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Grosse Pointe, Michigan facts for kids

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This page is about the incorporated city of Grosse Pointe. For the adjacent group of cities, see Grosse Pointe.
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Grosse Pointe, Michigan
City
City of Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe City Hall
Grosse Pointe City Hall
Official seal of Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Seal
Location within Wayne County
Location within Wayne County
Grosse Pointe, Michigan is located in Michigan
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Grosse Pointe, Michigan is located in the United States
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Michigan
County Wayne
Incorporated 1880 (village)
1934 (city)
Government
 • Type Mayor–council
Area
 • City 2.25 sq mi (5.84 km2)
 • Land 1.06 sq mi (2.75 km2)
 • Water 1.19 sq mi (3.09 km2)
Elevation
587 ft (179 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • City 5,421
 • Estimate 
(2019)
 5,154
 • Density 4,853.11/sq mi (1,873.83/km2)
 • Metro
4,285,832 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip code(s)
48230, 48236
Area code(s) 313
FIPS code 26-35480
GNIS feature ID 0627461
Grosse Pointe, MI police and court
Grosse Pointe Police Department and Courthouse

Grosse Pointe is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,421.

Grosse Pointe is an eastern suburb of Metro Detroit along Lake St. Clair. It is located along East Jefferson Avenue and shares a small northwestern border with the city of Detroit. It is one of five cities within the Grosse Pointe area. Grosse Pointe was originally incorporated as a village in 1880 and again as a city in 1934.

History

Grosse Pointe was incorporated as a village in 1880, but at that time also included what is now Grosse Pointe Farms. The community was divided along its present lines in 1893 over issues of allowing the sale of alcohol. It was incorporated as a city in 1934.

Geography

Grosse pointe lakefront
The Grosse Pointe waterfront at Neff Park

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.25 square miles (5.83 km2), of which 1.06 square miles (2.75 km2) is land and 1.19 square miles (3.08 km2) is water. The water is part of Lake St. Clair.

The street layout of Grosse Pointe is basically a grid inside of its Cadieux, Mack, and Fisher Road boundaries. Inside this small rectangle, most blocks contain rows of single-family homes built between 1910 and 1950, on parcels 50 feet (15 m) wide on average. Some streets offer large backyards, such as Washington and Lakeland, while other streets are more compact. In some areas homes are configured in a traditionally urban, close-together fashion, while other nearby blocks may offer yards up to 150 feet (46 m) wide.

Home sizes and styles vary widely, from 1,500 to 12,000 square feet (100 to 1,100 m2), but slightly under 3,000 square feet (300 m2) on average. Most of the largest homes are within a few blocks of the lakefront; there are several blocks of mansions south of Kercheval Avenue. Predominant architecture includes the neo-Georgian, Tudor revival, Dutch Colonial, and arts and crafts styles. Some Victorian homes and traditional bungalow homes can also be found, mostly just north and south of the Village retail district. Some blocks, generally just south of the Village, have townhouses and apartments. Most of these were built in the 1920s, and can be seen along St. Paul, Maumee, and Jefferson avenues, mostly west of Rivard Boulevard, and between Notre Dame and Cadieux south of the Village retail district.

There are retail and low-rise office buildings along Kercheval Avenue in the Village district, on Fisher Road near Grosse Pointe South High School, and along Mack Avenue bordering Detroit.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 189 —
1890 298 57.7%
1900 343 15.1%
1910 830 142.0%
1920 2,084 151.1%
1930 5,173 148.2%
1940 6,179 19.4%
1950 6,283 1.7%
1960 6,631 5.5%
1970 6,637 0.1%
1980 5,901 −11.1%
1990 5,681 −3.7%
2000 5,670 −0.2%
2010 5,421 −4.4%
2020 5,678 4.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,421 people, 2,236 households, and 1,481 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,114.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,974.6/km2). There were 2,446 housing units at an average density of 2,307.5 per square mile (890.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population.

There were 2,236 households, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.8% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.06.

The median age in the city was 44.7 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.3% were from 25 to 44; 33.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.4% male and 53.6% female.

Downtown development

The City's Master Plan permits additional growth in downtown Grosse Pointe, also known as "The Village", allowing an expansion of the shopping- and amenities-focused district. In particular, two lots (on either side of St. Clair Avenue) currently used for municipal parking directly north of the current row of retail are the focus of planned development.

The former Jacobson's Department Store building along Kercheval, west of St. Clair, has been completely redeveloped. Upper-floor office space accompanies a slate of new retailers, including a Trader Joe's grocery occupying specialized space in the renovated building. In addition, a new building rose in 2011 to replace the former Kroger grocery store at the corner of Kercheval and Notre Dame Street.

Notable people

In popular culture

  • Grosse Pointe was where John Hughes spent the first 12 years of his life. It is also where the film Grosse Pointe Blank takes place, which stars John Cusack as a hitman who attends his 10-year high school reunion.
  • Jeffrey Eugenides' 1993 novel, The Virgin Suicides, and its subsequent 1999 film adaptation are set in Grosse Pointe.
  • Maggie O'Connell, a character in the 1990s television series Northern Exposure, was born and raised in Grosse Pointe. One episode entitled "Grosse Pointe, 48230" involved her visit home for a family reunion to commemorate her grandmother's birthday.
  • The character of Bradley "Brad" Taylor (played by Kelly Brown) on the television series Hey Dude was from Grosse Pointe.

Education

Grosse Pointe Public School System operates public schools.

Lewis Maire Elementary School in Grosse Pointe and Pierce Middle School in Grosse Pointe Park serve the western half of the city, while Père Gabriel Richard Elementary School and Brownell Middle School, both in Grosse Pointe Farms, serve the other half. All residents are zoned to Grosse Pointe South High School in Grosse Pointe Farms. Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores attend Grosse Pointe North High School

The Grosse Pointes are also home to one of the state's top private/independent schools, University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe Woods. Liggett serves grades prekindergarten through 12th grade. Liggett is known for its progressive curriculum, starting with the Reggio Emilia approach in prekindergarten and lower school grades.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Grosse Pointe (Míchigan) para niños

National Hispanic Heritage Month on Kiddle
Notable Hispanic athletes
José Calderón
Diana Taurasi
Pancho Gonzales
Gigi Fernández
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