Oakland Charter Township, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oakland Township, Michigan
Charter township
Charter Township of Oakland
Location within Oakland County
Oakland Township, Michigan Location in Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Oakland
Settled	1785
Established	1827
Area
• Charter township	36.7 sq mi (95.0 km2)
• Land	36.3 sq mi (93.9 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation	938 ft (286 m)
Population  (2020)
• Charter township	20,067
• Density	546.8/sq mi (211.23/km2)
• Metro	4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	48306, 48363, 48370
Area code(s)	248 and 947
FIPS code	26-59820
GNIS feature ID	1626833

The Charter Township of Oakland, often called "Oakland Township," is a special type of town in Michigan. It's located just north of Oakland County, near a big city area called Metro Detroit. In 2020, about 20,067 people lived here.

Oakland Township is different from its neighbors because it has more open spaces and trees. It feels more like a quiet, wooded place where people live and travel to work in nearby cities. The local rules here help keep the area peaceful. They limit new stores and factories. They also make sure that too many people don't move into the area, helping to keep its natural feel.

The northern part of Oakland Township has its own postal code, 48363. The southern part shares a postal code, 48306, with a piece of Rochester Hills. People living in the township might also use "Goodison" or "Rochester" in their addresses.

Communities in Oakland Township

Oakland Township has a few smaller areas within it. These are not separate towns but are known by their own names.

Current Communities

• Campbells Corner is located right on the northern edge of the township, next to Addison Township.
• Goodison (also known as Goodison Station) is a historic spot. It's named after William Goodison, who ran a grist mill here in the 1800s. A grist mill grinds grain into flour. The mill started in 1835, and a post office opened in 1874. Goodison was once a stop on the Michigan Central Railroad. Today, people in the township want to make Goodison a central meeting place. They are working to bring water back to the old mill's water wheel and attract small shops.

Former Communities

• Oakland (also called Kline Settlement or Alert) was the very first settlement in the township. It had two churches and a school. It also had the first post office. But over time, it became a ghost town, meaning almost everyone left. Now, only a graveyard remains where the town once stood. The town started in 1822. When the Michigan Central Railway was built, it bypassed Oakland and went through Goodison instead. This led to Oakland's decline.

History of Oakland Township

Oakland Township is one of Michigan's oldest townships. It was first mapped out in 1785. The first settlers arrived around 1818. In 1827, it became one of the original 25 townships in the Michigan Territory. Its borders were set in 1837 when Michigan became a state.

Goodison Mill and Railroads

A grist mill was built on Paint Creek in 1835. This mill, later called Goodison Mill, ground grain for over 100 years. It was taken down in the late 1940s. Today, the Paint Creek Cider Mill stands where the old mill used to be.

Goodison Station was a train stop built in 1872. It was part of the Detroit and Bay City Railroad. Another train line also served the area. In 1926, a train crash near Goodison injured many people. Passenger trains stopped running by 1950.

Paint Creek Trail

The Paint Creek Trail opened in 1983. It was the first trail in Michigan made from an old railroad line. This trail connects the village of Lake Orion with the city of Rochester. It also goes through Goodison. The original train tracks were removed in 1976. The land was bought in 1983 to create this popular trail for walking and biking.

Historical Search

In 2013, a search took place in Oakland Township. Investigators were looking for clues about Jimmy Hoffa, a famous labor leader who disappeared in 1975. A specific piece of land was searched, but after a few days, no evidence was found.

Geography of Oakland Township

Oakland Charter Township is surrounded by other towns and townships. To the north is Addison Township. To the west is Orion Township. To the south is Rochester Hills. And to the east is Washington Township in Macomb County.

The township covers about 36.7 square miles (95 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 36.3 square miles (93.9 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.4 square miles (1.1 square kilometers), is water.

	Oxford Township	Addison Township	Bruce Township
	Orion Township		Washington Township
		Oakland Township
	Auburn Hills	Rochester Hills	Shelby Township

People of Oakland Township

In 2000, there were about 13,071 people living in Oakland Township. Most households were families, with many having children under 18. The average household had about three people.

The population included people of different ages. About 30% were under 18, and about 7% were 65 or older. The average age was 38 years old.

Schools in Oakland Township

Most students in Oakland Township attend Rochester Community Schools. This school district started serving the area in 1952. Some parts of the township are also served by Lake Orion Community Schools and Romeo Community Schools.

One old school building, Baldwin School, was once a one-room schoolhouse in the Goodison area. Now, it's Baldwin Elementary, a modern elementary school for Rochester Community Schools.

Notable People

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Oakland Township:

• Luther Elliss – a former professional football player.
• Joe Henry – a musician.
• Ted Lindsay – a former professional hockey player.
• Eminem – a famous rapper, songwriter, producer, and actor. He used to live here.
• Joey Sturgis – a record producer who lives in Oakland Township now.
• Peter Vanderkaay – an Olympic swimmer. He grew up in Oakland Township and won gold medals in swimming at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.