Royal Oak, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Royal Oak
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| City of Royal Oak | |
Pictured left to right: Downtown Royal Oak, the National Shrine of the Little Flower church, the Rackham Memorial Fountain at the Detroit Zoo, and the Woodward Dream Cruise.
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Location in Oakland County and in the state of Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Incorporated | 1895 (village) |
| 1921 (city) | |
| Area | |
| • City | 11.79 sq mi (30.54 km2) |
| • Land | 11.79 sq mi (30.54 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 663 ft (202 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • City | 57,236 |
| • Estimate
(2013)
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58,946 |
| • Density | 4,854.6/sq mi (1,874.4/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,285,832 (US: 13th) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
48067, 48068, 48073
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| Area code(s) | 248 |
| FIPS code | 26-70040 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0636352 |
| Website | http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us |
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 57,236. It is the 8th-largest municipality in Oakland County and the 27th largest municipality in Michigan by population.
Contents
History
Royal Oak was incorporated as a village, in 1891, and as a city in 1921. The name originated in 1819, during one of Territorial Governor Lewis Cass' surveying expeditions. A large oak tree located near the present-day intersection of Crooks, Rochester, and Main reminded Cass of the Royal Oak which King Charles II of England hid in to escape capture by the Roundheads after the Battle of Worcester.
In the 1920s, Father Charles Coughlin became the founding pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower, a prominent landmark in the city. Through his ministry, he raised funds to build the present limestone Church complex and tower from which he aired his radio show.
Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Royal Oak's downtown grew into an entertainment and nightlife destination. A number of large condominiums and lofts have been built in the area. The city also has a Farmers Market located at the corner of 11 Mile Road and Troy Street, adjacent to the 44th District Court. The Royal Oak Farmers Market opened as a truck market, at the corner of 4th and Troy streets, on October 14, 1925 as a cooperative venture between the then-new City of Royal Oak and Oakland County, Michigan. The present structure was erected in the spring of 1927 and dedicated July 1 of that year.
Culture
Downtown Royal Oak features a wide assortment of nightlife venues, including the Royal Oak Music Theatre and the Landmark Main Art Theatre. Royal Oak is home to the Detroit Zoo, one of the region's leading tourist attractions. Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, a comedy club, was an early venue for performers such as Tim Allen and Dave Coulier. The many restaurants range in fare from take-out sandwiches to high-end establishments specializing in cuisines like Italian, Belgian, Nepali, and others. Pubs include biker bars, dance clubs, upscale breweries, sports bars, and rooftop bars. During the summer, downtown Royal Oak becomes host to hordes of motorcycle enthusiasts from around Metro Detroit. On Wednesday nights Main Street is often lined with Harley-Davidsons, whereas on Thursday night the streets fill up with sport bikes.
Royal Oak encompasses a major span of the Woodward Dream Cruise. The city sponsors ancillary events around the Cruise.
The popular 1990s sitcom Home Improvement was set in Royal Oak. In 2008, three movies were filmed in Royal Oak. Scenes from Prayers for Bobby, Youth in Revolt and Gran Torino were filmed in the downtown area. In 2009, the remake of Red Dawn had several scenes filmed in Royal Oak neighborhoods.
In December 2009 it was announced that the Arts, Beats and Eats festival would be moved from Pontiac to Royal Oak.
In addition to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, regional newspapers serving all of southeast Michigan, the city is served by the Daily Tribune, The Oakland Press, the Royal Oak Review, and The Mirror.
Royal Oak is also the setting for the popular Nickelodeon show, The Loud House. However, the town goes by the fictional name of "Royal Woods".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.79 square miles (30.54 km2), all land.
Royal Oak once had a river, the Red Run. Vinsetta Boulevard was built skirting a source branch of the Red Run for its median, but in the 1930s, Vinsetta's entire median, along with the river and all but the top of the bridges for the crossing streets were filled in as part of a WPA project. During 1967–8, the rest of the river in Oakland County was buried in a six-foot drain pipe.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 217 | — | |
| 1900 | 468 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,071 | 128.8% | |
| 1920 | 6,007 | 460.9% | |
| 1930 | 22,904 | 281.3% | |
| 1940 | 25,087 | 9.5% | |
| 1950 | 46,898 | 86.9% | |
| 1960 | 80,612 | 71.9% | |
| 1970 | 86,238 | 7.0% | |
| 1980 | 70,893 | −17.8% | |
| 1990 | 65,410 | −7.7% | |
| 2000 | 60,062 | −8.2% | |
| 2010 | 57,236 | −4.7% | |
| Est. 2015 | 59,008 | 3.1% | |
| Sources: | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 57,236 people, 28,063 households, and 13,394 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,854.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,874.4/km2). There were 30,207 housing units at an average density of 2,562.1 per square mile (989.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.7% White, 4.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.
There were 28,063 households of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.3% were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.82.
The median age in the city was 37.8 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 60,062 people, 28,880 households, and 14,440 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,083.0 people per square mile (1,961.9/km²). There were 29,942 housing units at an average density of 2,534.0 per square mile (978.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 1.54% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 28,880 households out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, the population was spread out with 17.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,252, and the median income for a family was $68,109. Males had a median income of $50,562 versus $36,392 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,990. About 2.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Numbered Highways
I-75 runs north–south along the city's east side.
I-696 runs east–west along the city's south side.- M-1 (formerly designated US 10 and also known as Woodward Avenue) runs generally southeast–northwest along the city's west side.
- Five numbered east–west mile roads run through Royal Oak.
Rail and bus
- Amtrak provides service to Royal Oak, operating its Wolverine three times daily in both directions between Pontiac and Chicago via Detroit.
- Class one freight rail service is provided by Canadian National Railway (CN).
- Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) operates local and regional bus transit.
Historic
- Commuter rail service provided by Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW) and later Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) from Pontiac to downtown Detroit, with two stops in Royal Oak ran until October 17, 1983.
- The Saginaw Trail, a footpath established by the Sauk tribe between Detroit and Saginaw. In Royal Oak the path generally followed present day Main Street and then Crooks Road south to north.
Images for kids
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The U.S. post office in Royal Oak
