and Wyandotte to the south. The city shares its name with the Ecorse River, which forms its southern border with Wyandotte. The Detroit River forms the city's eastern border as part of the Canada–United States border with LaSalle, Ontario.

Etymology
Native American tribes of this area used this area as a burial ground. When French colonists settled here in the last two decades of the 18th century, they named the waterway "Rivière Aux Échorches", which means "The River of the Barks" in English.

History
In 1836, after the community had become part of United States territory, it was settled by more English speakers, who named it Grand Port. The community was unincorporated within Ecorse Township. In 1903 the settlement was incorporated as the village of Ecorse. With the opening of its first steel mill in 1923, Michigan Steel Mill, Ecorse began to become an economic force in the region. The village incorporated as a city in 1942.

Since the later 20th century and restructuring of heavy industry, the city, like many industrial inner-ring suburbs, has fallen into economic decline. In December 1986, the Wayne County Circuit Court issued a court order appointing a receiver for the bankrupt city. The receivership would last until August 1990, but the city's finances were monitored by the state of Michigan for another ten years.

By September 2009, with the city facing a $9 million deficit and a federal corruption probe, Governor Jennifer Granholm declared a financial emergency for Ecorse, and appointed an emergency financial manager. On September 25, 2009, Ecorse Mayor Herbert Worthy and city Controller Erwin Hollenquest were arrested on charges of conspiracy, bribery, and fraud.

On May 1, 2013, the City of Ecorse was moved from under an emergency manager to a state transition advisory board, which includes the previous emergency manager.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.69 sqmi, of which 2.80 sqmi is land and 0.89 sqmi (24.12%) is water.

The Detroit River forms the eastern border of the city, and the Ecorse River forms the southern boundary. Mud Island within the Detroit River is part of Ecorse and is included in the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

Primary and secondary schools
Ecorse Public Schools operates the public schools in the city. These include Ralph J. Bunche School (PreK-3), Grandport Elementary School (4-7), and Ecorse Community High School (8-12). Project Excel is a 3-8 magnet school in Ecorse.

Public libraries
Ecorse Public Library is located in the city. Two Dearborn architects, Bennett and Straight, designed the current library complex, which was built to be fireproof.

The first library services appeared in Ecorse in 1922, when a group of books from the Wayne County Library Service were placed for local use at Loveland's Pharmacy. During the following year, the owner of the pharmacy moved his business to gain a larger space and dedicated a section of the new location to the library. Due to a lack of space for a new book collection, library services were stopped in 1925. Services resumed on March 22, 1926, when the library re-opened in the DeWallot building with 600 volumes of books; for the first time the library had its own quarters. By 1929 the Ecorse library had four staff members. Two operated other library branches in Ecorse: one in the Ecorse Municipal Building and one located on Visger Road.

The current Ecorse Public Library opened on December 12, 1948, with a dedication by Mayor William Vosine. The library's cost was $150,000. The American Library Association selected the library as one of the best small libraries in the United States.

Parks and recreation
Ecorse has a Senior Center and a rowing club. The John D. Dingell Park is located along the Detroit River.

2010 census
At the 2010 census there were 9,512 people in 3,646 households, including 2,285 families, in the city. The population density was 3397.1 PD/sqmi. There were 4,544 housing units at an average density of 1622.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 44.0% White (36.5% non-Hispanic white), 46.4% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 4.0% from other races, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.4%.

Of the 3,646 households 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.7% were married couples living together, 29.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. 31.3% of households were one person and 11.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.26.

The median age was 35.4 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 11,229 people in 4,339 households, including 2,733 families, in the city. The population density was 4,175.1 PD/sqmi. There were 4,861 housing units at an average density of 1,807.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 52.18% White, 40.56% African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.36% from other races, and 3.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.94%. and 5.8% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.7% spoke English only, while 6.3% spoke Spanish.

Of the 4,339 households 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.0% were married couples living together, 25.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.1% of households were one person and 10.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.23.

The age distribution was 27.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median household income was $27,142 and the median family income was $32,374. Males had a median income of $33,915 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,468. About 17.3% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.2% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

title: Ecorse, Michigan


text:
Flat Rock, Michigan

Flat Rock is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States, with a small portion of the city extending into Monroe County. At the 2020 census, the population was 10,541.

History
Flat Rock began as a Wyandot settlement. It was later designated as a reservation for the Wyandot, and still functioned as such in 1830.

The first European-American settlers in Flat Rock were Michael Vreeland and his five grown sons between 1811 and 1820. Vreeland had been captured by British Rangers during the Revolutionary War and released after American independence. The family purchased 800 acre. The town was called the "Village of Vreeland" until 1838, when the Vreeland family sold off most of the land and relinquished control of the area. The Vreeland families built the first grain and lumber mill, having brought the grinding stones from New York. Descendants of Michael Vreeland still live in the town and attend Flat Rock public schools, being the seventh generation to reside in the town their family founded.

The first mention of any settlers in the area later to become Flat Rock was made by a French priest, Father Jean Dilhet. In describing his parish in 1798 he included "Grosse Roche", referring to a settlement named after the outcropping of limestone rock on the south side of the Huron River.

In 1818, a land office opened in Detroit, and Soloman Sibley purchased 330.93 acre of land. In 1824 it was sold to Michael and Jacob Vreeland. Vreeland and Smooth Rock villages were platted on part of this acreage. At this time there were Huron, Seneca, and Wyandot Indian villages in the area.

With the Erie Canal opening in 1825, many people, especially from New York, came to Michigan to settle. By 1828 the village had four stores, two saw mills, a wool carding mill, a flour mill, and 250 inhabitants - serving as a center mainly for farmers who lived in the area immediately surrounding the settlement.

The village of Flat Rock was platted and recorded in 1838 by the Gibraltar and Flat Rock Land Co. They were attempting to build a canal to connect Lake Erie with Lake Michigan. This effort ultimately failed.

Henry Ford was attracted to the water power of the Huron River, and in 1925 he established the Ford Motor Company Lamp Factory along its banks. The Flat Rock Dam was constructed to provide hydroelectricity to the factory.

The area was incorporated as a village in 1923 and as a city in 1965.

From the 1930s until the early 1960s an airport was located in Flat Rock. The grass airfield was known as Nan-Bar Airport, named for the owner's two daughters, Nancy and Barbara. During World War II, Nan-Bar Airport served as an accessory airfield for Naval Air Station Grosse Ile. Navy pilots used the airfield for short field landing instruction, as well as for emergency landings.

In 2021, Ford Motor Company dumped benzene into the city sewer system, causing 1,100 people to evacuate their homes.

Geography
Flat Rock is in southern Wayne County, but a very small portion of the city lies to the south in Monroe County, because the border along the Huron River follows the course of the river in 1923, the year Flat Rock was incorporated as a village. At the time, the river had two meanders, but they have since been filled in. The city is bordered to the northeast by Woodhaven, to the southeast by Rockwood, and to the south, across the Huron River in Monroe County, by South Rockwood.

U.S. Route 24 (Telegraph Road) passes through the center of Flat Rock, leading north 14 mi to the western part of Dearborn and southwest the same distance to Monroe. Interstate 75 runs along the eastern border of Flat Rock, with direct access from Exit 29 (Gibraltar Road). I-75 leads northeast 21 mi to Detroit and southwest 35 mi to Toledo, Ohio.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Flat Rock has a total area of 6.71 sqmi, of which 6.57 sqmi are land and 0.14 sqmi, or 2.06%, are water.

The city is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as belonging to both Wayne County and Monroe County. In the 2010 census, the city is listed as having a total land area of 6.67 sqmi, while mentioning no measurable land area or population statistics within Monroe County. However, the city is still listed in several categories as being part of Monroe County. The official Flat Rock city website also mentions the city's boundaries extending into Monroe County.

Flat Rock has a higher overall tornado average than the state of Michigan as a whole, and a 40% greater average than the United States as a whole. Two F4 tornadoes have hit Flat Rock—one in 1956 and another in 1965 resulting in 23 deaths and over 300 injuries.

Economy
In December 2019 Flat Rock had an unemployment rate of 6.5%, higher than the US average of 3.7%. Per capita income in Flat Rock was $27,549, below the US average of $31,177. The average household income was $63,375, above the US average of $57,652. The family median income was $76,481, above the US average of $70,850.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 9,878 people, 3,754 households, and 2,684 families living in the city. The population density was 1512.7 PD/sqmi. There were 3,995 housing units at an average density of 611.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 4.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.4% of the population.

There were 3,754 households, of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 36.9 years. 27.4% of residents were under 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,488 people, 3,181 households, and 2,306 families living in the city. The population density was 1,266.9 PD/sqmi. There were 3,291 housing units at an average density of 491.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.32% White, 1.43% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.64% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.70% of the population.

There were 3,181 households, out of which 39.8% had children under 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.

The population was spread out in the city, with 29.3% under 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,084, and the median income for a family was $54,186. Males had a median income of $43,967 versus $27,348 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,256. About 8.5% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Dann Florek, actor
 * Fred Gladding, Major League Baseball pitcher

Education
Flat Rock is served by Flat Rock Community Schools.

title: Flat Rock, Michigan


text:
Garden City, Michigan

Garden City is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Garden City is located roughly 15 mi west of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 27,380. Garden City is notable as the home of the first locations of Kmart and Little Caesars.

History
The origins of Garden City started with the transfer of the property to John Lathers from Andrew Jackson for 160 acre in October 1835. The city was patterned after the "garden city" concept that became popular in England during the 19th century, with most home sites sectioned off into 1 acre plots to allow adequate farming area to support the family with fruit and vegetables. Most sites are now considerably smaller, some as small as 40 feet by 135 feet, with little room for gardening of fruits and vegetables, though the city maintains some large lots where an extra street has not been placed between two of the older streets, such as between some parts of Bock Street and John Hauk Street where Donnelly Avenue does not cut through.

In June 1927, Garden City became a village within Nankin Township, with Arnold Folker as Village President. Six years later the village became the city of Garden City. Areas of interest in Garden City include the first Kmart store (opened in 1962, closed in early 2017, now demolished), the first Little Caesars (opened in May 1959, closed in October 2018), located at 32594 Cherry Hill Road, and the first dine-in McDonald's in Michigan. The Folker Building, a gray stone structure located at the southeast corner of Ford and Middlebelt Roads, at what is considered downtown Garden City, was the first city hall. It later contained Orin Jewelers and other retail establishments. A new city hall was eventually constructed on Middlebelt Road between Ford and Warren Roads. The honeymoon cottage of Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant, was moved here from Dearborn in 1952.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.87 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 27,692 people, 10,894 households, and 7,383 families living in the city. The population density was 4717.5 PD/sqmi. There were 11,616 housing units at an average density of 1978.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.5% White, 3.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.

There were 10,894 households, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the city was 39.9 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,047 people, 11,479 households, and 8,230 families living in the city. The population density was 5,124.0 PD/sqmi. There were 11,719 housing units at an average density of 1,998.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.20% White, 1.10% African-American, 0.40% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.

There were 11,479 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,841, and the median income for a family was $58,530. Males had a median income of $44,314 versus $27,904 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,651. About 3.3% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The main source of education for Garden City is their school district, Garden City School District, which includes four elementary schools, one middle school, one public high school which also houses a performing arts center and a swimming pool, and an alternative education high school called Cambridge High School. During the baby boom, a second high school was constructed, Garden City West High School, with teams called the Tigers. At that time, Garden City High School, whose teams had the name the Panthers, was renamed Garden City High School - East. After the census at both schools declined, Garden City West became Garden City Middle School with the four middle schools from the baby boom being dissolved. These middle schools were Burger, Radcliff, Vogel, and Cambridge. Burger Middle School became Burger School for Students with Autism, which has been renamed to Burger Baylor School, while still being under the authority of Garden City Public Schools. Radcliff Middle School became a satellite campus for Schoolcraft College; the school has since sold Radcliff Center to the City for their Parks and Recreation Department. The former middle school and Schoolcraft campus are located directly next to the current Garden City Middle School. Vogel has since been razed, while Cambridge now serves as the district's alternative high school. After the dissolution of the two high schools, Garden City East resumed the name Garden City High School, with teams now called the Cougars. Tipton Academy, a charter school serving grades PK-7, is also located in Garden City.

St. Raphael Catholic School in Garden City closed in 2016.

title: Garden City, Michigan


text:
Gibraltar, Michigan

Gibraltar is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,656 at the 2010 census.

Gibraltar is a southern city of Metro Detroit and is about 12 mi south of the city of Detroit. The city is bordered by the Detroit River to the east, the city of Trenton to the north, and the township of Brownstown to the south and west.

History
Gibraltar was first settled as early as 1811 and later platted on March 14, 1837, by trustees of the Gibralter & Flat Rock Company. The community received its first post office under the name "Gibralter" on October 2, 1837. The post office was renamed to Woodbury on December 8, 1838, but renamed back to Gibralter on May 13, 1839. The spelling was changed to "Gibraltar" on December 19, 1900, until it was discontinued entirely on January 31, 1910. The community of Gibraltar was originally part of Brownstown Township. It incorporated as a village in 1954 and gained autonomy when it became a city in 1961.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.41 sqmi, of which 3.78 sqmi is land and 0.63 sqmi (14.29%) is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,656 people, 1,946 households, and 1,283 families living in the city. The population density was 1231.7 PD/sqmi. There were 2,217 housing units at an average density of 586.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% White, 2.0% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

There were 1,946 households, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 31.1% were from 45 to 64; and 14.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,264 people, 1,728 households, and 1,225 families living in the city. The population density was 1,109.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,791 housing units at an average density of 465.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.74% White, 0.52% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.59% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.

There were 1,728 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, 23.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $58,167, and the median income for a family was $67,457. Males had a median income of $53,750 versus $31,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,528. About 1.9% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Public education is provided by the Gibraltar School District, serving all of Gibraltar, all of Rockwood, portions of Woodhaven, and portions of Brownstown Township. The school district operates these schools in Gibraltar:
 * Parsons Elementary School
 * Shumate Middle School
 * Carlson High School

title: Gibraltar, Michigan


text:
Grosse Ile Township, Michigan

Grosse Ile Township is a civil township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,777 at the 2020 census.

The township encompasses several islands in the Detroit River, of which the largest is named as Grosse Ile. Named by French explorers in 1679, Grosse Île means "Big Island". Later taken under British rule after 1763, the island was not settled by European Americans until after the United States achieved independence in the American Revolutionary War. Grosse Ile Township was organized in 1914 after it split away from Monguagon Township.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 18.67 sqmi, of which 9.20 sqmi is land and 9.47 sqmi (50.72%) is water.

Grosse Ile is the largest island on the Detroit River. The township of Grosse Ile is composed of twelve islands, although the community is most often identified with the main island (which residents simply refer to as "The Island"). Grosse Ile's main island is technically composed of two islands. Grosse Ile Township is one of only seven municipalities in the state of Michigan to consist entirely of islands, including St. James Township, Drummond Township, Bois Blanc Township (in northern Michigan, not to be confused with the nearby Bois Blanc Island, which is in Canada), Mackinac Island, Peaine Township, and Sugar Island Township.

The tip of the main island's northern section is named Hennepin Point in honor of the 17th-century French explorer Father Louis Hennepin. It is uninhabited and separated from the remainder of the northern section by an unnamed canal that cannot be navigated in a power boat.

The southern section of the main island is separated from the northern section by the Thorofare Canal, which runs on a diagonal course from east to west connecting the main channel of the Detroit River with the Trenton Channel of the river. The southern section of the main island is connected by bridges to Elba Island, Meso Island (also known as Upper Hickory Island), Hickory Island, and Swan Island, which are all inhabited.

Not far from the shoreline of the main island in the river lie Calf Island, Celeron Island (charted as Tawas Island), Dynamite (also known as Powder House Island), Fox Island, Stony Island, and Sugar Island, which are all uninhabited. Stony and Celeron are owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Calf Island is owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The other islands are privately owned. The low-lying Mamajuda Island is off the northeastern tip of Grosse Ile and is visible only during times of low water level.

Two bridges connect the main island to the mainland of Michigan. The bridge on the north end of the island is called the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge (off-white color). The bridge on the south end of the island is officially named the Wayne County Bridge (light green in color), but is commonly called the "Free Bridge" by locals.

Founding and early times
The Potawatomi occupied areas of the island, which they called Kitcheminishen, for a long period prior to European encounter. They were one of the tribes in the Council of Three Fires.

The flags of three nations—France, England, and the United States—have flown over Detroit and Grosse Ile since the first French explorers visited the island during the late 17th century. The early French explorers named the island as la grosse île—the "big island" in French. Father Louis Hennepin, a Catholic priest and missionary, accompanied fellow French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in 1679 on the ship Le Griffon in exploring the Great Lakes. The Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Grosse Ile says that Father Hennepin came ashore and said mass at a location on the east shore of the island near the present site of St. Anne's Chapel. No record exists of this event, but Father Hennepin wrote in his journals about the fruit orchards and wild animals on Grosse Ile, showing he was here. The north end of Grosse Ile is named Hennepin Point in his honor.

French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his convoy of 25 canoes sailed down the Detroit River and camped on the shore of Grosse Ile during the evening of July 23, 1701. On the morning of July 24, Cadillac returned upriver and landed ashore, where he claimed French possession of the territory under the authority of King Louis XIV. This site is in present-day Detroit, near the present intersection of West Jefferson and Shelby streets.

Grosse Ile maintained its own name and identity as a community through the 18th century. The British established control of the island and present-day Michigan in 1763 after their victory in the French and Indian War. They anglicized the spelling to "Grosse Isle".

Although the Potawatomi, like most Native Americans, did not have the same sense of property ownership as did Europeans and Americans, they considered the island to be part of their ancestral lands. On July 6, 1776, they deeded the island to brothers Alexander and William Macomb, brothers from Albany who had become leading fur traders and merchants in Detroit, partly from selling supplies to the British at Fort Detroit and the local Indian Department. They are considered to be the founders of the European-American community on the island.

Settlement to present
Settlement started in the 19th century. At least three homes still standing on the island were built during this period by a descendant or relative of the Macomb brothers. The Rucker Homestead, the oldest structure in use on Grosse Ile, has portions that date to 1816. The front structure was added by John Anthony Rucker in 1835. The Rucker-Stanton House on West River Road was built in 1848 by the great-grandson of William Macomb. The Wendell House on East River Road was built in the late 1860s by John Wendell, who married a granddaughter of William Macomb.

Westcroft Gardens, a Michigan Centennial Farm located on West River Road, is operated by descendants of the Macombs. Westcroft, which is open to the public, features a nursery well known for growing and selling hybrid azaleas and rhododendrons. Westcroft is one of the oldest farms in Michigan still owned by the same family. Most of the original buildings at Westcroft Gardens are still standing and well preserved.

Macomb Street of the central business district of Grosse Ile was named in honor of Alexander and William Macomb. A monument commemorating the day that the tribal chiefs and elders signed the deed to the Macomb brothers is located at the foot of Gray's Drive and near the shoreline of the Detroit River. The original deed, which was written on parchment, is stored in the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library.

Trenton Channel and boating
Boating has been both a means of transportation and recreation since the first residents lived on the island. Native Americans used canoes to travel between Grosse Ile's islands and the mainland in Michigan and Canada. Early European settlers primarily used sail-powered vessels to travel to and from the islands.

By the late 19th century, Grosse Ile was known as a popular destination for recreational boaters. It was also served by steamboats operating from Detroit and small towns along the river and lakes. During this time period, Sugar Island, which is one of the twelve islands commonly considered to comprise Grosse Ile, featured an amusement park, dance pavilion, and bathing beach. Paddle steamers regularly carried people from Detroit and other points along the Michigan side of the Detroit River to Sugar Island.

During this era and into the early 20th century, a number of wealthy residents from Detroit and other nearby towns built summer homes along the shoreline (mainly on the southern end) of Grosse Ile in order to enjoy views of the Detroit River or Lake Erie. The interior section of the island was sparsely populated, as most of the land was undeveloped woodlands or part of farms. The residential population of Grosse Ile totaled 802 at the 1920 U.S. Census. The majority of houses were located around the perimeter of the island and main roads crossed the community chiefly in either a north–south or east–west direction.

In 1894, the federal government funded and constructed a series of channel range lights to assist ships to avoid shallow areas in the Detroit River and its shoreline. The northernmost of the channel range lights was the Grosse Ile Light, which is now the only lighthouse remaining on the island. The original 1894 Grosse Ile lighthouse resembled a water tower on stilts, as it was constructed on wooden pilings along with a 170 ft walkway to shore.

It was rebuilt in 1906 and designed as the classic white structure that has become one of the iconic landmarks on the island. The lighthouse is considered a symbol of Grosse Ile; its image is used on the masthead of the Ile Camera community newspaper and many other places. The lighthouse's beacon was turned off in the 1940s, and the structure is no longer an important navigation aid for lake freighters. Small boaters still refer to the lighthouse in their navigation of the area.

In 1965, the Grosse Ile Township purchased the lighthouse from the U.S. Department of the Interior for $350, with funds provided by the Grosse Ile Historical Society (GIHS). The GIHS was given the responsibility to preserve and maintain the lighthouse. The GIHS annually holds a tour of the lighthouse during a weekend each fall, which is the only time of the year that it is open to the public.

Island resident Cameron Waterman invented the outboard motor and successfully tested his invention during February 1905 in the ice-filled Detroit River off the shore of Grosse Ile. He established the Waterman Marine Motor Company in Detroit. The company eventually manufactured and sold up to 1,000 outboard motors per year until Waterman sold the business in 1917. During the fall of 2005, the GIHS celebrated the 100th anniversary of Waterman's invention by hosting a public exhibition featuring fully restored Waterman outboard motors. These are highly collectible and very rare.

During the Prohibition era, Grosse Ile became a crossing point for bootleggers illegally smuggling alcoholic beverages from Canada. They typically arrived at the island via small speed boats. During the winter months, some daring smugglers drove cars across the frozen river.

Aviation and military
During the 1920s and 1930s, a small airport on the southern end of Grosse Ile was the location of historic early aviation activities. The Curtiss-Wright Flying Service operated a flying school at the airport. The Aircraft Development Corporation built the world's first all-metal airship, the ZMC-2, for the Navy in a large hangar. Amelia Earhart is rumored to have stopped at the airfield on occasion.

Grosse Ile was the home of a U.S. Navy base for forty years. The U.S. Naval Air Station Grosse Ile opened in 1929 after three years of construction of seaplane and dirigible facilities. During World War II, the naval base developed into an important center for military flight training. The base was expanded considerably to accommodate large numbers of American and British fliers who trained on the island. As a young man during WWII, George H. W. Bush was stationed at the base for training during 1945 for about two months. He later became a politician and President of the United States.

During the height of the Cold War, in 1954 the U.S. Army installed an Ajax-Nike missile base at the airfield; it was functional until being decommissioned in 1963. The Navy closed the base during November 1969. The federal government transferred it in 1971 to the township government for civilian use as a municipal airport.

Today, the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport is used primarily for general aviation. It has also been the site of public airshows. Occasionally it serves as a temporary docking area for blimps that visit southeastern Michigan to fly over major sporting events. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) operated the Large Lakes Research Station in one of the buildings on the airport grounds, until its closure in 2019. The airport campus is also the site of Grosse Ile Township Hall, which was moved to this location in 2000 from Macomb Street, and a number of private businesses.

Railroads and bridges
In 1873 the Canada Southern Bridge Company, a subsidiary of the Canada Southern Railroad Company, established a railroad from the Michigan mainland to the island that carried both passengers and freight. The company laid tracks across Grosse Ile and built bridges over the Detroit River to enable trains to be transferred to a ferryboat on Stony Island (one of the islands near the east shoreline of Grosse Ile's "main island"). Once on the ferryboat, the train cars were taken to Ontario, Canada across the river, where they were put back on a rail track to travel to Buffalo, New York and other points east. Canada Southern operated trains on this route for about ten years before ceasing service due to financial difficulties.

After Canada Southern ended its operations, the Michigan Central Railroad (MCR) operated a train that provided service between the island and Trenton, Michigan. From Trenton, travelers could connect with trains or streetcars to Detroit and other cities in the region. In 1904, the Michigan Central Railroad built a small brick and stone depot along the tracks near East River Road on the east side of the island.

Train service peaked during the early 20th century, but rapidly declined after Edward W. Voigt's Grosse Ile Bridge Company opened the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge for automobile traffic on November 27, 1913 (Thanksgiving Day). The bridge, which is privately owned, is on the west side of the island and connects to the city of Riverview. After automobile traffic crossing the bridge became the most popular means of traveling to and from the island, the Michigan Central Railroad ceased daily passenger service in early 1924; in 1929 it ended its occasional freight service.

During 1931, the county government converted the Michigan Central Railroad's defunct rail bridge crossing the Trenton Channel into the Wayne County Bridge for use by vehicular, bike and pedestrian traffic. The rail tracks across the island were replaced by a roadway that is now known as Grosse Ile Parkway. The Wayne County Bridge is commonly referred to as the "Free Bridge" by residents because of it does not charge a toll.

Today, about three-quarters of the vehicle traffic going to and from Grosse Ile travels over the Wayne County Bridge, while one-quarter crosses the Toll Bridge. The Toll Bridge has been hit twice by lake freighters, causing it to close temporarily (in 1965 and in 1992). The Wayne County Bridge was closed to vehicle traffic for major renovations between May 2, 2007, and December 21, 2007. During the 2007 county bridge closure period, the Toll Bridge provided the only route for vehicles to travel to and from the island.

Grosse Ile Historic District
Today, the MCR train depot is owned and operated as a community museum by the Grosse Ile Historical Society (GIHS). Nearby is the old U.S. Customs House, which was relocated to the current site in 1980 from Macomb Street. The GIHS also owns the Custom House, and these are the only structures in the National Historic District along East River Road that are regularly open to the public. The district features Saint James Episcopal Church, the oldest church building on the island, constructed during 1867 in part with funds provided by a freed slave named Elizabeth Denison. The district includes six homes, built from the 1840s to 1860s, that are outstanding examples of period architecture, particularly Gothic Revival and Jacobethan Revival.

Modern times, growth and preservation
Grosse Ile has good views of commercial shipping and pleasure boat traffic on the Detroit River. Lake freighters and oceangoing ships traveling to destinations around the Great Lakes regularly pass near the east side of the island, where the main channel of the Detroit River separates Grosse Ile from Ontario, Canada.

While the shoreline areas of Grosse Ile feature the majority of historically significant places and structures, approximately a dozen 1920s-era homes in the Jewell Colony subdivision, located in the middle of the island, are listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places. Jewell Colony was the first planned subdivision on the island.

During the later 20th century, Grosse Ile had a significant increase in the rate of residential development, given its advantageous location and other amenities. By the 1980 census, the population of Grosse Ile had increased to approximately 9,300— about 106% over its population in the 1960 census.

Fearing the destruction of the natural character and small-town charm of the community, during the early 1990s the Grosse Ile Township established an "Open Space Program", to be funded by a voter-approved dedicated local property tax to buy undeveloped land. The township acquired large tracts of environmentally sensitive land to slow the pace of development, preserve the environment, and protect housing values.

In 1993, a group of residents established a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization named the Grosse Ile Land & Nature Conservancy, to aid in the protection and stewardship of the diverse natural resources on the island. A number of private owners donated environmentally important woodland and wetland areas to the Conservancy to protect them (and to get a tax write-off.)

The U.S. EPA granted stewardship responsibilities to the Conservancy for a 40.5 acre marsh and upland area on the federally owned section of the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. This tract of land, which at one time was the location of the Navy's seaplane base and later the Army's Nike missile base, has been restored to its natural state; it features rich biodiversity and rare coastal wetlands. Named the Nature Area by the Conservancy, this land is periodically used by local teachers and Boy Scout groups to teach children about nature and the importance of conservation.

Grosse Ile is a community of about 10,371 residents. Money magazine ranked Grosse Ile as one of the "Top 100 Best Places to Live" in 2009.

Culture
The annual "Islandfest" (formerly "Azalea Festival") takes place around Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. On the same site as Islandfest, the Grosse Ile Youth Recreational Association (GIYRA), a 501c3 charity, runs a haunted house every Halloween. GIYRA coordinates the youth sporting events for the island children. The sports offered by GIYRA are Football and Cheer, Flag Football, Basketball, Baseball and Softball.

The island has an indoor tennis facility: six courts inside an old hangar at the city's municipal airport. The Grosse Ile Soccer Association coordinates the township's soccer league. The rapidly expanding soccer association, which started by hosting a recreational league, has expanded into a larger association. The Grosse Ile Soccer Association has more than 15 select travel / premier level teams on top of the in-house recreational program.

Grosse Ile's community theatre, The Islanders, is Downriver's oldest theatre club and one of the oldest civic theatre groups in the state of Michigan. The club has been active on Grosse Ile since 1925, when friends and neighbors developed a means of entertainment during the long Michigan winters. The first major play was produced on May 21, 1926, by a group of 40 founding members.

Grosse Ile social clubs include the Grosse Ile Yacht Club, the Ford Yacht Club, the Elba-Mar Boat Club, the Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, West Shore Golf Course, Water's Edge Golf Course, the Kiwanis Club of Grosse Ile, and the Grosse Ile Rotary Club (founded in 1947).

Education
Grosse Ile Township Schools serves the township.

On the island, there are two elementary schools: Parke Lane Elementary which serves grades K-2nd, and Meridian Elementary which serves grades 3rd-5th. The Grosse Ile Middle School enrolls students in 6–8, and Grosse Ile High School provides college preparatory education for grades 9–12. Their mascot is the Red Devil.

In 2001, Grosse Ile was ranked the highest out of 88 school districts in Michigan by The Detroit News.

Demographics
The U.S. Census Bureau also defined Grosse Ile Township as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places (like cities and villages) as well on the list of county subdivisions (like other townships). The final statistics for the township and the CDP were identical.

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,894 people, 4,122 households, and 3,293 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,133.9 persons per square mile (437.7/km2). There were 4,335 housing units at an average density of 451.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 95.23% White, 0.36% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population.

There were 4,122 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.8% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the township the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 34.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $87,062, and the median income for a family was $96,226. Males had a median income of $71,777 versus $42,430 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,150. About 1.9% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

The township is considered to be among the safest communities in Michigan.

Notable people

 * Harry Bennett, Henry Ford's personnel director
 * John Robert Beyster, founder of the Science Applications International Corporation
 * Thornton F. Brodhead, Army veteran and state politician
 * Charles T. Fisher, businessman and an automotive pioneer
 * Henry Ford, founder and president of the Ford Motor Company, bought a sizable tract of land within Grosse Ile Township
 * Max Gail, actor who has starred in stage, television, and film roles
 * John Karmazin Sr., engine component inventor and business founder
 * Michael D. Knox, antiwar activist, educator, psychologist, and author
 * William S. Knudsen, automotive executive and general during World War II
 * Daniel H. Rucker, U.S. Army brigadier general
 * Ransom E. Olds, automotive pioneer and founder of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company
 * Heinz Prechter, founder of the American Sunroof Company
 * Jack Telnack, automotive designer and executive

title: Grosse Ile Township, Michigan