Independence Township is a
charter township
A charter township is a form of local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. Townships in Michigan are organized governments. A charter township has been granted a charter, which allows it certain rights and responsibilities of home rule that ...
of
Oakland County
Oakland County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Metro Detroit, metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 Census, its population was 1, ...
in the U.S. state of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. The population was 36,686 at the
2020 census.
Independence Township was first organized in 1834. The township surrounds the city of
Clarkston, but the two are administered autonomously after Clarkston incorporated as a city in 1992. The township is home to the
Pine Knob Music Theatre
Pine Knob Music Theatre (formerly DTE Energy Music Theatre) is an outdoor amphitheater located in Independence Township, Michigan, approximately northwest of Detroit (it has a Clarkston, Michigan mailing address). Built by the Nederlander Orga ...
and the
Pine Knob
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
Ski Resort.
History
The first settlers arrived in Independence Township in the mid 1820s and early 1830s, primarily from
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
and
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. The first settler to purchase and settle land in the township was John W. Beardslee (b. 1799, d. 1883), from
.
Independence Township was named by one of its earliest settlers, Joseph Van Sycle, who came to the area in 1834 from
Independence Township, New Jersey
Independence Township is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 5,662, reflecting an increase of 59 (+1.1%) from the 5,603 counted in the 2000 Census, which had ...
.
While initially the township was primarily agricultural, the many lakes in the area were beginning to draw vacationers out of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
and other cities. In 1851, the
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
came through Clarkston, which prompted hotels to be built in the township to accommodate the resort vacationers coming to the area.
The invention of the
automobile
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...
had a tremendous effect on Independence Township. Roads that were once Native American trails were paved and widened for this new mode of transportation. The old
Saginaw Trail
Saginaw Trail is the collective name for a set of connected roads in Southeast and Central Michigan that runs from Detroit to Saginaw through Pontiac and Flint that was originally a tribal foot trail. To drive it today, drivers would follow:
* from ...
, now known as
Dixie Highway
Dixie Highway was a United States auto trail first planned in 1914 to connect the Midwest with the South. It was part of a system and was expanded from an earlier Miami to Montreal highway. The final system is better understood as a network of ...
, was paved as early as 1920, and Main Street
(M-15) in Clarkston was paved around 1922.
The expanding national highway system brought
I-75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...
through Independence Township in 1962, spurring both business and residential development. Many farms gave way to subdivisions and strip malls as Independence Township continued evolving into part of
Metropolitan
Metropolitan may refer to:
* Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories
* Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England
* Metropolitan county, a typ ...
Detroit.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (3.61%) is water.
The township is part of the
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. State of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and its surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the area, including the ...
area and is northwest of Detroit.
Major highways
* runs diagonally east–west through the southern portion of the township and has two access points at exit 89 (Sashabaw Road) and exit 91 (M-15).
* runs briefly south–north through the southwest corner of the township and has its eastern terminus just to the west in
Springfield Township.
* runs north beginning at Dixie Highway and passes through the city of Clarkston. It is known as Main Street near Clarkston and Ortonville Road north of Clarkston.
Education
Independence Township is primarily serviced by the
Clarkston Community Schools.
In 2016,
Clarkston High School had an enrollment of 1,930 students in grade nine through twelve. The school is located at 6093 Flemings Lake Road in Independence Township.
Clarkston High School offers twenty-six varsity sports, and competes in the
Oakland Activities Association
Oakland Activities Association is a Southeast Michigan high school athletics conference. It is made up of 23 schools located largely throughout Oakland County, with a single member located in Wayne County
History
The Oakland Activities Associatio ...
. It is a member of the
Michigan High School Athletic Association
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Unlike ma ...
.
Renaissance High School is located at 6558 Waldon Road in Independence Township. Renaissance High School is for students in grades 9 to 12 who need an alternative to the traditional high school setting in order to be successful. Renaissance students must meet Clarkston High School graduation requirements and receive a Clarkston High School diploma. Renaissance students are encouraged to participate in athletics, clubs and extracurricular activities offered at Clarkston High School. Renaissance students can also take courses at the Oakland Schools Campus, whose Northwest campus is also located in the township at 8211 Big Lake Road.
Clarkston Junior High School is located at 6595 Waldon Road in Clarkston. The school teaches eight and ninth grades.
Sashabaw Middle School is located at 5565 Pine Knob Lane in Independence Township. The school teaches sixth and seventh grades.
There are five
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
s in Independence Township:
*Bailey Lake Elementary School
*Clarkston Elementary School
*Independence Elementary School
*North Sashabaw Elementary School
*Pine Knob Elementary School
Everest Academy and High School is a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
high school also located in the township at 5935 Clarkston Road in Independence Township. The school competes athletically in the
Catholic High School League The Catholic High School League (CHSL) is a school athletic conference based in Detroit, Michigan, led by director Victor Michaels. Most member schools are also members of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), the governing body fo ...
and is a member of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Golf
Independence Township is home to three public golf courses; Fountains Golf Golf Club, an 18-hole course located at 6060 Maybee Road in Independence Township, Pine Knob Golf Club, a 27-hole course, located at 5580 Waldon Road in Independence Township, and Shepherd's Hollow Golf Club, a 27- hole championship course rated 42nd best golf course in the United States by
Golf Magazine
''Golf Magazine'' is a monthly golf magazine. It was started in April 1959 by Universal Publishing and Distributing, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was acquired by Howard Milstein in 2018. It was the world' ...
. It is located at 9085 Big Lake Road in Independence Township.
Oakhurst Golf and Country Club is a private club, located at 7000 Oakhurst Lane
in Independence Township. Oakhurst was the home of the 99th Michigan Amateur
Skiing and music
Pine Knob
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
is a ski resort located in Independence Township. It features 17 trails and 12 lifts. It is known for its slope called "The Wall".
Pine Knob is also home to the
Pine Knob Music Theatre
Pine Knob Music Theatre (formerly DTE Energy Music Theatre) is an outdoor amphitheater located in Independence Township, Michigan, approximately northwest of Detroit (it has a Clarkston, Michigan mailing address). Built by the Nederlander Orga ...
, an outdoor
amphitheater
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
concert venue that has featured hundreds of celebrities and is always one of the highest grossing outdoor amphitheaters in the United States. It is located in Independence Township minutes away from downtown Clarkston.
Hills and lakes
Independence Township is located along the Hillsdale-Lapeer
Moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
Range. The highest hill along that range in Independence Township is Pine Knob, at 1,221 feet. It is also the highest point in
Southeastern Michigan
Southeast Michigan, also called southeastern Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that is home to a majority of the state's businesses and industries as well as slightly over half of the state's population, most of whom are c ...
. Only three miles away is
Waterford Hill, the second highest hill in Independence Township with an elevation of 1,150 feet. Atop Waterford Hill is Olympus Circle, the highest elevation of any residential street in Independence Township.
The Clinton River winds its way through Independence Township creating more than thirty named lakes of all sizes along the way.
Demographics
The population of Independence Township was 34,681 at the
2010 census.
In Independence Township in 2010, there were:
*11,765 households
*9,094 families
*12,375 housing units
*95.84%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
*1.22%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
*0.84%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
*0.24%
Native American
*2.75 was the average household size
*3.14 was the average family size
*27.7% under the age of 18
*6.9% from 18 to 24
*31.7% from 25 to 44
*25.7% from 45 to 64
*8.1% who were 65 years of age or older
*$74,992 was the median income
Notable people
This list includes people from the area (Clarkston and Independence Township).
*
Valerie Bertinelli
Valerie Anne Bertinelli (born April 23, 1960) is an American actress. She first achieved recognition as a child actress, portraying Barbara Cooper Royer on the sitcom ''One Day at a Time (1975 TV series), One Day at a Time'' (1975–1984) for w ...
, actress
*
Tim Birtsas
Timothy Dean Birtsas (born September 5, 1960) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Though history remembers the "Nasty Boys" as a trio, according to Rob Dibble, Birtsas' name should be included when talking about the famed World Series wi ...
, former
MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player
*
Dan Dickerson
Daniel Hill Dickerson (born November 13, 1958) is an American sportscaster, best known for his current position as the lead radio play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers on the Detroit Tigers Radio Network.
Early life and ...
, radio play-by-play broadcaster for the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
*
Dane Fife
Dane Fife (born July 26, 1979) is an American former college basketball player and assistant coach. Fife is the former head coach of the Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Mastodons men's basketball team and a was former ...
, former
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universit ...
basketball player and current assistant coach at
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
*
Henry Ford
Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that mi ...
, industrialist and founder of the
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
. Maintained a summer home and weekend cottage on Main Street. Ford also owned a mill which operated on the water from what is now called "Mill Pond" in Clarkston. This building still exists in part but has been modernized into a small mall which includes art galleries and office space. He also purchased the old school building on N. Main St. to serve as an apprentice school.
*
John Hardon
John Anthony Hardon, SJ (June 18, 1914 – December 30, 2000) was an American Jesuit priest, writer, and theologian. A candidate for sainthood since 2005, he is recognized by the Catholic Church as a Servant of God.
Early life
John Anthony ...
,
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
priest, theologian
*
Steve Howe
Stephen James Howe (born 8 April 1947) is an English musician, best known as the guitarist in the progressive rock band Yes across three stints since 1970. Born in Holloway, North London, Howe developed an interest in the guitar and began to l ...
, former MLB pitcher, 198
NL Rookie of the Year(LA Dodgers)
*
Geoff Johns
Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Superman, has drawn critical acclaim.
He serve ...
, comic book writer
*
Scott Kamieniecki
Scott Andrew Kamieniecki (born April 19, 1964) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, and Atlanta Braves between 1991 and 2000.
Biography
A native of M ...
, former MLB player
*
Tim McCormick
Timothy Daniel McCormick (born March 10, 1962) is a retired American professional basketball player from Detroit who played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He currently is a pre- and post-game analyst for the Detroit Pi ...
, former
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
player and current sports broadcaster
*
Bob Miller, former
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
player
*
Marisha Pessl
Marisha Pessl (born October 26, 1977) is an American writer known for her novels ''Special Topics in Calamity Physics'', ''Night Film: A Novel, Night Film'', and ''Neverworld Wake''.
Early life
Pessl was born in Clarkston, Michigan, to Klaus, an ...
, author
*
Ryan Riess
Ryan Riess (born June 21, 1990) is an American professional poker player best known for winning the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Education
Riess attended Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes High School and graduated from Michigan State ...
, professional poker player,
2013 World Series of Poker
The 2013 World Series of Poker was the 44th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). It was held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada between May 29 – July 15, 2013. There was 62 bracelet events, culminating in the $10,000 No Li ...
champion
*
Tim Robinson, comedian, former cast member and writer on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
''
*
Kid Rock
Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock (also known as Bobby Shazam), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician, ...
, musician
*
Ron Serafini
Ronald William Serafini (October 31, 1953 – October 30, 2021) was an American professional ice hockey defenseman who played only two games in the National Hockey League for the California Golden Seals and 16 games for the Cincinnati Stingers o ...
, former NHL player
*
David Simko
David Simko (born November 26, 1954 in Clarkston, Michigan, Clarkston, Michigan) is a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Winston Cup Series driver who participated in ten races over the course of six seasons.
While failing to qualify in five diffe ...
, former NASCAR Cup Series driver
*
Samuel William Smith, former member of the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
*
Daniel Travis
Daniel Travis (born March 10, 1968) is an American actor.
Travis was born and raised in Clarkston, Michigan. He received a BFA in theater from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He went on to receive an MFA at The Mason Gross School of the Arts ...
, actor
References
External links
Official website of the Charter Township of Independence
{{Metro Detroit
Townships in Oakland County, Michigan
Charter townships in Michigan
Metro Detroit
Populated places established in 1834
1834 establishments in Michigan Territory