Wixom, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wixom, Michigan
City
City of Wixom
Wixom City Offices along Pontiac Trail
Location within Oakland County
Wixom, Michigan Location in Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Oakland
Settled	1831
Platted	1871
Incorporated	1957 (village) 1958 (city)
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• City	9.36 sq mi (24.23 km2)
• Land	9.14 sq mi (23.67 km2)
• Water	0.22 sq mi (0.57 km2)
Elevation	928 ft (283 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	17,193
• Density	1,881.48/sq mi (726.47/km2)
• Metro	4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	48393
Area code	248
FIPS code	26-88140
GNIS ID	1616671

Wixom (pronounced WIK-səm) is a city in Oakland County, Michigan. It's a suburb located northwest of Detroit, about 30 miles (48 km) from downtown Detroit. In 2020, about 17,193 people lived in Wixom.

Wixom used to be home to the Wixom Assembly Plant, a large car factory that operated from 1957 to 2007. Today, the city has many production and manufacturing businesses. Some well-known companies here include Trijicon, Discraft, NGK, Rockwell Medical, and Majic Window.

History of Wixom

Early Settlement and Naming

The area where Wixom is now located was first settled in 1831. It was initially called Sibley's Corners. This name came from Alonzo Sibley, who was only 20 years old when he became the first settler. He bought about 80 acres of land in what is now Commerce Township. Over time, he bought much more land.

In 1837, Alonzo Sibley gave some of his land for a local cemetery. It was first called South Commerce Burial Ground, but later became Wixom Cemetery. Sibley also became the president of the cemetery group.

The Railroad and Growth

Wixom really started to grow as a town in 1871. This happened when Willard Clark Wixom, whose family the city is named after, allowed a railroad to be built through his property. This railroad was the Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railway. Willard then created a town plan for the land around the railroad.

In 1883, Willard's property became an important railroad crossing for the Michigan Airline Railroad. A train station and mail stop were built there. The new railroad junction brought many new businesses, stores, a lumber yard, and a cider mill. This helped the small village become Michigan's biggest place for handling grain. Because of this growth, the town's name changed from Sibley's Corners to Wixom.

Becoming a City

Wixom became an official village in the 1950s. This happened after plans were announced to build the Wixom Assembly Plant nearby. Before that, Wixom was just an unofficial settlement. The village included parts of both Novi and Commerce Townships.

Later, other parts of Novi Township wanted to become a village too. This led the new village of Wixom to become a city. The city's boundaries are mostly the same as the old village. In the 1970s, a small park area was added from Commerce Township.

Downtown Development in Wixom

Wixom Village Center

The downtown area of Wixom has been developed with a new main street called the Wixom Village Center. This area is located near the city offices on Pontiac Trail. It was a big project that cost about $200 million. The Village Center has a walking area, restaurants, and shops.

A residential area called Tribute of Wixom is also part of this development. It will have 600 homes, including condos, townhouses, and single-family homes. Construction on this project started in 2014 after being paused for a few years.

Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

The Wixom Downtown Development Authority (DDA) helps improve the downtown area. They get money from something called Tax Increment Financing (TIF). This means that as property values in the downtown area go up (because of new buildings or inflation), the DDA uses that extra tax money to invest back into the district.

Current Focus and Projects

The DDA has several important goals for 2024 and 2025:

• Renton Area Redevelopment: They are working with the city to redevelop city-owned land.
• Branding and Signage: The DDA is creating a new look for Downtown Wixom and planning new signs to help people find their way around the city.
• Civic Center Playground: A new playground was built in 2024 with a $250,000 investment from the DDA.
• West End Commons: The DDA is looking for money to develop this area. They have received grants and funding from different sources.

Recent Improvements

Some recent projects include:

• West End Sidewalk Project: Sidewalks on Pontiac Trail were rebuilt in 2023 with new landscaping.
• Wixom Loop: A new walking trail was built with the Parks & Recreation Department.
• Downtown Hanging Baskets: Beautiful flower baskets are hung downtown every May.
• The Junction Social District: This is a special area downtown where people can enjoy drinks bought from local restaurants.

The DDA has invested over $460,000 back into downtown.

Future Plans

Future projects for downtown Wixom include:

• Improving power lines and street design on Pontiac Trail.
• Making the Wixom Loop trail more active.
• Adding public art downtown.
• Improving landscaping on Wixom Road.
• Adding electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
• Expanding downtown lighting and flower baskets.

Events and Community Support

The DDA also helps organize many fun events throughout the year:

• Wednesdays in Wixom (January/February)
• Sip n Stroll (March, October)
• Derby Day Races (May)
• Block Party (September)
• Spooktacular Downtown Treat Hunt (October)
• Downtown Dazzle (November/December)
• Candy Cane Lane (December)

They also help fund other city events like Concerts in the Park, Fireworks, and the Tree Lighting Festival. The DDA has invested over $100,000 back into the community through these efforts. Many volunteers help the Wixom DDA with events, committees, and daily tasks.

Education in Wixom

Most of Wixom is part of the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools district. A small part in the southwest is in the South Lyon Community School District. Also, a tiny part of southern Wixom is in the Novi Community School District.

Schools within City Limits

Schools located right in Wixom include:

• Loon Lake Elementary School
• Wixom Elementary School
• Sarah Banks Middle School
• Wixom Christian School
• Twin Sun Preschool (part of Walled Lake district)
• St. Catherine of Siena Academy (a Catholic school)

School Zoning

• Walled Lake District: Most Wixom residents go to Loon Lake, Wixom, Hickory Woods, or Walled Lake elementary schools. Most are zoned for Banks Middle School, with a small part going to Geisler Middle School. Most high school students attend Walled Lake Western High School, while some go to Walled Lake Central High School.
• South Lyon District: Students in this part of Wixom go to Dolsen Elementary School, Centennial Middle School, and South Lyon East High School.
• Catholic Schools: Catholic schools are overseen by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit. St. William Catholic School, a K-8 school, is in Walled Lake but serves Wixom.

Religion

Many different religious groups have places of worship in the Wixom area. St. William Church in Walled Lake serves the Wixom community. There are also many people in Wixom who do not follow any particular belief system.

Media

The studios for WTVS, which is Detroit Public Television, are located in Wixom. They are in the Riley Broadcast Center and HD Studios.

Police and Fire Services

Police Department

The Wixom Police Department was started on October 14, 1957. Before 1958, the Oakland County Sheriff's Department provided police services to Wixom. The police station is now in the newly developed downtown area on Pontiac Trail.

In 1996, two Wixom police officers, Gary Hamlin and Martin Harp, showed great bravery. They helped arrest a person involved in a serious incident at the Ford plant. For their courage, they received awards and thanks from the state legislature and the National Association of Police Organizations. They even received the TOP COPS award at the White House from President Bill Clinton.

Fire Department

Wixom is protected by Fire Station #1, located on North Wixom Road. The Wixom Fire Department has a mix of full-time firefighters, paid on-call firefighters, and auxiliary firefighters. They also have a full-time fire chief, fire marshal, and an EMS coordinator. The Wixom Firefighters are part of the Michigan Association of Fire Fighters.

The Wixom Firefighters hold an annual "Breakfast with Santa" event. They also collect non-perishable food donations. Each year, they typically collect over 1,500 pounds of food, which is given to local food banks.

Geography

Wixom covers a total area of about 9.37 square miles (24.27 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 9.15 square miles (23.70 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 0.21 square miles (0.54 square kilometers) is water.

Population Information

2010 Census Details

In 2010, there were 13,498 people living in Wixom. There were 5,725 households and 3,382 families. The city had about 1,475 people per square mile (570 per square kilometer). There were 6,577 housing units.

The population was made up of different groups:

• 79.8% White
• 11.1% African American
• 0.2% Native American
• 4.9% Asian
• 1.9% from other races
• 2.1% from two or more races
• 5.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Out of the 5,725 households:

• 33.6% had children under 18 living with them.
• 44.0% were married couples.
• 10.9% had a female head of household with no husband present.
• 4.1% had a male head of household with no wife present.
• 40.9% were not families.
• 34.2% of all households were individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

The average household had 2.36 people, and the average family had 3.09 people. The median age in the city was 34.8 years.

• 25.4% of residents were under 18.
• 9.3% were between 18 and 24.
• 31.9% were between 25 and 44.
• 26.4% were between 45 and 64.
• 7% were 65 years or older.

The population was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.