Orion Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orion Township, Michigan
|
|
|---|---|
|
Charter township
|
|
| Charter Township of Orion | |
Village of Lake Orion within Orion Township
|
|
Location within Oakland County (red) and the administered village of Lake Orion (pink)
|
|
 Orion Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Established | 1835 |
| Area | |
| • Charter township | 35.9 sq mi (93.1 km2) |
| • Land | 33.4 sq mi (86.4 km2) |
| • Water | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,004 ft (306 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Charter township | 38,206 |
| • Density | 1,064.2/sq mi (410.38/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,296,250 (Metro Detroit) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48348, 48359–48362
|
| Area code(s) | 248 and 947 |
| FIPS code | 26-61100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626859 |
Orion Charter Township is a special kind of town in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. It's often just called Orion Township. In 2020, about 38,206 people lived here.
The township and the nearby village share a motto: "Where living is a vacation." Many people use "Lake Orion" to talk about both the village and the township. Orion Township is also home to a big General Motors factory. This factory makes cars and electric pickup trucks.
Contents
Communities in Orion Township
Orion Township has several communities within its borders.
Village of Lake Orion
Lake Orion is a village that is part of Orion Township. It's a separate local government but sits inside the township.
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller areas that are not officially separate towns or villages.
- Eames started as a train station in 1874. It got its own post office in 1883.
- Lake Orion Heights is located between Lake Orion, Square Lake, and Elkhorn Lake.
- Gingellville can be found at Baldwin and Gregory Roads.
Former Communities
Some places that used to be important are now just historical spots.
- Rudds Mill (also called Rudds Station) was located at Kern and Clarkston Roads.
- Cole was another train station on the Pontiac, Oxford and Northern Railroad. It had a post office from 1884 to 1907.
Geography and Nature
Orion Township covers about 35.9 square miles. Most of this area, about 33.3 square miles, is land. The rest, about 2.6 square miles, is water.
The township is proud of its many natural spaces. It has over 4,200 acres of parks and open areas. There are 42 lakes that are larger than five acres. You can also find more than 50 miles of paths and trails for walking or biking.
Orion Township is surrounded by other towns:
- To the east is Oakland Township.
- To the west is Independence Township.
- To the south is Auburn Hills.
- To the north is Oxford Township.
Parks, Trails, and Fun Places
Orion Township has many great spots for outdoor activities and events.
- Friendship Park is the biggest park owned by the township. It has almost 135 acres of land. You can find it at Baldwin and Clarkston Roads.
- Camp Agawam is right in the middle of Orion Township. It used to be run by the Boy Scouts of America. In 2014, Orion Township took over the camp.
- Civic Center Park is a large community park with nearly 79 acres. It's on Joslyn Road, north of Waldon Road.
- Jesse Decker Park is the newest community park in Orion Township. It was built in 2009. This park is in the southeast part of the township, on Squirrel Road.
- Wildwood Amphitheater is a cool outdoor venue. It hosts "Free Concerts & Movies in the Park" during the summer. You can also enjoy film festivals, music festivals, and other public events here.
- The Paint Creek Trail is a popular trail for walking and biking. It's about 8.9 miles long. The trail goes through several towns, including Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion. Most of the trail is made of crushed limestone.
- The Polly Ann Trail is another major trail in Oakland County. It starts in Orion Township and goes north. This trail connects Orion, Oxford, and Addison Townships. Orion Township's own path system connects this trail to the Paint Creek Trail.
Population and People
In 2000, there were 33,463 people living in Orion Township. The average age of people living here was 34 years old. About 28.5% of the population was under 18 years old.
Education
Most students in Orion Township go to schools in the Lake Orion Community Schools district. Some students also attend schools in the Pontiac School District, Clarkston, Rochester, and Oxford Community School Districts.
St. Joseph Catholic School is a private school located within the township.
Notable People from Orion Township
Many interesting people have lived in Orion Township or the Village of Lake Orion.
- Matthew Blackmer, a figure skater
- Christopher Bowman, a champion figure skater
- William Broomfield, a former congressman
- Pat Caputo, a sportswriter
- Rolla C. Carpenter, an engineer and writer
- Dave Collins, a former professional baseball player
- Barbara Ann Crancer, daughter of Jimmy Hoffa
- Matthew Dear, a musician
- Andrew J. Feustel, a NASA astronaut
- Frontier Ruckus, an art-folk band
- Tom Gillis, a professional golfer
- Jeff Heath, a professional football player
- Frederick Henderson, former CEO of General Motors
- James P. Hoffa, son of Jimmy Hoffa
- Jimmy Hoffa, a former union leader
- Zak Keasey, a former professional football player
- Mickey Lolich, a former professional baseball player
- James Marcinkowski, a politician and attorney
- Chris Michels, a radio show host
- Jamie Milam, a professional hockey player
- Troy Milam, a professional hockey player
- Frank Novak, a former NFL coach
- Raymond Plouhar, a staff sergeant in the USMC
- William Edmund Scripps, a newspaper owner
- Rich Strenger, a former professional football player
- Rod Taylor, a former professional hockey player
- Ron Tripp, a world champion in Sambo and Judo
- Cynthia Watros, an actress
- Mike Weger, a former professional football player
- Louis George Carpenter, a college professor
Images for kids
-
Village of Lake Orion within Orion Township
-
Location within Oakland County (red) and the administered village of Lake Orion (pink)
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Orion (Míchigan) para niños
