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Pleasant Ridge, Michigan

Pleasant Ridge is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit on the Woodward Corridor, Pleasant Ridge is located roughly 11 mi northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 2,627.

With a land area of 0.57 sqmi, Pleasant Ridge is the fifth-smallest city by land area in the state of Michigan after the cities of Sylvan Lake, Keego Harbor, Petersburg, and Clarkston.

History
Pleasant Ridge began when Burt Taylor subdivided the Mayday farm in 1913. The community incorporated as a village within Royal Oak Township in 1921 and again as an autonomous city in 1927. The origin of the name is believed to derive from the main thoroughfare of Ridge Road.

One of the more notable establishments within the city was Hedge's Wigwam, which was a Native American-themed restaurant that operated from 1927 until 1967.

Pleasant Ridge was actively involved in resisting the construction of the middle segment of Interstate 696 in the early 1960s.

Historic districts

 * Pleasant Ridge East Historic District
 * Pleasant Ridge Historic District

Same-sex households
Pleasant Ridge is bordered on the south by the city of Ferndale, which is considered the center of the LGBT community in the Metro Detroit region. The city of Pleasant Ridge is among the top cities in the nation with same-sex couple households, with at least 60 per 1,000 according to figures from the United States Census Bureau. A study by the Williams Institute from the University of California, Los Angeles recorded 59.55 same-sex couples for every 1,000 households in the city of Pleasant Ridge, while the state as a whole ranked low with only 5.6 for every 1,000 households. However, the study did not record the number of homosexual residents, only the number of same-sex households. The study listed Pleasant Ridge as having the highest same-sex household ratio in the state, ahead of Ferndale with 35.0 same-sex couples for every 1,000 households.

These numbers rank Pleasant Ridge as having the seventh-highest same-sex household ratio in the nation. Cities in the nation with a higher ratio include Provincetown, Massachusetts; Wilton Manors, Florida; Palm Springs, California; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Guerneville, California; and West Hollywood, California.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.57 sqmi, all land.

Pleasant Ridge is adjacent to the cities of Oak Park to the west, Huntington Woods to the northwest, Royal Oak to the northeast, and Ferndale to the south and east. The portion of the city located west of Woodward Avenue (M-1) includes the Pleasant Ridge Historic District and its spacious residential homes, while an area of more modest homes is located east of Woodward.

Major highways

 * forms the entire northern border of the city. The Detroit Zoo is located on the opposite side of the highway in the cities of Huntington Woods and Royal Oak.
 * is part of the Woodward Corridor that runs south–north through the center of the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,526 people, 1,115 households, and 674 families living in the city. The population density was 4431.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 2022.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% White, 1.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 1,115 households, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the city was 43.4 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 32.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,594 people, 1,110 households, and 712 families living in the city. The population density was 4,563.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,129 housing units at an average density of 1,986.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.57% White, 0.85% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.

There were 1,110 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $80,682, and the median income for a family was $92,134. Males had a median income of $66,071 versus $44,231 for females. The per capita income for the city was $40,846. About 1.2% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The entire city is served by Ferndale Public Schools, which is headquartered to the south in the city of Ferndale.

title: Pleasant Ridge, Michigan


text:
Pontiac, Michigan

Pontiac ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located roughly 26 mi northwest of downtown Detroit, Pontiac is part of the Detroit metropolitan area, and is variously described as a satellite city or suburb of Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 61,606.

Founded in 1818, Pontiac was the second European-American organized settlement in Michigan near Detroit, after Dearborn. It was named after Pontiac, a war chief of the Ottawa Tribe, who occupied the area before the European settlers. The city was best known for its General Motors automobile manufacturing plants of the 20th century, which were the basis of its economy and contributed to the wealth of the region. These included Fisher Body, Pontiac East Assembly (a.k.a. Truck & Coach/Bus), which manufactured GMC products, and the Pontiac Motor Division. In the city's heyday, it was the site of the primary automobile assembly plant for the production of the famed Pontiac cars, a brand that was named after the city. The Pontiac brand itself was discontinued in 2010 by General Motors. The City of Pontiac also was home to Oakland Motor Car Company, which was acquired by General Motors in 1909.

In 1975, the city built the Pontiac Silverdome, the stadium that hosted the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1975 to 2001, when the team returned to Downtown Detroit at Ford Field. Super Bowl XVI was played at the Silverdome in 1982. After 2001, the stadium continued to be used for concerts and other events until it was demolished in 2018. It is now the site of an Amazon Fulfillment and Distribution facility.

History

Present-day Pontiac, Michigan was traversed for thousands of years by indigenous peoples due to the confluence of the Saginaw Trail and the Nottawassippi River; the river's indigenous name was replaced with the Clinton River name by settlers coming from New York State where DeWitt Clinton served as Governor. The Saginaw Trail was an important land trail route for indigenous peoples that ran from the Saginaw Bay in Michigan to the Detroit River in present-day Detroit.

Early European expeditions into the land north of Detroit described the area as having "extreme sterility and barrenness". Developments and exploration were soon to prove that report false.

The first European-American settlers arrived in what is now the city of Pontiac in 1818. They followed the Saginaw Trail north from Detroit and determined the settlement should be where the trail and the river crossed. Two years later the fledgling settlement was designated as the county seat for Oakland County, due in part to the Michigan Territorial Governor Lewis Cass being receptive to the lobbying of The Pontiac Company's members that their recently acquired property was ideal for the county seat location.

The Pontiac Company, consisting of 15 members and chaired by Solomon Sibley of Detroit, comprised the first landowners in Pontiac. Sibley, along with Stephen Mack and Shubael Conant, Pontiac Company members, also formed the partnership Mack, Conant & Sibley to develop a town. Solomon and his wife Sarah Sibley largely financed construction of the first buildings. While Solomon was the first chair of the Pontiac Company, for two years Sarah Sibley was the most active as the go-between with settlers at Pontiac. Solomon Sibley was constantly traveling as a Territorial Congressman and later a Territorial Supreme Court judge. The Sibley-Hoyt house, thought to be one of the first structures in Pontiac, is preserved by its private owner.

In the 1820s Elizabeth Denison, an unmarried, free black woman, worked for the Sibleys. They helped her buy land in Pontiac in 1825. Stephen Mack, agent for the Pontiac Company, signed the deed at the request of the Sibleys, conveying 48.5 acres to Elizabeth Denison. She is believed to be the first black woman to purchase land in the new territory of Michigan.

In 1837 Pontiac became a village, the same year that Michigan gained statehood. The town had been named after the noted Ottawa Indian war chief who had his headquarters in the area decades before, during the resistance to European-American encroachment. Founded on the Clinton River, Pontiac was Michigan's first inland settlement. Rivers were critical to settlements as transportation ways, in addition to providing water and, later, power.

The village was incorporated by the legislature as a city in 1861. From the beginning, Pontiac's central location served it well. It attracted professional people, including doctors and lawyers, and soon became a center of industry. Woolen and grist mills made use of the Clinton River as a power source.

Abundant natural resources led to the establishment of several carriage manufacturing companies, all of which were thriving at the turn of the 20th century. One of the largest carriage manufacturing companies in Pontiac of that era was the O.J. Beaudette Wagon Works, which made bodies for carriages and then transitioned to manufacturing bodies for automobiles. At that time, the first self-propelled vehicles were introduced. Pontiac quickly became a capital of the new automotive industry.

Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, Pontiac had tremendous growth in its population and size as tens of thousands of prospective autoworkers moved here from the South to work in its GM auto assembly plants at Pontiac Assembly. African Americans came in the Great Migration, seeking work, education, and the chance to vote and escape the oppression of Jim Crow in the South. As the small "horseless carriage" manufacturers became consolidated under the mantle of the General Motors Corporation, Pontiac grew as the industry grew. It also suffered the same setbacks as other cities during the Great Depression years of the 1930s. The buildup of the defense industry and conversion of the automotive industry to war demands increased the need for labor. Pontiac was a pivotal concentration of wartime production for the United States in World War II. Among many other vehicles and weapons, Pontiac facilities produced thousands of GMC trucks, Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, naval torpedoes, tank axles, amphibious vehicles, and munitions.

The first postwar years after World War II were a time of prosperity, and continued migration of African Americans to the city in the second wave of the Great Migration, but the city changed as suburbs were developed and people commuted by car to work. The more established residents moved out to buy newer housing being built in the suburbs, draining off business and resulting in vacancies downtown. Racist policies and racial animus toward the growing African American population was also an important factor, and until the mid-1960s with the enactment of Fair Housing ordinances, most of the properties in Pontiac neighborhoods contained racially restrictive covenants in the deeds.

In order to prevent flooding, Pontiac confined the Clinton River in concrete through the downtown in 1963. Changing ideas about urban living in the early 21st century prompted the city to study uncovering the river to create a waterfront community in the city.

In late 1966, Pontiac-born real estate developer A. Alfred Taubman tried to build a large-scale shopping mall on vacant downtown land (where the Phoenix Center now stands). It was unsuccessful. Pontiac resident C. Don Davidson and his University of Detroit architectural class created a more comprehensive plan for development to benefit the city and the entire region around it. In 1969, the city of Pontiac adopted the Pontiac Plan as the official plan for rebuilding the vacant area of the downtown district. In 1965, Davidson overheard news that the Detroit Lions were seeking a new football stadium in Southeast Michigan. Professor Davidson and city leaders made a push to develop a new multi-purpose stadium, which was built and became known as the Silverdome. Construction began on the 80,000-seat stadium in 1972 and it opened in 1975 as the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium.

This was a part of Davidson's vision for Pontiac. Besides becoming the new home stadium of the NFL's Detroit Lions, NBA's Detroit Pistons and USFL's Michigan Panthers, the arena hosted such events as the 1979 NBA All-Star Game, the 1982 Super Bowl XVI game between the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals, and four matches of soccer's 1994 World Cup.

In 1968 there was an outbreak of a flu-like disease called Pontiac fever. After the discovery of the bacterium Legionella pneumophila in 1976 in Philadelphia, blood specimens from 1968 were re-examined and the same bacterium was found.

On August 30, 1971, ten school buses were destroyed in a bombing during white resistance to a federal court order to desegregate the city's public schools.

Construction began in the 1970s on an urban renewal project known as the "Pontiac Plan". The initial phase of this plan included the Phoenix Center, three office buildings, a transportation center, and a high-rise residential complex. The remainder of the plan was never completed. The city has struggled with declining population since 1980, due to industrial restructuring and the loss of jobs, especially in the automotive industry.

Emergency financial manager
From 2009 through 2013, Pontiac was under the oversight of an Emergency Financial Manager appointed by the state government. The Emergency Manager was authorized to make day-to-day executive and financial municipal decisions. The position was not subject to the usual checks and balances, nor to election. The first and second managers, Fred Leeb and Michael Stampfler, were appointed by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. The third manager was Louis Schimmel, who was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder.

In order to balance the budget, state-appointed emergency managers drastically revised labor union contracts with the city, sold off city assets such as parking meters, and privatized most public services. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office handles all police (saving $2 million a year) and nearby Waterford township has responsibility for fire protection (saving $3 million). Pontiac sold its water treatment plant for $55 million, and outsources garbage collection, animal control, vital records and street maintenance. Many people working in City Hall are employed by contractors. The city payroll has declined from 600 to 50 employees. The Silverdome Stadium, once valued at $22 million, was sold for $583,000 (it would end up being demolished in December 2017). The emergency managers reduced the city's annual spending to $36 million from $57 million, and erased almost all of its long-term debt.

In August 2013, Schimmel resigned as Emergency Financial Manager. Schimmel now serves as part of the four-member Transition Advisory Board for the city. Other members of the board include Deputy Oakland County Executive Bob Daddow, Rochester Hills Finance Director Keith Sawdon, and Ed Karyzno, administrator of the Michigan Department of Treasury's Office of Financial Responsibility.

In July 2012, Mayor Leon Jukowski and Emergency Financial Manager Louis Schimmel announced plans to demolish the Phoenix Center. Its vacancy rates were high, and the city did not want to continue the high maintenance costs. New thinking about downtown was to re-emphasize the street grid; the city wanted to reconnect Saginaw Street to the downtown area. Owners of the connecting Ottawa Towers filed an injunction, claiming the demolition would devalue their property and result in lost parking. In December 2012, a judge granted an injunction for the Ottawa Towers on an "expedited calendar", which prevented the demolition of the Phoenix Center for the time being.

In 2010, city leaders and business owners had launched "The Rise of The Phoenix" initiative. This plan was intended to attract businesses interested in downtown retail space. The applicants selected would be given free rent in exchange for multi-year leases (two years or more) as well as one year of free parking in city lots. Some 52 new businesses were recruited to locate in downtown Pontiac, bringing new life to the city. Plans for the development of mixed-use and loft flats in downtown were announced in September 2011 by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA). MEGA estimates the development could generate $20.4 million in new investment and create up to 107 permanent full-time jobs in downtown. The development was to be supported by a state tax break.

On January 26, 2012, West Construction Services began the renovation and restoration of the former Sears building for the Lafayette Place Lofts, the largest construction investment in Downtown Pontiac in approximately 30 years. The 80000 sqft project is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified residential and commercial mixed-use development: it will have 46 new urban rental lofts, a fresh food grocery store and café, and a fitness center. Construction was completed during 2012, and the lofts and market opened in December of that year. 10 West Lofts, another development in the area, will bring more residents to downtown Pontiac.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.29 sqmi, of which 19.97 sqmi is land and 0.32 sqmi (1.58%) is water.

Pontiac is bounded by the city of Auburn Hills to the east and north, the city of Lake Angelus to the north, Waterford Township to the west, and Bloomfield Township to the south.

The former Pontiac Township included what are now the cities of Pontiac, Lake Angelus, and Auburn Hills. The last remaining portion of the township incorporated as the city of Auburn Hills in 1983. Although the township no longer exists as a civil entity, it is still used as a survey township for land use purposes.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 59,515 people, 22,220 households, and 13,365 families residing in the city. The population density was 2980.2 PD/sqmi. There were 27,084 housing units at an average density of 1356.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 34.4% White, 52.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 6.2% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 16.5% of the population.

There were 22,220 households, of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.4% were married couples living together, 27.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.28.

The median age in the city was 33.4 years. 27.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.3% 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 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $31,207, and the median income for a family was $36,391. Males had a median income of $31,961 versus $24,765 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,842. About 18.0% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.

Culture
Regionally, the city was known for the Arts, Beats and Eats Festival, a widely attended summer festival featuring an art show, musical concert venues, and a sampling of food from numerous regional restaurants. In 2010, the festival was moved to nearby Royal Oak. The First Annual Scheme Cruise was held September 6, 2015, an event sponsored by the Scheme Street Battle League. The event combined rap battles, basketball competitions, and a car show. Pontiac officials are considering relocating the event to the downtown area of the city.

The city is at the north end of the famous Woodward Avenue, which extends as a major boulevard into Detroit. It was originally lined with mansions and prestigious businesses. In the 1950s and 1960s it was popular with young people who would "cruise" and drag-race their hot-rods in the area. Pontiac participates in the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, an event celebrating Woodward's hot-rod history, with a parade of cars stretching from Detroit to Pontiac.

The city hosts two nationally renowned haunted houses: The Realm of Darkness and Erebus. The Realm of Darkness has in previous years been chosen as America's Best Haunted House. Erebus held the world record from 2005 to 2009 for "Largest Haunted House"; it is 4 stories high.

Pontiac was an early location of movie making, with the Raleigh Michigan Studios, renamed as the Motown Motion Picture Studios. Scenes of the 2012 remake of the film Red Dawn were filmed in Pontiac and other Michigan locations, recreating Spokane, Washington. Additionally, downtown Pontiac in August 2012 was the filming site for the tornado-themed disaster movie Into the Storm. The 2013 fantasy adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful was filmed at Motown Motion Picture Studios. Transformers: Age of Extinction is the latest movie to be filmed within the studio, with the bulk of filming taking place in Pontiac.

Pontiac is home to the Michigan Fallen Heroes Memorial. It is located within the Oakland County Government Complex off Telegraph Road.

Government form

 * 1837 - Incorporated as a village by an act of the Michigan Legislature. The first election was held in the same year and voters elected to be governed by a seven member board of trustees.
 * 1861 - The State of Michigan redesignated Pontiac as a city which adopted the mayor-council form of government with the city divided into five wards with two aldermen elected from each ward and the mayor elected at large.
 * 1911 - The city adopted a new charter providing for a commission form of government consisting of a mayor and two commissioners elected by the city at large on a nonpartisan basis each to three year terms of office.
 * 1920 - The city adopted a new charter providing for a commission-manager form of government consisting of seven commissioners elected by the city at large on a nonpartisan basis and a mayor elected by one of the seven to act as mayor.
 * 1982 - The city adopted a new charter providing for a strong-mayor form of government consisting of seven commissioners and a mayor elected by the city at large on a nonpartisan basis for 4-year terms

Mayor
The mayor of Pontiac is Tim Greimel.

The city of Pontiac operates under a strong mayor system. The mayor serves as the chief executive of the city while holding all responsibilities of the city's executive branch. These responsibilities include proposing a city budget, ensuring that all laws are followed accordingly, as well as delivering a State of the City address. The Pontiac mayor also is responsible for appointing several positions in office including deputy mayor as well as overseeing the law, financial, police, and fire departments.

Mayoral history
Wallace E. Holland (1974–1986 and 1990–1994) was the first African American elected as Mayor of Pontiac, and the first directly elected Mayor following the adoption of the revised Pontiac City Charter in 1982.

Deirdre Holloway Waterman, was an ophthalmologist who was elected as Pontiac's first female mayor by more than 68% of the vote on November 5, 2013. She was re-elected in 2017 with 57% of the vote. Her late husband, William Waterman, was a prominent attorney in the community who was appointed in 1988 by Michigan Governor James Blanchard to the District Court in Pontiac and elected multiple times to continue serving; he died in office in 2003. The District Courthouse was renamed in his honor, the William J. Waterman Hall of Justice. Then-incumbent Mayor Deirdre Waterman was removed from the August primary ballot due to unresolved campaign finance violations, but continued as a write-in candidate in the primary election. She was not successful in that effort.

In November 2021, Tim Greimel, who previously served as a Michigan State Representative and Oakland County Commissioner in districts that included Pontiac, was elected Mayor in the general election. He won with 61.66% of votes, while his general election opponent Alexandra T. Riley received 37.50% of the vote. Riley, a frequent candidate for office in Pontiac, previously served as a city employee under Mayor Deirdre Waterman and more recent worked for the Genesee County Land Bank Authority.

Representation in state and federal government

 * State officials
 * Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D)
 * State Senator Jeremy Moss (D) — 7th State Senate District
 * State Representative Brenda Carter (D) – 53rd State House District
 * Federal officials
 * Senator Gary Peters (D)
 * Senator Debbie Stabenow (D)
 * Representative Haley Stevens (D) – 11th Congressional District

City Tax
The city levies an income tax of 1 percent on residents and 0.5 percent on nonresidents.

Pontiac Library
, the Pontiac library board consists of Rosie Richardson (chairperson), Yvette Brinker Marion (vice chairperson), Mattie Mckinney Hatchett (treasurer), Angela Allen (secretary), and H. Bill Maxey (trustee).

Oakland County Service Center
The East Campus of the Oakland County Service Center is located in Pontiac. It includes the county courthouse and jail for adults.

Education
Residents are zoned to the School District of the City of Pontiac. The district runs one main high school, Pontiac High School. There were once two high schools, Pontiac Northern and Pontiac Central, but by December 2008 administrators were making plans to consolidate the schools.

Four charter schools operate in Pontiac; they are Pontiac Academy for Excellence (K-12), Arts and Technology Academy, Walton Charter, and Great Lakes Academy. Pontiac is also home to Notre Dame Preparatory High School, a private Catholic school located in the North East area of the city.

Rail
Amtrak operates passenger service with its Wolverine from Pontiac to Chicago via Detroit and Battle Creek, Michigan. Service is three times daily, both arriving and departing.

Commuter rail service was once provided by Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW) and later Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) from Pontiac to downtown Detroit. This service ended on October 17, 1983, after subsidies were discontinued. Efforts continue to restore such commuter service.

Class one freight rail service is provided by Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW), which also operates a large classification yard in Pontiac serving the local auto industry. The Grand Trunk Western Railroad (reporting mark GTW) is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway (CN). It constitutes the majority of CN's Chicago Division (which is part of CN's Southern Region). It operates in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, forming the CN mainline from Port Huron to Chicago, as well as serving Detroit and Toledo.

Air
Oakland County International Airport serves the city and surrounding areas with commuter air service. When previously owned by the city, it was known as the Pontiac City Airport. But it is located outside the city in neighboring Waterford Township and not on land contiguous with Pontiac's city limits. Detroit Metropolitan Airport, a larger international airport, is 35 miles south of the city in Romulus.

Bus
Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) operates local and regional bus transit.

SMART Flex
Launched in March 2021, SMART Flex is an on-demand public transit service launched in partnership with TransitTech company Via Transportation as a way to help encourage first-and-last mile connections to existing bus routes as well as trips to universities, grocery stores, local hospitals and other destinations. SMART Flex is available to residents and workers in Dearborn, Troy, Pontiac, and the Hall Road corridor between Utica and New Baltimore to book rides using the SMART Flex app.

Road
The major thoroughfares in the city are: Woodward Avenue (M-1), Huron Street (M-59), and Telegraph Road (US 24). Portions of Woodward Avenue were once known as "Saginaw Street" and "Wide Track Drive" (the portion of "Wide Track Drive" that encircles the downtown business district is now known as the "Woodward Loop")

 * provides a connection northwest to nearby Flint. Detroit is to the south.
 * runs through Pontiac.
 * ends north of Pontiac in at I-75. Southbound, US 24 serves suburban Detroit and Monroe before crossing into Ohio.
 * serves local business traffic through the city.
 * northbound loops around Pontiac's downtown district (now known as the "Woodward Loop", continuing its loop back southbound as "Saginaw Street", then returning to the name of Woodward Avenue and routing directly to Downtown Detroit.
 * southbound ends in Auburn Hills at I-75. Northbound, the highway connects to Lapeer. Note: M-24 does not intersect with US 24.
 * runs west to Howell and east to Utica and several other Detroit suburbs.

Notable people

 * Geri Allen, jazz pianist, born in Pontiac
 * Lawrence S. Bacow, President of Harvard University, born in Detroit, grew up in Pontiac
 * Mark Bego, author, born in Pontiac
 * Tim Birtsas, MLB pitcher, born in Pontiac
 * Jim Bundren, NFL player, born in Pontiac
 * Adolphus W. Burtt, South Dakota Attorney General
 * Jamal Cain, NBA player for the Miami Heat
 * Albert J. Campbell, U.S. Representative from Montana
 * Madonna Louise Ciccone, known mononymously as Madonna, singer and actress, lived in Pontiac during childhood
 * Mary A. Cornelius (1829–1918), writer, social reformer
 * Sara Lynn Darrow, United States District Court judge, born in Pontiac
 * DDG, rapper and YouTube personality, born and raised in Pontiac
 * Pete Dexter, journalist, novelist, and screenwriter, born in Pontiac
 * Thomas J. Drake, justice of Utah Territorial Supreme Court and third Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, died in Pontiac
 * Electric Djinn, the solo musical project of NYC-based electronic musician and producer Neptune Sweet
 * Dez Fitzpatrick, NFL player for the Tennessee Titans
 * Tommy Edman, current second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals
 * Kirk Gibson, MLB player and manager, two-time World Series champion, born in Pontiac
 * Jonas Gray, NFL player, born in Pontiac
 * K. J. Hamler, NFL player for the Indianapolis Colts
 * Laura Innes, actress, starred in hit television series ER; born in Pontiac
 * Isaiah Jackson, NBA player for the Indiana Pacers
 * Elvin Jones, jazz drummer of the post-bop era, born in Pontiac
 * Hank Jones, musician, 2009 recipient of Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; lived in Pontiac
 * Hayes Jones, hurdler, NCAA champion and 1964 Summer Olympics gold medalist; lived in Pontiac
 * Thad Jones, jazz musician, born in Pontiac
 * Jack Kevorkian, pathologist, euthanasia activist, painter, author, composer and instrumentalist, born in Pontiac
 * Micki King, diver, Olympic gold medalist and 10-time national champion, U.S. Air Force colonel, born in Pontiac
 * Rebecca Kleefisch, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin 2011–2019, born in Pontiac
 * Henry W. Lord, U.S. Congressman from Michigan
 * Tony Lucca, actor/singer and former Mouseketeer, born in Pontiac
 * Michael Mallory, author/actor, grew up in Pontiac
 * Yante Maten, NBA player for the Miami Heat
 * Clara McDaniel (born 1948 in Pontiac), blues singer and songwriter
 * Derek Minor, rapper, born in Pontiac
 * Daniel O'Shea, figure skater, 2016 national champion, born in Pontiac
 * Kem, R&B/Soul singer–songwriter and producer
 * Duane D. Pearsall, physicist and inventor
 * Gary Peters, United States Senator, born in Pontiac
 * Howard "Howdy" Quicksell, musician, lived and died in Pontiac
 * Walker Russell, pro basketball player, born in Pontiac
 * Walker Russell Jr., pro basketball player, born in Pontiac
 * Frank Russell, NBA player, Chicago Bulls, first from Oakland County and Pontiac to play in modern NBA; raised in Pontiac
 * Campy Russell, basketball player, Michigan and NBA; Best High School Player in America 1971–72, NBA All-Star 1978–79; broadcaster for Cleveland Cavaliers; raised in Pontiac
 * Bryan Rust NHL hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2x Stanley Cup Champion
 * Alfred Taubman, real estate developer, owned famed Sotheby's auction house and Michigan Panthers pro football team; born in Pontiac
 * Wilma Vaught, U.S. Air Force brigadier general, born in Pontiac
 * Martell Webb, NFL player
 * Tim Welke, MLB umpire, born in Pontiac
 * Donald F. White (1908–2002), Canadian-born American architect and engineer, of African descent; first Black licensed architect in the state of Michigan; he attended Pontiac High School

Climate
The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfb" (Warm Summer Continental Climate).

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

title: Pontiac, Michigan


text:
Rochester, Michigan

Rochester is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census. It is a northern suburb in Metro Detroit located 20 miles north of the city of Detroit.

Rochester was the first European settlement in Oakland County when it was founded in 1818. It became part of the Avon Township in 1835 and incorporated as an autonomous city in 1967. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Rochester Hills and also borders Shelby Township to the east.

Communities and boroughs
The city has the following neighborhoods:
 * Stony Creek is a neighborhood on the northeast end of the city on the border with Rochester Hills.
 * The Bluffs is a neighborhood on the southeast corner of the city on the border with Rochester Hills.
 * Yates is shared with Shelby Charter Township, Macomb County and Rochester Hills.

History

The Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi and Wyandot peoples all resided in the Rochester area. All of them ceded land claims by the early 19th century. The first settlers in what would become Rochester, the Graham family, built a log cabin in 1817. The cabin was located on present-day 3rd St., just west of Main. The city was named for Rochester, New York, just like Rochester, Minnesota, as many early settlers to the area were formerly from the state of New York. The city became an industrial center with abundant water power from the Clinton River and Paint Creek. The interconnected waterways are no longer used for travel or local industry, but provide natural beauty, some fishing, and a healthy portion of the Clinton Watershed. Historically, past industries formerly located in Rochester included a refinery for sugar beets, a paper products company, and the Western Knitting Mills factory, which was later adapted and utilized during World War II for incendiary production—businesses that no longer exist in the area. Rochester was served by two railroads as well as the Detroit United Railway, an interurban to Royal Oak and Detroit.

Chapman Mill Pond, east of downtown, disappeared into the Paint Creek when the dam broke during the flood of 1946. The reclaimed land is the site of the current post office, Rochester Hills library, and Olde Towne Road. Water Street, formerly situated at the edge of the large pond, remains by its name a reminder of the pond's former existence.

Michigan became the 26th state in 1837, and the Village of Rochester was formed on April 12, 1869, within the boundaries of Avon Township. By 1895, Rochester's population was 900. The village became the city of Rochester in 1967, breaking away from Avon Township. Avon Township became the City of Rochester Hills in 1984, following a long court battle, where the city of Rochester annexed 2.2 sqmi of Avon Township's land. It more than doubled the city of Rochester's size.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.82 sqmi, all land.

Since an annexation of a section of Avon Township (now Rochester Hills), the city has an eastern boundary that extends to the border with Macomb County.

Culture
The city has held the annual "Rochester Hometown Christmas Parade" since 1951. Held on the first Sunday in December, it features over 100 units. It claims to be Michigan's largest Christmas parade.

In 2006, the city had its first "Big Bright Light Show" for the Christmas season. The downtown businesses were covered in 500,000 individual lights. An expansion of the program after its initial inception expanded that coverage to a reported one million lights. It was also aired by WXYZ-TV.

Architecture

Established in 1817, Rochester was one of Oakland County's first settlements. Twenty-two buildings on Main Street are more than 50 years old, and several are on the State Register of Historic Places.
 * Rollin Sprague Building – The oldest commercial building in the downtown is the Rollin Sprague building, built in 1849 of coursed cobblestone. Since 1930 it has housed "The Home Bakery".
 * Opera House – The Opera House Building opened on November 8, 1890, as the social and cultural center of town. It featured movies, lectures, dances, commencements and other events until 1933. Ironically, an opera was never performed in the Opera House. Refurbished in 1987, it currently houses the Lytle Pharmacy.
 * Rochester Grain Elevator – Located at the corner of University Drive and Water Street is the Rochester Grain Elevator (originally named Griggs Grain Elevator), in the form of a red barn, and built in 1880. Until the 1970s, farmers brought their grain to the elevator to be shipped to Detroit. After that time, its primary use has been as a supply store. An external restoration in the summer of 2009 worked toward returning the building to its former appearance.

 * Royal Park Hotel – In September 2004, the Royal Park Hotel, a four-diamond luxury boutique hotel, designed by Victor Saroki opened in downtown Rochester. It cost $43 million to build. Several celebrities have stayed there, including Paul McCartney, Hugh Hefner, and former President George W. Bush (while seeking re-election).
 * Western Knitting Mills – The Western Knitting Mills, a large brick building on Water Street, was built in 1896. At one time, its annual output of 100,000 dozen pairs of gloves made it one of the largest glove producers in the world. Today the mill is fully restored, and home to The Rochester Mills brewery restaurant, as well as several other businesses.
 * RCS Administration Center is the former Rochester High School, at one point in its past serving kindergarten through graduating senior students. Built in 1889 but renovated at different times in its history, it opened as Rochester School (Avon #5), replacing an earlier school on that same site that had burned down in 1888. The property has been used for school purposes since 1847. Since the mid-1970s, the building has housed the Rochester Community Schools Board of Education offices and occasional related events, and is certainly one of the largest and noteworthy structures in the city.

Parks and recreation

 * Paint Creek and Clinton River Trails – City is at the cross section of two major "Rails-to-Trails" projects: the Paint Creek Trail and Clinton River trail. These trails are used for recreational activities, like biking and walking. They connect to several major parks, including Bloomer Park, Rochester Municipal Park, Stoney Creek Metropark and the Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve. The majority of the area used for the trails and pathways include former railroad and interurban rail lines, long since converted to non-vehicular recreational use.
 * Paint Creek Center for the Arts – Paint Creek Center for the Arts is a regional non-profit art center dedicated to promoting the arts and artistic excellence through a full range of cultural programming including studio art classes for children and adults, exhibitions of emerging and established Michigan artists, outreach programs, community involvement and the annual Art & Apples Festival.
 * Rochester Avon Recreation Authority – The Rochester Avon Recreation Authority (RARA) has been a recreation provider to Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township since 1946. It provides recreation programs from 12 months to adults in a variety of areas, such as dance, sports classes, sport leagues, pre-school classes, special events, fitness, skiing, etc.
 * Rochester Municipal Park – Formerly called Avon Park, is the largest park area in the city, comprising a large portion of the downtown area. Linked with the Paint Creek trail system (and including a significant portion of the creek itself), it offers a quiet, naturalized setting, easily enjoyed from its own trail system, as well as two playground areas, lighted tennis courts, an outdoor music-stage amphitheater, the Rochester Community House, and the Kiwanis Pavilion. The 'duck pond' has been used in past winters for skating. The public park is home to free annual events such as the Art & Apples Festival, the Heritage Festival, and the summer concert series (Music In The Park).

Economy
Rochester has a vibrant downtown shopping district. The Farmer's Market takes place every Saturday, May through October. It features fresh produce, flowers, handmade goods and other products from Michigan.

Several city festivals take place in downtown: MI Earthday Festival (on Earthday weekend), Dancing in the Streets (August), Music in the Park (Thursdays in summer), Art & Apples Festival (weekend after Labor Day in September), and the Heritage Festival (Memorial Day Weekend), which includes two classic automobile shows. Other scheduled, traditional civic celebrations and activities include Girls' Night Out, the Gallery Walk, Lagniappe, the Sidewalk Sales, Movies In The Moonlight, and the two-day Fire And Ice Festival. The popular Rockin' Rods classic car show each August features hundreds of rare and unusual automobiles, both domestic and imported.

The Older Persons Commission provides social and educational activities, nutritional meals, senior resource services, as well as health and wellness programs to community members 50 years old and older.

Demographics

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $65,179, and the median income for a family was $92,078. Males had a median income of $62,486 versus $37,107 for females. The per capita income for the city was $36,989. About 0.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,711 people, 5,514 households, and 3,195 families residing in the city. The population density was 3318.8 PD/sqmi. There were 5,994 housing units at an average density of 1565.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.6% White, 3.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.5% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.7% of the population.

There were 5,514 households, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.1% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.09.

The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

Government
The city of Rochester is governed by a seven-member city council and its mayor. City policy is then administered by a full-time city manager. The government provides full city services, including police, fire and water/sewer services, similar to many other communities in north Oakland County.

The city contracts with neighboring Rochester Hills for public library services for the city's residents.

Education
Rochester is served by Rochester Community Schools, whose boundaries completely encompass the city. A majority of the residents are zoned to Stoney Creek High School, with a small part of the west side of the city instead zoned to Rochester High School. Both high schools are located in Rochester Hills.

Oakland University, while geographically split between the cities of Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills, has maintained a Rochester mailing address since its inception in 1958. The main campus buildings are located in the nearby but not adjacent city of Auburn Hills.

People
This list includes people from the area (Rochester Hills, Rochester, and Oakland Township) (48306, 48307, 48309, 48363)
 * Madonna Ciccone, artist and entertainer grew up in Rochester Hills and graduated from Rochester Adams HS
 * Jimmy Carson, former NHL player
 * Maxx Crosby, defensive lineman for NFL's Las Vegas Raiders
 * Tommy Clufetos, drummer for Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent; graduated from Rochester Adams HS
 * Paul Davis, professional basketball player, graduated from Rochester High School and earned Mr. Basketball of Michigan honors in 2002; played for Michigan State University and was drafted by Los Angeles Clippers in 2006
 * Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known as Eminem, Grammy-winning rapper, actor, producer, songwriter; owned a house in Oakland Township.
 * Eric Fisher, lineman for NFL's Kansas City Chiefs
 * Hal Foster, award-winning artist and writer of comic strip Prince Valiant; born in Canada, lived in Rochester during his work on comic strip
 * Amy Frazier, professional tennis player, Rochester Adams High School graduate; career included 20 consecutive US Open appearances
 * Jay Gibbons, Major League Baseball player with Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins and Baltimore Orioles, was born in Rochester
 * Andrew Good, Major League Baseball player, raised in Rochester Hills and graduated from Rochester High
 * Shawn Hare, MLB player with Detroit Tigers, New York Mets and Texas Rangers; attended Rochester Community schools
 * Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, fantasy artists and painters of original Star Wars movie poster
 * Max Jones, hockey player for Anaheim Ducks
 * Brad Keselowski, NASCAR driver, driver of #2 Miller Lite Dodge for Penske Racing, 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion
 * Bob Keselowski, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, and his sons Brad and Brian
 * Walt Kowalczyk, professional football player
 * Jana Kramer, country artist, graduated from Rochester Adams HS
 * Tim Lelito, guard for Detroit Lions
 * Elmore Leonard, novelist and screenwriter
 * Alec Martinez, professional hockey player, Los Angeles Kings
 * Karen Newman, Detroit Red Wings singer and actress
 * Craig Owens, lead singer of Chiodos and Cinematic Sunrise
 * Kevin Pereira, game show host
 * Roxy Petrucci, drummer of all-female rock/metal band Vixen in 1980s
 * Jesse R. Pitts, sociologist, founder of The Tocqueville Review, pioneered work on marginality, deviance and conformity
 * Zach Putnam, baseball pitcher
 * Brian Sell, retired marathoner, resides in Rochester Hills
 * Joey Sturgis, record producer, resides in Oakland Township
 * Rude Jude, television and radio personality, graduated from Rochester High School
 * Ron Teachworth, educator, artist, writer and filmmaker
 * Jack Tocco, Detroit Mafia boss
 * Jacob Trouba, ice hockey player, New York Rangers
 * Peter Vanderkaay, swimmer, grew up in Oakland Township and graduated from Rochester Adams HS in 2002; won gold medal at 2004 Summer Olympics in 4x200 free style relay; in 2008 Beijing Olympics, won bronze medal in 200m freestyle and gold in 4 × 200 m freestyle relay
 * Jason Varitek, catcher for Boston Red Sox, team captain and 2-time World Series champion; was born in Rochester
 * Dita Von Teese, burlesque artist, model and actress
 * Christian Wolanin, hockey player, Ottawa Senators; born in Canada, lived in Rochester
 * Robert Simpson Woodward, physicist and mathematician, was born in Rochester; professor at Columbia, president of American Mathematical Society, dean of Carnegie Institute in Washington
 * Aileen Wuornos, serial killer

title: Rochester, Michigan


text:
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Rochester Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 76,300. It is the 14th-largest city in Michigan. It has also ranked as the safest city in Michigan for the past seven years.

The area was first settled by European Americans in 1817, and organized as Avon Township in 1835. The City of Rochester incorporated in 1967, while the remaining area of Avon Township was incorporated and renamed the City of Rochester Hills in 1984. Considered a northern suburb of Metro Detroit, Rochester Hills is about 12 mi north of Detroit.

Communities

 * Stony Creek is a neighborhood on the northeast end of the city on the border with Rochester at 42.69611°N, -83.11194°W.
 * Yates is on the boundary with Rochester and Shelby Township, Oakland County (42.67361°N, -83.09583°W ; Elevation: 669 ft./204 m.).

History
Prior to European settlement, the area now known as Rochester Hills was inhabited by Native Americans, namely the Potawatomi. The Potawatomi depended on the area's abundant water sources, such as the Clinton River and Paint Creek, to grow crops, fish, and travel. They resided here until the 1807 Treaty of Detroit caused them, along with the Odawa, Wyandot, and Ojibwe peoples, to cede their land in Southeast Michigan.

The first European settler was James Graham who arrived in 1817. Graham and his family reached the area by following trails created by the Sauk Native Americans. Avon Township was organized in 1835. Rochester incorporated as a village within the township in 1869. The township adopted a charter in 1948 under the Home Rule Act. Also in 1948 a post office was established under the name of Brooklands for the area between Auburn Road and Hamlin Road just to the west of Dequindre Road.

In 1966, village residents voted to become the City of Rochester, effective in February 1967. As a result, Rochester residents no longer had to pay property taxes to the township, as it was now a separate municipality.

In 1967, Avon Township filed a petition to become a city. In January 1968, township voters approved the petition to move forward with seeking city status. Three proposed city charters were voted down by residents, the first in March 1969, the second in May 1970, and the third in September 1971. The city of Rochester then sought to annex all of the township, which was unanimously denied by the Michigan Boundary Commission. In 1972, petitions were filed to consolidate Avon Township and Rochester. In April 1974, the consolidation petition lost by 350 votes in the township, while passing by four votes in Rochester. In May 1974, Rochester's petition to annex 2.2 sqmi of Avon Township was approved by the Michigan Boundary Commission, depriving Avon Township of its largest taxpayer. The township became Avon Charter Township in August 1978. Court challenges to the 1974 annexation continued until November 1981, when the township was ordered to surrender the annexed property. An impending annexation request from the City of Troy, due south, for 300 acres of southeast Avon Township brought the cityhood question to a crisis.

In May 1984, township voters approved a city charter. On November 20, 1984, Avon Township became the City of Rochester Hills. The name of the new city was put to a vote, with the other choice being "Avon Hills." The name "Rochester Hills" won by a landslide with voters, based on the area's historical ties to Rochester and the rolling hills in the area. Township Supervisor Earl E. Borden became the first mayor of Rochester Hills.

In June 2024, there was a mass shooting in the city.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.91 sqmi, of which 32.82 sqmi is land and 0.09 sqmi (0.27%) is water.

Rochester Hills is bordered to the north by Oakland Charter Township along Dutton Road, to the south by the city of Troy along South Boulevard, to the east by Shelby Township in Macomb County along Dequindre Road, and to the west by the city of Auburn Hills along part of Adams Road. Rochester Hills is also partially bordered by the city of Rochester to the east. Elevations in the city range from 690 ft above sea level in the southeastern portion of the city to 1032 ft in the northwestern section.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 76,293 people, in 28,766 households, residing in the city. The population density was 2359.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 79.6% White, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% African American, 2.9% from two or more races, and 0.1% Native American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population. 19.8% of the population was foreign-born.

There were 28,766 households, and the median household income was $99,666. 4.2% of persons were living in poverty. 77.4% of residents lived in owner-occupied housing units.

Between 2000 and 2010, the Asian population in Rochester Hills increased to almost 10% of the community's population, a 61% increase from the 2000 figure. It grew to 12.8% in 2020.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 70,995 people, 27,578 households, and 19,308 families residing in the city. The population density was 2163.2 PD/sqmi. There were 29,494 housing units at an average density of 898.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 89.1% White, 2.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.5% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 27,578 households of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.0% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 40.9 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

Government
Rochester Hills has a mayor-council government. The Rochester Hills City Council consists of seven Council Members: four district members and three at-large members. They are elected to four-year terms and, due to term limiting, can serve no more than two terms for a maximum of eight years. However, there are no limits on how many times the mayor can run for re-election as a write-in candidate.

Rochester Hills does not have a police department, so the city's police services are provided by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. The 52nd District Court Division Three is also located in Rochester Hills.

In the 2020 United States presidential election in Michigan, 23,173 (50.67%) votes went to Joseph Biden and 21,680 (47.4%) votes were cast for Donald Trump.

Federally, Rochester Hills is split between Michigan's 8th congressional district, represented by Democrat Elissa Slotkin, and Michigan's 11th congressional district, represented by Democrat Haley Stevens. However, as of 2023, Rochester Hills will be appended to the Macomb County-centered Michigan's 10th congressional district.

Education
Rochester Community Schools serve most of the city. Rochester Adams High School, Rochester High School, and Stoney Creek High School are in Rochester Hills. The city also hosts college and graduate-level programs in various disciplines at Oakland University and Rochester Christian University.

Some portions of the city, however, are in the Avondale School District. Much of the ASD portion of Rochester Hills is zoned to Deerfield Elementary School, also within the city. Other portions are zoned to Auburn Elementary School in Auburn Hills and Woodland Elementary School in Troy. All ASD residents are zoned to Avondale Middle School in Rochester Hills and Avondale High School in Auburn Hills. The Meadows School, Avondale Academy, and the ASD transportation department are all in Rochester Hills.

City services include Rochester Hills Public Library. (The neighboring City of Rochester and Oakland Township contract with the City of Rochester Hills to permit their residents' use of the library.)

The Japanese School of Detroit, a supplementary school for Japanese citizens of school age, at one time had its administrative offices in the former Oakland Steiner School in Rochester Hills.

Notable people
This list includes people from Rochester and Rochester Hills:
 * Mike Bishop, politician
 * Tommy Clufetos, professional drummer
 * Paul Davis, professional basketball player
 * Eric Fisher, professional football player
 * Hal Foster, artist and writer
 * Amy Frazier, professional tennis player
 * Jay Gibbons, professional baseball player
 * Andrew Good, professional baseball player
 * Idris Goodwin, playwright, poet, activist, professor
 * Shawn Hare, professional baseball player
 * Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, fantasy artists and painters of the original Star Wars movie poster
 * Rude Jude, television and radio personality
 * George Jamison, professional football player
 * Bob Keselowski, NASCAR driver
 * Brad Keselowski, NASCAR driver
 * Brian Keselowski, NASCAR driver
 * Walt Kowalczyk, professional football player
 * Jana Kramer, country music singer and actress
 * Madonna, pop singer and actress
 * Alec Martinez, professional hockey player
 * Craig Owens, lead singer of Chiodos and Cinematic Sunrise
 * Roxy Petrucci, drummer of Vixen
 * Brian Sell, marathoner
 * Haley Stevens, politician
 * Ron Teachworth, educator, artist, writer and filmmaker
 * Dita von Teese, burlesque artist, model and actress
 * Jacob Trouba, hockey player
 * Peter Vanderkaay, Olympic gold medal swimmer
 * Jason Varitek, professional baseball player
 * Robert Simpson Woodward, physicist and mathematician
 * George Zamka, NASA astronaut and Marine Corps pilot

title: Rochester Hills, Michigan


text:
Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan

Rose Township is a civil township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,188 at the 2020 census.

Communities

 * Rose Center is located on Milford and Demode Road and previously had a rail station and a post office that opened as Rose on October 17, 1837. The P.O. was renamed to Rose Center on December 16, 1914 until discontinued on December 31, 1949.
 * Rose Corners is located at Hickory Ridge and Rose Center Roads (42.73944°N, -83.66667°W, Elevation: 1020 ft./311 m.).

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.13 sqmi, of which 34.51 sqmi is land and 1.62 sqmi (4.48%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,210 people, 2,144 households, and 1,777 families residing in the township. The population density was 177.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,277 housing units at an average density of 65.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 97.13% White, 0.89% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.

There were 2,144 households, out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.4% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the township the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $66,401, and the median income for a family was $68,627. Males had a median income of $51,410 versus $36,081 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,983. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 and over.

News & Media
Rose Township is served by the Tri-County Times for print news, and the Holly Herald-Citizen for online news.

title: Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan


text:
Royal Oak, Michigan

Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak is located roughly 14 mi north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 58,211.

Royal Oak is located along the Woodward Corridor, and is served by Interstate 75 and Interstate 696. The city has one of the largest downtowns in Detroit's suburbs, and is also home to much of the Detroit Zoo, with portions extending into neighboring Huntington Woods.

History
Royal Oak was named in 1819, during one of the surveying expeditions led by Territorial Governor Lewis Cass. A large oak tree at this small settlement reminded Cass of the story of the Royal Oak, where King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland hid to escape capture by the Roundheads after the Battle of Worcester, so he chose that name for the settlement.

Royal Oak was not incorporated as a village until 1891. It was reincorporated a city in 1921.

20th century to present
Royal Oak developed as a suburb of Detroit in the early 20th century, following Detroit's booming growth as a result of industrialization and its auto industry.

The Royal Oak Farmers Market opened as a truck market, at the corner of 4th and Troy streets, on October 14, 1925, as a cooperative venture between the then-new City of Royal Oak and Oakland County, Michigan. There were still numerous farmers in the county. The present structure, at the corner of 11 Mile Road and Troy Street, is adjacent to the 44th District Court. It was erected in the spring of 1927 and dedicated July 1 of that year.

In the 1920s, Father Charles Coughlin, a Canadian Catholic priest who relocated to Detroit, became the founding pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower, now a prominent landmark in the city. Through his ministry, he raised funds to build the present limestone church complex and tower. Initially he broadcast religious speeches from this site.

During the 1930s, his broadcasts became more political. He initially supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt, then opposed him and promoted the causes of the fascist leaders of Germany and Italy. The Roosevelt administration closed down his radio operation after the outbreak of World War II, with support from the Catholic hierarchy. Coughlin had developed national political influence and had an increasingly anti-semitic message, at a time when Jewish people were being severely persecuted in Germany.

In 1991, Thomas McIlvane, a postal worker, killed five people in Royal Oak's post office, after being fired from the Postal Service for "insubordination." This incident helped to popularize the term "going postal."

The downtown originally had a typical mixture of small-scale retail and trade to serve the city of Royal Oak. With the development of the highway system in the postwar period, it lost business to suburban malls. Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, Royal Oak's downtown has developed as an entertainment and nightlife destination. A number of large condominiums and lofts have been built in the area, increasing the density of the downtown population. In 2022, the Royal Oak City Council approved the demolition of the historic Main Art Theater, once a symbol of moviegoers in the area.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.79 sqmi, of which 11.78 sqmi is land and 0.01 sqmi (0.08%) is water.

Royal Oak developed around a river, the Red Run. Vinsetta Boulevard was built skirting a source branch of the Red Run for its median. In the 1930s, Vinsetta's entire median, along with the river and all but the tops of the bridges for the crossing streets were filled in as part of a WPA project during the Great Depression. During 1967–8, the rest of the river in Oakland County was buried within a six-foot drain pipe.

Extensive tree-planting has taken place since the 1930s, leading to the town being nicknamed "The City of Trees", although recent increased developments have caused controversy about the maintenance of the city's urban forest.

2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 58,211 people and 28,971 households in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 86.1% White, 5.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 3.7% Asian American, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of the population.

5.4% of residents were under the age of 5, 15.2% of residents were under the age of 18, and 14.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.0% male and 49.0% female.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 57,236 people, 28,063 households, and 13,394 families living in the city. The population density was 4854.6 PD/sqmi. There were 30,207 housing units at an average density of 2562.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 90.7% White, 4.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% Asian American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 28,063 households, of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.3% were non-families. 41.4% 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 2.03 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 37.8 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,062 people, 28,880 households, and 14,440 families living in the city. The population density was 5,083.0 PD/sqmi. There were 29,942 housing units at an average density of 2,534.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 1.54% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 28,880 households, out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,252, and the median income for a family was $68,109. Males had a median income of $50,562 versus $36,392 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,990. About 2.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Crime
Royal Oak has a below-average crime rate, similar to that of nearby middle-class communities, such as Berkley and Madison Heights. Larceny-theft was the most common crime, making up 66.7% of all crimes in the city. Five known murders have been committed since 2000, one in 2004, one in 2005, one in 2010, and two in 2011.

Economy
Royal Oak developed initially as a suburb after Detroit boomed as a major industrial city. The predominantly white residents of Detroit began to move to the suburbs for newer housing, and to separate themselves from a burgeoning African American population, in a process referred to as white flight. It had a compact, traditional street-side shopping district, which runs along Main Street and Washington Avenue downtown. During the 2000s, this area was redeveloped with numerous new businesses, and is now considered a trendy, upscale, urban-chic district, featuring restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. A number of mixed-use high-rise developments have been constructed — mostly condo "lofts" with retail and office space on the lower levels.

Points of interest include the Detroit Zoo, a major regional tourist attraction, the William Beaumont Hospital, the Royal Oak Music Theatre, the Baldwin Theatre, Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, a location of Emagine Entertainment, and shops, cafes, and restaurants.

The National Arbor Day Foundation has awarded Royal Oak the distinction of "Tree City USA" every year since 1976 as a result of the city's commitment to tree planting and preservation.

On October 5, 2021, Citizens State Bank opened up their headquarters on Woodward Ave, making it the only bank to be headquartered in Royal Oak.

The Gilda Radner Hereditary Cancer Program is a foundation set up by Detroit-area native Gilda Radner, who is known for her work as a comedian of Saturday Night Live. In 1998 the Program created a free cancer support community for people with cancer, their families, and friends. Gilda's Club Metro Detroit operates a three-story non-residential house in Royal Oak. It has served more than 3,000 members for social and emotional support through a variety of activities.

Arts and culture

Downtown Royal Oak features a wide assortment of nightlife venues, including the Royal Oak Music Theatre and the Baldwin Theatre. Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, a comedy club, was an early venue for performers such as Tim Allen and Dave Coulier. Allen's connections to Royal Oak would later in his career be alluded to in the sitcom Home Improvement as the protagonist's (played by Allen) place of residence.

Royal Oak encompasses a major span of the Woodward Dream Cruise. The city sponsors ancillary events around the Cruise. It is the site of the Detroit Zoo, one of the region's leading tourist attractions.

In December 2009 it was announced that the Arts, Beats and Eats festival would be moved from Pontiac to Royal Oak.

Religion
Previously Royal Oak had St. Dennis Catholic Church of the Detroit Archdiocese; in 2012 it began the process of merging into St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Madison Heights. The real estate was later redeveloped as a location of grocery store chain Kroger.

Royal Oak is home to the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, which was declared a national shrine in 1998 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Later in 2014, Pope Francis granted the National Shrine of the Little Flower the honorary title of ‘Minor Basilica’.

Government
Royal Oak has a Council–manager government. It is governed by a city commission consisting of a mayor and six commission members. The city commission appoints a city manager, who manages the day-to-day operations of the city.

Education
The city is served by Royal Oak Neighborhood Schools. Private K-12 education is also offered by Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church while nearby St. Mary's offers K-8 instruction. A branch of Oakland Community College is located in the city and a new location of Baker College is nearing the end of construction.

A portion of land in the city is zoned to Berkley Public Schools.

In recent years Royal Oak has begun to consolidate its public schools in response to a decline in enrollment levels compared to the baby boom era. In 2006, the city's two public high schools, George A. Dondero High School and Clarence M. Kimball High School, were combined into a new Royal Oak High School. Beginning in 2007, the city's two middle schools were combined into one school, Royal Oak Middle School, in the former Dondero building. The number of elementary schools was reduced to six. Some parents protested the planned closure and demolition of Longfellow and Whittier elementary schools. They were seeking to have them considered for historic district recognition by way of signed petition. Despite their efforts, both schools and a number of other former elementary schools were demolished in the fall of 2007.

The Royal Oak school system gained brief notoriety for an incident following the Trump election. Some middle schoolers chanted "build that wall". A student video of the incident was widely shared on Facebook, attracting more than 4 million views within 24 hours. A week later a noose was found in the 8th grade boys bathroom at the middle school. The student who had placed the noose in the bathroom was removed from the school shortly afterward.

St. Dennis School of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit was formerly in Royal Oak. It closed in 2011.

Media
In addition to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, regional newspapers serving all of southeast Michigan, the city is served by the Daily Tribune, The Oakland Press, the Royal Oak Review, and The Mirror.

Numbered highways

 * runs north–south along the city's east side.
 * runs east–west along the city's south side.
 * (formerly designated US 10 and also known as Woodward Avenue) runs generally southeast–northwest along the city's west side.
 * Five numbered east–west mile roads run through Royal Oak.

Rail and bus

 * Amtrak provides service to Royal Oak, operating its Wolverine three times daily in both directions between Pontiac and Chicago via Detroit.
 * Class one freight rail service is provided by Canadian National Railway (CN).
 * Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) operates local and regional bus transit.

Historical

 * Commuter rail service, provided by Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW) and later Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) from Pontiac to downtown Detroit, with two stops in Royal Oak, ran until October 17, 1983.
 * The Saginaw Trail was a footpath established by the Sauk tribe between Detroit and Saginaw. In Royal Oak present-day Main Street and Crooks Road were developed along the historic path.

Police and fire
Royal Oak's police department has 79 sworn officers and 25 civilian personnel. The department employs community policing techniques.

Royal Oak has a full-time fire department that operates three stations strategically located around the city to minimize response time to incidents. The ROFD staffs three engines, a ladder truck, and two ALS ambulances daily and is a member of the OAKWAY mutual aid consortium.

Notable people

 * Alexandra Aldridge, figure skater, was born in Royal Oak
 * Henry Banks, racing driver, was raised in Royal Oak
 * Mary Barra, chairman and CEO of General Motors Company, was born in Royal Oak
 * Bruce Campbell, film and television actor, was born in Royal Oak
 * Meryl Davis, figure skater, winner of gold medal at 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, silver medalist in 2010
 * Pete Dawkins, winner of college football's 1958 Heisman Trophy, military officer, and political candidate, was born in Royal Oak
 * Marie Donigan, landscape architect and former member of the Michigan House of Representatives
 * Terry Duerod, University of Detroit and NBA basketball player, was born in Royal Oak
 * Mona Hanna-Attisha, pediatrician and Flint Water Crisis whistleblower, was raised in Royal Oak
 * Kirk Ferentz, football head coach for University of Iowa (1999–present), was born in Royal Oak
 * Dean Fertita, rock musician
 * Bill Freehan, Major League Baseball catcher who was an 11x MLB All Star, 5x gold glove winner, and 1968 World Series champion. Spent all of his 15 seasons playing with the Detroit Tigers, grew up in Royal Oak.
 * Glenn Frey, founding member of rock group the Eagles, was raised in Royal Oak and attended Dondero High School
 * Christopher George, actor, star of films and TV series The Rat Patrol, was born in Royal Oak
 * Jason Grilli, Major League Baseball pitcher, was born in Royal Oak
 * Judith Guest, author of Ordinary People, lived and attended school in Royal Oak
 * David Hahn—the "Radioactive Boy Scout" was born in Royal Oak.
 * Tom Hayden, was born in Royal Oak and attended Dondero High School. He is best known as an author of the Port Huron Statement, and he stood for trial in the Chicago Seven case. He was at one time married to Jane Fonda.
 * Jack Kevorkian, practiced physician-assisted suicide in Royal Oak
 * Keegan-Michael Key, film and television actor, attended Shrine Catholic High School in Royal Oak
 * Torey Krug, NHL defenseman, was born in Royal Oak
 * T. J. Lang, pro football player for Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, was born in Royal Oak
 * Sam Raimi, film director, producer, writer, actor, was born in Royal Oak
 * Ivan Raimi, physician and screenwriter, was born in Royal Oak
 * Kim Rancourt, Rock Musician
 * Terrell Ransom Jr., actor
 * Elisabeth Robinson, author of The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters
 * Sebastian Sauve, Fashion model
 * Andrew Dost American musician, singer and is member of the indie rock band Fun.
 * Chris Savino, animator, creator of the Nickelodeon animated series The Loud House.
 * Frank Dennis Saylor IV, judge, was born in Royal Oak
 * Jim Seymour, wide receiver for Notre Dame and Chicago Bears, attended Shrine Catholic High School in Royal Oak
 * Brady Smith, NFL defensive end 1996–2005, was born in Royal Oak
 * Marshall Thompson, actor, star of films and television, died in Royal Oak
 * Al Watrous, golf professional
 * Charlie White, ice dancer, winner of gold medal at 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, silver medalist in 2010

title: Royal Oak, Michigan


text:
Royal Oak Charter Township, Michigan

Royal Oak Township is a charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak Township borders Detroit to the north, roughly 11 mi north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 2,374. It is independent of the city of Royal Oak.

The township is the only remaining unincorporated portion of the original 36 sqmi Royal Oak survey township, which was organized in 1833. With a present-day area of 0.55 sqmi, Royal Oak Charter Township is the state's smallest charter township by area and the second-smallest overall township in the state after Novi Township.

History
Royal Oak Township was established in 1833 as a regular, 36 sqmi civil township, and at one time consisted of all or parts of the following modern cities: Hazel Park, Ferndale, Oak Park, Madison Heights, Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Berkley, and Clawson. The township began to shrink beginning in 1921 with the incorporation of the cities above. To provide greater protection from easy annexation, the township incorporated as a charter township in 1972. Currently, the township has neither its own police department nor a post office. Its police department was disbanded in 1998.

2003 and 2004 annexations
From the incorporation of Madison Heights in 1955 to 2004, the township consisted of two small non-contiguous parts within Oakland County. The larger portion lies along Eight Mile Road, adjacent to the cities of Detroit, Oak Park, and Ferndale. A second portion, located to the northwest and bordering Oak Park and Southfield, was the subject of a series of annexations and conditional land transfers in 2003 & 2004

Two property-initiated annexation elections in 2003 consisted of Crown Pointe Plaza office complex, Lincoln Towers Apartments, Biarritz Club/Rue Versailles Apartments, in which the township was estimated to have lost 20% of its property tax value to Oak Park. The property owners cited lower taxes in the city of Oak Park and poor relations with the township's government as reasons for seeking annexation. Two additional property owners initiated an annexation to Oak Park in 2004, which involved the annexation of the Bridgewater Village Apartments and Lincoln Woods Apartments.

Lawsuits were filed by the township seeking to overturn these annexations; to make the transfer of the territory to the city more amicable and to end litigiation, Oak Park initiated talks with the township on a 425 Agreement in September 2004, which allows the transfer of territory conditioned on the sharing of taxes generated from the transferred territory. The 425 agreement, which was to run 35 years and covered all previously annexed areas of the township—except Bridgewater Village Apartments—plus the remaining unannexed areas of the township, was agreed upon by the city and township in October. It came into effect on November 1, 2004, the day preceding the election to annex Bridgewater Village and Lincoln Woods Apartments, fully completing the transfer of the northwest part of the township to Oak Park, and ending litigation from the township against the city. Oak Park amended the 425 Agreement on January 16, 2006, to bring in Bridgewater Village Apartments after resolving litigiation with the property owner concerning taxes and the associated costs of annexation.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 0.55 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 2,374 people living in the township. The population density was 4,316.3 PD/sqmi. 1,106 housing units at an average density of 2,010 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township (including Hispanics) was 5.0% White, 89.7% African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.3% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,419 people living in the township. The population density was 4,398.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,111 housing units at an average density of 2,020.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 1.4% White, 95.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

2000 census
There were 1,211 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.1% were married couples living together, 26.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.5% were non-families. 44.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $23,710, and the median income for a family was $28,397. Males had a median income of $28,824 versus $26,382 for females. The per capita income for the township was $15,027. About 19.9% of families and 23.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 30.4% of those age 65 and over.

Government
A charter township, it is governend by a popularly elected 7-member board of trustees, which includeds a township supervisor, clerk and treasurer as its administrative officers.

For public safety, the township contracts with the Michigan State Police for police services and the Ferndale Fire Department for fire services. For postal purposes, the community records its location as "Ferndale, MI 48220".

Education
The township is divided between Oak Park School District and Ferndale Public Schools.

The Clinton School District previously served Royal Oak Township. The majority black George Washington Carver School District separated from the Clinton district in 1945 as more African-Americans moved to the area. In 1960 Governor of Michigan G. Mennen Williams consolidated the Carver School District, along with its elementary school, into the Oak Park School District because the Carver district no longer had sufficient taxes to pay for a senior high school services, and no area school districts voluntarily took its students for high school.

Economy
At the northernmost point of the township lies Radio Plaza, which, bordered by Radio Plaza Street on the west, serves as home to Beasley Broadcast Group, and Salem Media Group's Detroit market headquarters, as well as Motower Multilink Corporation's 993 foot radio tower. WDTK, WLQV, WCSX, WMGC, and WRIF are all based out of Radio Plaza in Royal Oak Township.

Highways

 * (8 Mile Road) runs east–west as the southern border of the township with the city of Detroit.

title: Royal Oak Charter Township, Michigan