- Oak Park, Michigan
-
This is about the city in Oakland County; there is also the unincorporated community Oak Park, Calhoun County, Michigan.
Oak Park, Michigan — City — Motto: "The Family City" Location in the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 42°28′2″N 83°10′46″W / 42.46722°N 83.17944°WCoordinates: 42°28′2″N 83°10′46″W / 42.46722°N 83.17944°W Country United States State Michigan County Oakland Government - Mayor Gerald E. Naftaly Area - City 5.1 sq mi (13.0 km2) - Land 5.1 sq mi (13.0 km2) - Water 0 sq mi (0 km2) Elevation 666 ft (203 m) Population (2010) - City 29,319 - Density 5,841.2/sq mi (2,255.3/km2) - Metro 5,456,428 Time zone EST (UTC-5) - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) ZIP code 48237 Area code(s) 248, 313 FIPS code 26-59920[1] GNIS feature ID 0633849[2] Website http://www.ci.oak-park.mi.us/ Oak Park is a city in south Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an inner suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, its population is 29,319.
Contents
History
The area that was to become Oak Park existed within Royal Oak Township, and was first settled in 1840, but remained sparsely populated for many decades following. The first major housing development came in 1914 when the township sold land to the Majestic Land Company to be developed as the Oak Park subdivision.[3] The subdivison was incorporated as a village on May 3, 1927. Two petition drives to dissolve the village government and return it to the township citing "excessively high cost of village government" failed in 1931 and 1933, respectively.[3] The village incorporated as city on October 29, 1945.
Planned developments in the late 1950s resulted in Oak Park being named "America's Fastest Growing City" at one point.[4] Major civic improvements in this period included the addition of an outdoor swimming pool and an ice rink in Major Park (now known as Shepherd Park, after former mayor David Shepherd, but long known informally as Oak Park Park).
In both 2002 and 2004, the city annexed portions of neighboring Royal Oak Township.[5]
In July 2011, several news sources reported the story of an Oak Park resident facing possible jail time for ignoring a warning regarding plantings on her front lawn. The resident, Julie Bass, was cited for growing vegetables in wooden containers on her lawn. A pre-trial hearing was scheduled for July 26, 2011. [6] On July 14, 2011, the charge was dismissed while the city pressed charges against Bass regarding dog licensing. [7]
On November 8, 2011 the citizens of Oak Park, MI voted in a new mayor, Mrs. Marian McClellan, for the first time in 22 years.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13 km2). None of it is covered by water.
Demographics
Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1930 1,079 — 1940 1,169 8.3% 1950 5,267 350.6% 1960 36,632 595.5% 1970 36,762 0.4% 1980 31,537 −14.2% 1990 30,468 −3.4% 2000 29,739 −2.4% 2010 29,319 −1.4% As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile (2,291.5/km²). There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile (874.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.1% African American, 36.9% White, 0.17% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 4.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
As of the census of 2010, there are 29,319 people, 11,719 households, and 7,533 families residing in the city. There were 12,782 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 57.44% African American, 37.39% White, 0.22% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 3.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.[8]
There were 11,104 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,697, and the median income for a family was $54,786. Males had a median income of $40,922 versus $35,968 for females.
Notable residents
- Well-known Detroit actors Rubin and Liz Weiss lived in Oak Park during the middle twentieth century [9]
- Robert Ettinger, known as the father of cryonics human preservation, lived in Oak Park for decades and was rumored to have deceased clients stored in his home, awaiting their cures and re-animation.
- Al Kaline, Detroit Tiger baseball legend and Hall of Fame member lived on Morton Street between Sunset and Albany in the late 1950s.
- Royce da 5'9", rapper
- Norm Cash, another Tiger baseball legend from the same era, lived a couple of blocks from his teammate, on Sloman Street between Jerome and Saratoga.
- David Weiss (a.k.a. David Was) and Don Fagenson (a.k.a. Don Was) from the group Was (Not Was) grew up together in Oak Park.
- Jeffrey Sachs, famous economist formerly at Harvard University and currently at Columbia University is a graduate of Oak Park High School.
- Attorney Geoffrey Fieger who represented Jack Kevorkian grew up in Oak Park and graduated from Oak Park High School in 1969.
- Geoffrey's younger brother Doug Fieger was the lead singer of the group The Knack whose hit songs are (among others) "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't (But I do)".
- Curt Sobel, Composer, Film Music Editor and Supervisor, grew up in Oak Park and lived on Northfield and Harding.
- Author and editor Ron Suresha attended grade school in Oak Park and was graduated from OPHS.
- Mort Meisner, noted Detroit media guru, lived on Sunset Street.
- Bob Black, who grew up in Oak Park and lived on Kipling Street, graduating from Oak Park High School, is a prominent theorist of the international anarchist movement, and the author of the widely disseminated essay "The Abolition of Work."
- Peter Werbe is a radio talk show host, DJ, and political activist. He has lived in Oak Park for 26 years. He hosts NightCall on Sunday nights on Detroit's WRIF 101.1 FM. Werbe's tenure, having commenced in 1970, makes him one of the longest broadcasting talk show hosts in radio history, and certainly for one with progressive views. He also has been a staff member of the 45-year-old newspaper, The Fifth Estate.[10] He is also the host of a daily five hour alternative classic rock show on WCSX HD2's Deep Trax [1] channel.
- Dan and Tracee Miller are musicians in the band Blanche who currently reside in Oak Park. Dan Milller also made his acting debut in Walk The Line playing Luther Perkins, and Tracee is a notable Detroit artist.
- Joseph Bruce (Violent J) and Joseph Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope), better known as Insane Clown Posse met in Oak Park, a suburb on the North border of Detroit, Michigan. Along with Utsler's brother, John, and friend, Lacy, they wrestled in backyard rings that they had built themselves.[2] In 1989, Joseph Bruce, as Jagged Joe, Joseph Utsler, as Kangol Joe, and John Utsler, as Master J, released the single titled "Party at the Top of the Hill" under the name of JJ Boys, but the group did not pursue a serious career in music.
Education
Oak Park's educational history began with the Clinton School, a one-room schoolhouse on property donated by Barney Clinton in the early 1900s. As the population grew fast, Clinton School grew and more elementary schools were built.
Clinton School was made a Junior High School and another was built in the mid 1960s, then named for the great poet Robert Frost. At that time, there was only one school in Oak Park with a "special education" department for children with learning disabilities: Lessenger Elementary School on Albany St. at Sunset St. Consequently, many families with such special children gravitated to the neighborhood surrounding Lessenger, creating a "cluster" of such families rarely found elsewhere.
Educational achievement was the long consistent pattern in Oak Park. Over 85% of Oak Park High School graduates continued their education immediately after high school, whether in college, or in trade or vocational schools. The school system was renowned statewide for decades in large part due to the efforts of often wildly progressive and dedicated teachers.
Students residing between 10 and 11 mile are districted into the Berkley School District, while the rest (majority) of the city is in Oak Park Schools.
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Oak Park, Michigan
- ^ a b The History of Royal Oak, by Bernadine Schoults, published 1955
- ^ "Oak Park/Southfield/West Bloomfield, A Trio of Jewish Boom Towns in Michigan, Tova Stulman". http://www.thejewishpress.com/pageroute.do/20254. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
- ^ "City of Oak Park Michigan Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (pdf). 2004. http://www.oakpark-mi.com/FORMS%20AND%20BROCHURES/ComprehensiveAnnual2004.pdf.
- ^ Neil, Martha (11 July 2011). "Mich. Woman Faces Misdemeanor Trial Over Veggie Garden in Her Front Yard". ABA Journal. http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/mich._woman_faces_misdemeanor_trial_over_veggie_garden_in_her_front_yard/. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ Wiley, Alexis (15 July 2011). "Oak Park Drops Charges Against Julie Bass and Her Vegetable Garden". WJBK Fox 2 Detroit. http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/oak-park-drops-charges-against-julie-bass-and-her-vegetable-garden_20110714_dk. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ "2010, 2000 Decennial Census Comparison of Summary File 1 Demographics and Housing". ftp://www.nwmcog.org/DecennialCensus-Michigan/2000-2010/0Cities-Villages-CDPs-STATEWIDE-MI-2010SF1DP.pdf.
- ^ "Was (Not Was)--Biography, ZE Records". http://www.zerecords.com/2010/artists_biography.php?id=38. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
- ^ Fifth Estate (periodical)
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United StatesCategories:- Populated places in Oakland County, Michigan
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