Auburn Hills, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Auburn Hills, Michigan
City
City of Auburn Hills
Chrysler World Headquarters and Technology Center
Motto(s):  "Honoring The Past. Building The Future"
Location within Oakland County
Auburn Hills, Michigan Location in Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Oakland
Settled	1821
Incorporated	1983
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• City	16.68 sq mi (43.21 km2)
• Land	16.64 sq mi (43.10 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2)
Elevation	961 ft (293 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	24,360
• Density	1,464.03/sq mi (565.26/km2)
• Metro	4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	48309 (Rochester) 48326
Area codes	248 and 947
FIPS code	26-04105
GNIS feature ID	1675443

Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, in the United States. It's a northern suburb of Detroit, located about 26 miles (42 km) north of downtown Detroit. In 2020, about 24,360 people lived there.

Auburn Hills is known for being home to Oakland University and the main U.S. offices for big companies like Stellantis, PHINIA, BorgWarner, and Volkswagen. Before it became a city in 1983, it was part of something called Pontiac Township.

History of Auburn Hills

Early Settlers and Name Changes

The area that is now Auburn Hills was first settled in 1821. It was originally called Pontiac Township. The first settler, Aaron Webster, named a village within the township "Auburn" after Auburn, New York. This village was located where Auburn and Squirrel roads are today.

Auburn grew because of Webster's sawmill and grist mill, which helped attract more people. For a while, Auburn was a rival to the nearby city of Pontiac. However, by the 1860s, Auburn's growth slowed down. The town's name changed to Amy in 1880 and then officially to Auburn Heights in 1919.

From Township to City

Pontiac Township tried to become a city in 1971, but the state said no. To protect itself from being taken over by other cities, Pontiac Township became a "charter township" in 1978. Finally, in 1983, Pontiac Township and the village of Auburn Heights joined together to form the City of Auburn Hills. It's important not to confuse this city with Auburn, Michigan, which is in a different county.

Famous Estates and Civic Center

In 1908, John Dodge, a pioneer in the automobile industry, bought a farmhouse northeast of Auburn Heights for his country home. His daughter, Winifred Dodge, married Wesson Seyburn, who also built a large country estate nearby. This estate had hunting land, dog kennels, a swimming pool, horse stables, and a large house.

In 1976, Pontiac Township bought Seyburn's estate. They turned the buildings into government offices, and today it's known as the Auburn Hills Civic Center.

Colleges and the "Auburn Hills" Name

The name "Auburn Hills" was first used in 1964 by Oakland Community College. They named their campus after the town and the hilly land in the area. Besides Oakland Community College, three other colleges have campuses partly in Auburn Hills: Oakland University, Baker College, and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Geography and Population

Where is Auburn Hills?

Auburn Hills is located in Oakland County, Michigan. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers about 16.64 square miles (43.10 square kilometers) of land. Only a small part, about 0.04 square miles (0.11 square kilometers), is water.

How Many People Live Here?

In 2010, there were 21,412 people living in Auburn Hills. The city has a diverse population. About 66.3% of residents were White, 18.5% were African American, and 8.9% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 7.8% of the population. The average age of residents in 2010 was about 31.4 years old.

Economy and Business

The Palace of Auburn Hills

Auburn Hills is a busy place for businesses, especially along Interstate 75. In the early 1980s, Oakland University worked with developers to create a special area for technology and research companies. This area, called the Oakland Technology Park, was approved in 1985. Big companies like Comerica, EDS, and Chrysler built their offices there. Today, about 80,000 people work in Auburn Hills' many tech and office buildings.

Shopping and Downtown

If you like to shop, Great Lakes Crossing Outlets is a huge indoor shopping mall in Auburn Hills. It opened in 1998.

The area around Auburn and Squirrel roads, now known as Downtown Auburn Hills, has been updated to be more friendly for people walking around. In 2013, several new projects were finished downtown. These included apartments for graduate students, a large parking deck, and a special classroom space called the University Center and the Downtown Educational Nook (DEN). The DEN is a refurbished historic log cabin that serves as a community center.

Major Companies and Sports

Auburn Hills is home to many important companies. These include PHINIA, BorgWarner, Guardian Industries, Autoliv, RGIS, Joyson Safety Systems, and the North American headquarters for GKN Driveline, Faurecia, and Volkswagen/Audi.

The city was also home to The Palace of Auburn Hills, which was the former home of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons and the Women's National Basketball Association's Detroit Shock. The Palace was later taken down. In 2017, the car company Maserati moved its U.S. headquarters to Auburn Hills.

Education in Auburn Hills

Auburn Hills Public Library

Auburn Hills has several schools and colleges. Different parts of the city are served by the Avondale School District, Pontiac School District, and Rochester Community Schools.

Schools for Younger Students

The Avondale School District has two elementary schools within Auburn Hills: R. Grant Graham Elementary School and Auburn Elementary School. Students in this district usually go to Avondale Middle School in Rochester Hills and Avondale High School in Auburn Hills. The Pontiac School District also has Will Rogers Elementary School in Auburn Hills.

There are also private schools in Auburn Hills, such as Auburn Hills Christian School and Oakland Christian School. Some private schools nearby include Notre Dame Preparatory/Marist Academy in Pontiac and Holy Family Regional School in Rochester and Rochester Hills.

Colleges and Universities

The main campus of Oakland University is located in Auburn Hills. Other colleges with campuses here include Oakland Community College, Baker College, and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Parks and Recreation

Auburn Hills has many parks that are open for everyone to enjoy, often all year round.

• Auburn Hills Skate Park: This park is for skateboards, inline skates, and BMX bikes. It's free to use and open from April to November.
• Civic Center Park: This park is great for hiking and walking, with many nature trails. It also has a fishing pond, picnic areas, a softball field, a 9-hole disc golf course, tennis courts, and playgrounds.
• Clinton River Trail: This is a long, 16-mile (26 km) pathway that goes through several cities in Oakland County, including Auburn Hills. The 2.1-mile (3.4 km) section in Auburn Hills is covered in crushed stone, perfect for walking, jogging, and biking.
• Dennis Dearing Jr. Memorial Park: This park has a fun "tot-lot" for younger children (ages 2–5) with a fireman theme. It also has swings, picnic tables, and open spaces for play.
• Manitoba Park: A two-acre park with a play structure, sand volleyball courts, and open space for activities.
• Riverside Park: Located next to downtown Auburn Hills and along the Clinton River, this park is popular in warmer months. You can launch a canoe here.
• River Woods Park:
  

  River Woods Park

This park, also near downtown Auburn Hills, has picnic areas, barbecue grills, and heated restrooms that stay open all year. There's a paved pathway system, including a bridge over the Clinton River. The park also has four basketball courts and play structures.

See also

In Spanish: Auburn Hills para niños