Oak Park is a city in

Oakland County Oakland County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 1,274,395, making it the second-most populous county in Michigan ...

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 t ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population of Oak Park was 29,560. As a northern suburb of

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 ...

, Oak Park shares its southern border with the city 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 t ...

History

This area was designated as within

Royal Oak Township Royal Oak Charter Township is a charter township in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 2,374. The city of Royal Oak, Michigan, Royal Oak is s ...

; it was first settled by European Americans in 1840, but remained sparsely populated for many decades following. The first major housing development was constructed in 1914 at the time of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, when the township sold land to the Majestic Land Company to be developed as the Oak Park subdivision.Bernadine Schoults, ''The History of Royal Oak''
1955 The subdivision was incorporated as a village on May 3, 1927. Two petition drives during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

to dissolve the village government and return it to the township, citing "excessively high cost of village government," failed in 1931 and 1933. The village incorporated as a city on October 29, 1945, following the end of World War II. Stimulated by the

GI Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

which aided veterans in buying new housing, highways to improve commuting, and planned developments in the late 1950s, Oak Park from 1950 to 1960 was named as "America's Fastest Growing City". Its population increased sevenfold, from 5,000 to more than 36,000. Much of its population was second- and third-generation children of European immigrants who had settled in Detroit in the early 20th century. These included many Jewish Americans, many of whom are of the Orthodox faith. Major civic improvements in this period included construction of an outdoor swimming pool and an ice rink in Major Park (now known as Shepherd Park, after former mayor David Shepherd, but long known informally as Oak Park Park). In 1995, Detroit-based window manufacturer

WeatherGard Bold text WeatherGard is an Farmington, Michigan based window manufacturer which provides window, door, insulation, roofing, gutter, and siding installation services to customers in Michigan's Lower Peninsula from its offices in Oak Park, Lan ...

moved its headquarters to Oak Park. In 2002 and 2004, the city annexed portions of neighboring Royal Oak Township to expand its land and tax base. On November 8, 2011, the citizens of Oak Park elected a new mayor, Marian McClellan. She was the city's first new mayor in 22 years, replacing the long-serving Jerry Naftaly. In April 2015, the city approved the development of a new FedEx distribution center which will be located on a 60-acre plot of land at the site of the former Detroit Artillery Armory. The facility opened on March 31, 2017. On May 5, 2015, the citizens of Oak Park voted to allow mixed drinks to be sold at businesses within city limits, in addition to beer and wine, which were previously allowed. On November 3, 2015, the citizens of Oak Park re-elected McClellan, who was running against Aaron Tobin.

Geography

According to the

United States 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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land. Oak Park is adjacent to the cities of

to the south, Southfield to the west, Pleasant Ridge, Ferndale, and

to the east, Huntington Woods to the northeast, and Berkley to the north. Oak Park is bordered to the south by 8 Mile Road (M-102), to the north by 11 Mile Road, to the Northeast by Coolidge Highway and 10 Mile Road/

I-696 Interstate 696 (I-696) is an east–west List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Metro Detroit region of the US state of Michigan. The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System, state trunkline highway is als ...

, to the west by Greenfield Road, to the east by Sherman Street and Forest Street, and to the southeast by 9 Mile Road, Republic Street, Northend Avenue, and Meyers Avenue.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 29,319 people, 11,719 households, and 7,533 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 12,782 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 57.4%

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 ...

, 37.4%

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 ...

, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino people of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 11,719 households, of which 35.7% were non-families, 35.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11% 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 3.16. The median age in the city was 37.5 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.1% male and 54.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The

was 2,291.5/km² (5,932.0/mi²). There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 874.5/km² (2,263.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.95%

, 45.95%

, 2.18% Asian, 0.17% Native American, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.60% from other races, and 4.13% from two or more races. 1.28% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 11,104 households, out of which 44.0% were

living together, 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.6% were non-families, and 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.29. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $48,697, and the median income for a family was $54,786. Males had a median income of $40,922 versus $35,968 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $21,677. 9.4% of the population and 7.8% of families were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. Out of the total population, 10.9% of those under the age of 18 and 13.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Education

Oak Park's educational history began with the Clinton School, a one-room schoolhouse on property donated by Barney Clinton in the early 20th century. As the population grew rapidly, Clinton School was expanded and more elementary schools were built, particularly beginning in the 1950s. Clinton School was made a junior high school and another was built in the mid-1960s, then named for the poet

Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American collo ...

. At that time, one school in Oak Park had a special education department for children with learning disabilities: Lessenger Elementary School on Albany St. at Sunset St. Consequently, many families with such special children gravitated to the neighborhood surrounding Lessenger, creating a "cluster" of such families rarely found elsewhere. Educational achievement was the long consistent pattern in Oak Park. Over 85% of Oak Park High School graduates continued their education immediately after high school, whether in college, or in trade or vocational schools. In the 1950s and 1960s the school system was renowned statewide due to the efforts of progressive and dedicated teachers and community support which liberally allocated tax dollars to fund education through voter approved bond issues. The high school had an average score of 3.8 on the state's MEAP test in 2011. This was one of the lowest scores in Oakland County. Students residing between 10 Mile Rd. and 11 Mile Rd. are in the

Berkley School District Berkley School District is a United States school district serving the entirety of Berkley, Huntington Woods, and the northern portion of Oak Park, in the state of Michigan. The superintendent is Scott Francis. Created in 1840, the district cu ...

. A square mile on the east end of Oak Park is in the neighboring Ferndale School District; the majority of the city is in Oak Park Schools.

Controversy

In July 2011, Oak Park gained national attention when the city charged Julie Bass, a homeowner, for growing vegetables in her front yard. In March 2015, Stephanie Sumner and Michael Sumner were fired from their positions as city employees after the city had discovered that they had stolen $433,000 from the city over the course of two years. Several months after the story broke, the city announced that the stolen funds had been replaced through the city's insurance policy. However, many residents voiced their concerns regarding the potential insurance rate hikes that would occur after insurance claims to replace the stolen money.

Notable people

* Jamie Arnold, American-Israeli professional basketball player with Hapoel Holon * Jeff Bass, record producer; born and raised in Oak Park; brother of Mark Bass * Mark Bass, record producer; born and raised in Oak Park; brother of Jeff Bass * Maxine Berman, educator and politician *

Bob Black Robert Charles Black Jr. (born January 4, 1951) is an American anarchist and author. He is the author of the books '' The Abolition of Work and Other Essays'', ''Beneath the Underground'', ''Friendly Fire'', ''Anarchy After Leftism'', and ''Def ...

, anarchist theorist; author of the widely disseminated essay "The Abolition of Work"; grew up in Oak Park and graduated from its high school *

Norm Cash Norman Dalton Cash (November 10, 1933 – October 11, 1986) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. A power hitter, his 377 career home runs were the fourth most by an America ...

, baseball player 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 ...

1960–1974; lived a few blocks from his teammate Al Kaline, on Sloman Street between Jerome and Saratoga * Vincent Chin, Chinese American victim of a racially motivated killing *

Marcella Detroit Marcella Levy (born June 21, 1952), known professionally as Marcy Levy and (later in her career) Marcella Detroit, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She co-wrote the 1977 Eric Clapton hit " Lay Down Sally" and released her debut a ...

, vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter * Larry Downes, co-author of ''Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance''; writer for ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

''; was raised in Oak Park * Robert Ettinger, "father of cryonic human preservation"; lived in Oak Park for decades * Doug Fieger, musician, lead singer of the group The Knack; his hit songs included " My Sharona" and " Good Girls Don't" *

Geoffrey Fieger Geoffrey Nels Fieger (born December 23, 1950) is an American attorney based in Southfield, Michigan. Fieger is the senior partner at the law firm of Fieger, Fieger, Kenney & Harrington P.C., and is an occasional legal commentator for NBC and M ...

, attorney who represented Jack Kevorkian; grew up in Oak Park and graduated from Oak Park High School in 1969 * Ben Forta, prolific tech author; authority on edtech * Les Gold, owner of American Jewelry and Loan; star of the TV show '' Hardcore Pawn''; lived in Oak Park for several years during his childhood * Al Kaline, Detroit Tiger baseball legend and Hall of Fame member; lived on Morton Street in the late 1950s *

John Kelly John or Jack Kelly may refer to: People Academics and scientists *John Kelly (engineer), Irish professor, former Registrar of University College Dublin *John Kelly (scholar) (1750–1809), at Douglas, Isle of Man * John Forrest Kelly (1859–1922) ...

, football running back * Carrie Keranen, voice actress * Marty Lederman, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) during Obama and Biden administrations. *

Stephen Markman Stephen J. Markman (born June 4, 1949) is a former justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. He was appointed by Republican governor John Engler on October 1, 1999, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Justice James H. Brickley. Educat ...

, justice of Michigan Supreme Court * Paul Milgrom, Nobel Prize winning economist * Dan and Tracee Miller, musicians in the band Blanche; currently reside in Oak Park; Dan has acted in film and Tracee is also a visual artist * James Rosen, author and political reporter *

Royce da 5'9" Ryan Daniel Montgomery, known professionally as Royce da 5'9" (or simply Royce 5'9"), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Montgomery is currently one half of the rap duo Bad Meets Evil with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem, a ...

, Detroit rapper known for his association with

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing Hip hop music, hip hop in Middle America (United Sta ...

Bad Meets Evil Bad Meets Evil is an American hip hop duo composed of Detroit-based rappers Royce da 5'9" (Bad) and Eminem (Evil). Bad Meets Evil was formed in 1998, thanks to the duo's mutual friend, Proof. The group's name comes from the song "Bad Meets Evi ...

and

Slaughterhouse A slaughterhouse, also called abattoir (), is a facility where animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a packaging facility. Slaughterhouses that produce meat that is no ...

Jeffrey Sachs Jeffrey David Sachs () (born 5 November 1954) is an American economist, academic, public policy analyst, and former director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, where he holds the title of University Professor. He is known for his work ...

, noted economist of

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

and currently at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

; graduate of Oak Park High School * Jeffrey Seller, Broadway producer and

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

winner; known for his work on ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

'', ''

Avenue Q ''Avenue Q'' is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. It won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show's format is a parody of ...

'', ''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

'' and ''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

'' *

Shaggy 2 Dope Joseph William Utsler (; born October 14, 1974), known by his stage name Shaggy 2 Dope, is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, podcast host of Shaggy and The Creep Show, and professional wrestler. He is part of the hip hop duo Insane Clo ...

(real name Joseph Utsler), member of

Insane Clown Posse Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989 as a gangsta rap group, ICP's best known lineup consists of rappers Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (originally 2 Dope; Joseph Utsl ...

; met Violent J in Oak Park *

Curt Sobel Curt Elliot Sobel (born October 26, 1953 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American composer and music editor. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics (shared with lyricist Dennis Spiegel) for the song “Why Do I Li ...

, composer, film music editor and supervisor; grew up in Oak Park and lived on Northfield and Harding *

Ron Suresha Ron Jackson Suresha is an American author and anthologist of books centering on gay and bisexual men's subcultures, particularly the Bear community. Biography Suresha was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended grade school in the northwest subu ...

, author and editor; attended grade school in Oak Park and graduated from OPHS *

Violent J Joseph Frank Bruce (born April 28, 1972), known by his stage name Violent J, is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler, and part of the hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse. He is a co-founder of the record label '' Psychopathic R ...

(real name Joseph Bruce), member of

; met Shaggy 2 Dope in Oak Park * David Was (real name David Weiss), musician from the group Was (Not Was); grew up with Don Fagenson in Oak Park *

Don Was Don Edward Fagenson (born September 13, 1952), known professionally as Don Was, is an American musician, record producer and record executive. Primarily a bass player, Was co-founded the funk-rock band Was (Not Was). In later years he produced so ...

(real name Don Fagenson), musician from the group

Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) is an American pop rock group founded in 1979 in Detroit, Michigan, by David Weiss and Don Fagenson, who adopted the stage names David Was and Don Was. Their song catalog features an eclectic mix of pop and rock styles, often fe ...

; grew up with David Weiss in Oak Park *

Peter Werbe ''Fifth Estate'' (''FE'') is a U.S. periodical, based in Detroit, Michigan, begun in 1965, and presently with staff members across North America who connect via the Internet. Its editorial collective sometimes has divergent views on the topics the ...

, radio talk show host, DJ, and political activist; has lived in Oak Park for 37 years; hosted ''NightCall'' on Detroit's WRIF 1970–2016, the longest running phone-in talk show in U.S. radio history; staff member of the 56-year-old magazine '' The Fifth Estate ''Author
''Summer on Fire: A Detroit Novel''
2021.

References

External links

City of Oak Park
{{Authority control Cities in Oakland County, Michigan Metro Detroit Jewish communities in the United States Russian communities in the United States Ukrainian communities in the United States Populated places established in 1914 1914 establishments in Michigan