Waterford Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Waterford Township, Michigan
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Charter township
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| Charter Township of Waterford | |
Welcome sign to Waterford Township
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Location within Oakland County
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 Waterford Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Established | 1834 |
| Area | |
| • Charter township | 35.3 sq mi (91.4 km2) |
| • Land | 31.3 sq mi (81.2 km2) |
| • Water | 4.0 sq mi (10.3 km2) 11.22% |
| Elevation | 948 ft (289 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Charter township | 70,565 |
| • Density | 1,999.0/sq mi (772.0/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,296,250 (Metro Detroit) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48327–48330, 48346, 48387
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| Area code(s) | 248 |
| FIPS code | 26-84240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627218 |
Waterford Township, often just called Waterford, is a special kind of town in Oakland County, Michigan. It's a northern suburb of Detroit, located about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of downtown Detroit. In 2020, about 70,565 people lived there.
Contents
Communities in Waterford Township
Waterford Township has five smaller areas that are not officially separate towns. These are:
- Clintonville: You can find it on Walton Boulevard, between Clintonville Road and Sashabaw Road.
- Drayton Plains: This area is located near Dixie Highway and the west side of Loon Lake.
- Elizabeth Lake: This used to be a popular vacation spot and is located on Elizabeth Lake.
- Four Towns: This community is found at Lochaven Road and Cooley Lake Road.
- Waterford Village: This is a historic village located where Dixie Highway meets Andersonville Road.
History of Waterford Township
The history of Waterford Township began a long time ago. In 1819, Lewis Cass, who was the third governor of Michigan Territory, set up the borders for Oakland County. Waterford Township itself was officially started in 1834.
In 1818, a man named Oliver Williams bought land in Oakland County. Later, Archibald Phillips and Alpheus Williams bought 161.40 acres (0.65 km²) in what would become Waterford Village.
Oliver Williams and his family were the first to start a farm settlement in the county in 1818. They settled by the banks of Silver Lake.
In 1819, Alpheus Williams and Archibald Phillips moved to where the Clinton River crossed the old Saginaw Trail (which is now Dixie Highway). They built the first house in Waterford Village on the north bank of the river. Archibald Phillips built his home across the street.
Williams and Phillips also built the first dam on the Clinton River and set up the first sawmill. The township was named Waterford because it has so many lakes.
Geography and Climate
Waterford Township covers about 35.3 square miles (91.4 km²). Most of this area, about 31.3 square miles (81.2 km²), is land. The rest, about 4.0 square miles (10.3 km²), is water, making up about 11.22% of the total area.
Waterford Township is surrounded by other towns and lakes:
- To the north: Independence Township
- To the northeast: Orion Township
- To the east: Lake Angelus and Pontiac
- To the southeast: Sylvan Lake
- To the south: Keego Harbor and West Bloomfield Township
- To the southwest: Commerce Township
- To the west: White Lake Township
- To the northwest: Springfield Township
Waterford's Weather
Waterford Township has a continental climate, just like the rest of Southeast Michigan. It's a bit higher up than Detroit, so it tends to be a little cooler. Winters are cold with varying amounts of snow. Spring weather changes from warm days to cool nights. Summers are warm and humid, often reaching temperatures in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit. Summer is also the wettest season. Fall starts warm, but by November, temperatures drop close to freezing.
Lakes of Waterford Township
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Waterford Township is famous for its many lakes. There are 34 named lakes here! Here are some of them:
| Lakes in Waterford Township | ||
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| Lake | Size in acres | Depth in feet |
| Baldwin Lake | 9 | 10 |
| Cass Lake (part) | 1,280 | 123 |
| Clam Lake | 21 | 10 |
| Crescent Lake | 90 | 40 |
| Eagle Lake | 19 | 20 |
| Elizabeth Lake | 363 | 72 |
| Fiddle Lake | 9 | 10 |
| Geneva Lake | 19 | 35 |
| Huntoon Lake | 42.5 | 15 |
| Lake Angelus (part) | 477 | 88 |
| Lake Oakland (most) | 255 | 64 |
| Lake Goodrich | 4 | 10 |
| Leggets Lake | 25 | 10 |
| Lester Lake (most) | 12 | 25 |
| Loon Lake | 243 | 73 |
| Lotus Lake (most) | 179 | 65 |
| Maceday Lake | 234 | 117 |
| Mohawk Lake | 23 | 33 |
| Morgan Lake | 28 | 25 |
| Otter Lake | 74 | 50 |
| Pleasant Lake | 92 | 52 |
| Pontiac Lake (part) | 612 | 34 |
| Rainbow Lake | 5 | 15 |
| Schoolhouse Lake | 37 | 49 |
| Scott Lake | 77.5 | 35 |
| Silver Lake | 101 | 73 |
| Sylvan Lake (part) | 532 | 71 |
| Upper Silver Lake (part) | 35.5 | 30 |
| Van Norman Lake (part) | 66 | 90 |
| Watkins Lake | 238 | 25 |
| White Horse Lake | 8 | 10 |
| Williams Lake | 155 | 45 |
| Woodhull Lake (most) | 135 | 56 |
| Wormer Lake | 27.5 | 24 |
People of Waterford Township
In 2020, the U.S. Census counted 70,565 people living in Waterford Township. Most residents (85.2%) identified as White. About 5.7% were Black or African American, and 2.1% were Asian. About 7.0% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Transportation and Travel
Waterford Township is home to the Oakland County International Airport. This airport is a hub for Lakeshore Express, an airline that flies to nearby places like Pellston and Chicago-Midway.
Railroad History
In 1851, the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway built tracks through Waterford Township. Three train stations were built: the Drayton Plains depot, the Waterford depot, and the Windiate depot. The railroad made it easy for people from big cities to visit the many lakes in Waterford for summer vacations. This helped Waterford Township become a popular resort area.
In 1882, the Grand Trunk Western Railroad bought the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway. As roads got better, more people started driving to their vacation spots. Because of this, the passenger train stations closed in the late 1950s.
One popular summer resort was the Windiate Park Hotel, located on Lotus Lake. Vacationers from Detroit and Lansing could easily reach it by train. The resort offered boating, fishing, sailing, sunbathing, tennis, and even a dance hall.
Another well-known place was the Waterford Hotel in Waterford Village. It was later called Bradt's Exchange and served as a stagecoach stop for over 60 years.
Today, the railroad tracks are owned by Canadian National Railway (CN). They are now only used for freight trains, not for passengers. There are seven railroad crossings and one railroad bridge in Waterford Township.
Education in Waterford Township
Waterford Township has many schools for its young residents.
Public Schools
The Waterford School District runs most of the public schools in the township. A small part of the township is served by the Pontiac School District.
- High Schools: In 1961, Kettering High School opened, and Mott High School opened in 1969. In 2012, Durant High School, which is an alternative school, also opened. All three high schools are named after important people in the automobile industry: William C. Durant, Charles F. Kettering, and Charles S. Mott. The original Waterford Township High School closed in 1983.
- Middle Schools: John D. Pierce Junior High School opened in 1957, and Stevens T. Mason Junior High School opened in 1965. Both schools now serve grades 6 through 8.
- Elementary Schools: As of 2015–16, there are nine public elementary schools in the township. These include William Beaumont Elementary, Thomas M. Cooley Elementary, Donelson Hills Elementary, David Grayson Elementary, Laura S. Haviland Elementary, Douglass Houghton Elementary, William S. Knudsen Elementary, Riverside Elementary, and Henry R. Schoolcraft Elementary.
Private Schools
Our Lady of the Lakes School is a private Catholic school for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It opened in 1960. St. Benedict School used to be in Waterford but closed around 2003.
Community College
Waterford Township is also home to the Oakland Community College Highland Lakes Campus. This campus opened in 1965.
Oakland Schools, which helps all the school districts in Oakland County, has its main offices in Waterford Township.
Public Library
The Waterford Township Public Library serves everyone living in the township. You can find it at 5168 Civic Center Drive.
Notable People from Waterford
Many interesting people have come from Waterford Township, including:
- Todd Alsup: A talented pianist and singer-songwriter.
- Mary Barra: The CEO of General Motors, a very important car company.
- Paul Fry: A baseball player who played for the Baltimore Orioles.
- Kirk Gibson: A former MLB baseball player.
- Gail Goestenkors: A former head coach for women's basketball at the University of Texas.
- Michael L. Good: The dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine.
- Pat LaFontaine: A former NHL hockey player and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Dylan Larkin: An NHL player and the captain of the Detroit Red Wings.
- Dave Marsh: A well-known music critic.
- Jim Miller: A former NFL football player.
- Paul Mitchell: A former member of the United States House of Representatives.
- Kristopher Pooley: A rock musician and musical director.
- Jean (Racine) Prahm: A U.S. Olympian in bobsledding.
- Brett Reed: A men's basketball head coach at Lehigh University.
- Tim Robinson: A comedian, actor, writer, and producer.
- Amber Slagle: A racing car driver.
- Trevor Strnad: The lead singer of the band The Black Dahlia Murder.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Waterford (Míchigan) para niños
