East Detroit, Michigan

Eastpointe (formerly East Detroit) is a city on the southern edge of Macomb County, Michigan, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,442. Eastpointe forms a part of the Metro Detroit area. It borders 8 Mile Road on the northern edge of Detroit.

History

The community was first settled by Irish and German immigrants in the 1830s. In October 1897, a Post Office was established there with the name of "Half-way", as it was near the halfway point of the stage run between downtown Detroit and the Macomb County seat at Mount Clemens. It incorporated as the village of Halfway in December 1924 and reincorporated as the City of East Detroit in January 1929. Prior to 1924, most of the community formed a part of Erin Township. The city changed its name to "Eastpointe" after the change was approved by residents in a 1992 referendum; the name change had been proposed to remove any perceived association with the adjacent city of Detroit; the "pointe" suffix is intended to associate the city instead with the nearby affluent communities of the Grosse Pointes.

The city's school district was unaffected by the municipal name change, and was called East Detroit Public Schools until 2017, when it changed the district name to Eastpointe Community Schools to align with the community name. It has one high school (Eastpointe High School), one middle school (Eastpointe Middle School), and four elementary schools. The primary district boundaries of Eastpointe Community Schools encompass the City of Eastpointe and the southeastern portion of the city of Warren.

Politics

Eastpointe is a Michigan home-rule city and operates under the council-manager form of government. The city's mayor and four council members are elected at large to four-year staggered terms. In 2019, Suzanne Pixley, who had been mayor since 2007, did not seek reelection after her third four-year term. Councilwoman Monique Owens succeeded Pixley as mayor in 2019.

After a racial discrimination lawsuit was brought against the city regarding its election of all city council members through Plurality-at-large voting, alleging that the plurality-at-large system discriminated against African-American voters and violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the city settled the lawsuit with the United States Department of Justice in June 2019 by agreeing to switch to single transferable vote for the at-large election of city council members for the November 2019 municipal election. Later, the city elected it first African American Councilwoman, Monique Owens, who later became the first African American and youngest mayor of the city and county.

Beginning with the November 2019 election, ranked choice voting was used on the city council ballot, making Eastpointe the first municipality in Michigan to adopt ranked choice voting.

Entertainment and recreation

Eastpointe has many summer festivals and events, including Erin-Halfway Days Living History Festival held at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park in late July, Music in the Park Wednesday nights at Spindler Park, and Summer Fest, formerly known as The Ox Roast, mid to late August at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park.

Cruisin' Gratiot in June is an annual weekend celebration of automotive history, tradition and memorabilia. The event includes car shows, contests, and live music.

The Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society Museum is in Eastpointe.

Eastpointe is generally considered to be a bedroom community. It is nevertheless a relatively short drive from many other points of interest in the Detroit area. It is served by Interstate 94 (I-94) and I-696, as well as M-3 (Gratiot Avenue), M-102 (8 Mile Road), and 9 Mile Road.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The city of Eastpointe borders Beechwood Avenue (up until it reaches Stephen Road, where it switches over to Hayes) on its western border, 8 Mile/M-102 on its southern border, Beaconsfield/the southern and western bound section of the I-94 service drive on its eastern border, and roughly 10 Mile Road on its northern border.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 32,442 people, 12,557 households, and 8,220 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 13,796 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 65.6% White, 29.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 12,557 households, of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 28.7% 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 2.58 and the average family size was 3.19.

The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 25.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.6% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,077 people, 13,595 households, and 8,959 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,678.8 per square mile (2,579.8/km²). There were 13,965 housing units at an average density of 2,737.0 per square mile (1,057.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.13% White, 4.70% African-American, 0.42% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 13,595 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,261, and the median income for a family was $54,895. Males had a median income of $41,449 versus $28,095 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,665. About 4.2% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The American Power Boat Association (APBA) is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. The APBA is headquartered in Eastpointe.

At one time Spirit Airlines had its headquarters in Eastpointe. The headquarters moved to Miramar, Florida in the Miami Metropolitan Area in November 1999.

In 1959, a young businessman by the name of Art Van Elslander opened the doors to a Danish furniture showroom on Gratiot Avenue in Eastpointe which would become the first Art Van.

Government and infrastructure

The U.S. Postal Service operates the East Detroit Post Office in Eastpointe.

People and events

Politics and business

Raised in Eastpointe, Douglas A. Brook (b. 1944) was United States Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) from 1990 to 1992 and Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) from 2007 to 2009.

Eric Bischoff (b. 1955)
former president of World Championship Wrestling (1993-99) and On-screen personality for WWE (2002-06). Currently the co-host of 83 Weeks podcast (2019- )

Edward J. Bonior (1922–2001) was Mayor of East Detroit from 1963 to 1967. He is the head of the Boniors political family.

Merollis Chevrolet of Eastpointe is where Guinness Book of World Records "World's Greatest Salesman" Joe Girard set consecutive sales records over a fifteen-year period.

Former Eastpointe Mayor former Macomb County Commissioner and former representative of the Michigan House of Representatives Frank Accavitti Jr. is an Eastpointe resident. Accavitti is a former board member and past president of the Eastpointe Kiwanis Club. He also is a member of the Eastpointe Lions Club, the Selfridge Air National Guard Base Community Council, the Eastpointe Historical Society, the friends of the Roseville Library and the Eastpointe Community Chest. Accavitti has served as a trustee of the Eastpointe Employees' Pension Fund, the Eastpointe Memorial Library Board, the South Macomb Disposal Authority and the South East Macomb Sanitary District.

Jerry M. Linenger, M.D., M.S.S.M., M.P.H., Ph.D. (Captain, Medical Corps, USN, Ret.) is a former NASA astronaut, who flew on the Space Shuttle and Space Station Mir Born and raised in Eastpointe, Linenger graduated from East Detroit High School in 1973.

Arts and entertainment

Actor Jayson Blair of MTV's ''The Hard Times of RJ Berger'' is an Eastpointe native.

Rapper Kid Rock refers to Eastpointe in his song "It's Still East Detroit To Me."

Christian Berishaj (stage name JMSN) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer, mixer, videographer and designer and a former member of the band, Love Arcade, in which he was known as Snowhite. He was raised in Eastpointe.

Mike Lubinski of the reality show ''Big Brother'' is from Eastpointe.

Jacob M. Appel's short story collection, ''Einstein's Beach House'', is largely set in a fictionalized Eastpointe.

Adrenalin is an American rock band from East Detroit Michigan, that is perhaps best known for their song "Road of the Gypsy," featured in the 1986 film ''Iron Eagle''.

''Back in the USA'' is the 1970 debut studio album, and second album overall, by the American protopunk band MC5 recorded in Eastpointe in 1969.

Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions contestant Sandie Baker was from Eastpointe.

Athletics

East Detroit High School produced a number of professional football players, including Gary Ballman, Ron Kramer, Matt Hernandez, and Mickey Walker.

Dennis Brown is a former American football player and coach. In 1995, Brown was hired as the head football coach at East Detroit High School.

The Detroit Caesars were a professional softball team that played from 1977 through 1979 in the American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League (APSPL), winning two pro softball championships while playing at Memorial Field in East Detroit. The team disbanded after the 1979 season, but the Detroit Auto Kings would play the 1980 season in the North American Softball League (NASL) at Memorial Field before ceasing play at the end of the season and ending professional softball played in East Detroit.

In popular culture

The "Recruiters" sketch from ''Mr. Show with Bob and David'' was set in East Detroit.

Education

Eastpointe Community Schools operates public schools in Eastpointe. The southeastern corner of the city is served by South Lake Public Schools.District Map
"
Archive
South Lake School District, a charter school, is in Eastpointe.

St. Thomas Lutheran Church formerly operated the St. Thomas Lutheran School. A drop in enrollment occurred after the Great Recession in the late aughts. It closed in 2015. The Great Start Readiness Program began renting the facility after its closure. St. Veronica School of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit was formerly in Eastpointe.

Religion

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit operates Catholic Churches. Churches in Eastpointe include St. Basil the Great Parish, St. Veronica Parish, and the St. Barnabas Church and the St. John Deaf Center of the Holy Innocents-St. Barnabas Parish.

Our Lady of Grace Vietnamese Parish ( vi, Gx Đức Mẹ Ban Ơn Lành) is in Warren. Our Lady of Grace was previously in Eastpointe, but moved to Warren in 2012 when it merged with St. Cletus Church. Our Lady of Grace had an increasing parishioner base and was asking for a larger facility, so it was combined with another church with a declining number of parishioners.

See also

* List of cities in Michigan

References

Sources

Eastpointe History
City website retrieved January 20, 2006
* Romig, Walter. ''Michigan Place Names. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1986.

External links

*

{{Authority control

Cities in Macomb County, Michigan
Metro Detroit
Populated places established in 1897