Whitmore Lake is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) and

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

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 ...

. The community spans the boundary between Green Oak Township in Livingston County and Northfield Township in Washtenaw County. The population of the CDP was 6,423 at the 2010 census. The community is located about north of

Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

and about south of

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

. It is situated around the shores of Whitmore Lake, and the CDP also includes the area around the smaller Horseshoe Lake to the south, Lawton Lake to the east and Monahan Lake to the northeast. U.S. Highway 23 forms the western edge of much of the CDP. The Whitmore Lake post office, with ZIP code 48189, serves a larger area than that defined by the CDP and includes portions of southeast

Hamburg Township Hamburg Township is a civil township of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 21,165. It is the most populated municipality in Livingston County. Communities A trio of unincorpora ...

, northeastern Webster Township, and larger parts of Green Oak and Northfield Townships than are included in the CDP. The Whitmore Lake was named by Jonathan F. Stratton, a surveyor, after Luke H. Whitmore, a local landowner around 1825. Area residents have considered incorporation many times, but have not chosen to do so yet. The well-known

Eight Mile Road M-102 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs along the northern boundary of Detroit following 8 Mile Road. The highway follows the Michigan Baseline, a part of the land survey of the state, and t ...

that forms the boundary between 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 ...

and Detroit's northern suburbs in

Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay ...

and Macomb counties ends in Whitmore Lake, along with Five, Six, Seven and Nine Mile Roads.

Geography

Ann Arbor Railroad Depot at Whitmore Lake, Michigan

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 CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 20.37%, is water.

Demographics

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 2000, there were 6,574 people, 2,663 households, and 1,741 families residing in the CDP. 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 1,508.5 per square mile (582.2/km). There were 2,960 housing units at an average density of 679.2 per square mile (262.1/km). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.05%

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 ...

, 0.93%

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 ...

, 0.46% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.12%

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 ...

, 0.23% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.75% 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 of any race were 1.46% of the population. There were 2,663 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94. In the CDP, 24.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.7% was from 18 to 24, 39.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $51,504, and the median income for a family was $63,113. Males had a median income of $42,174 versus $28,865 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 CDP was $26,066. About 3.5% of families and 5.2% of the population 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 ...

, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Fourth of July celebration

Each year Whitmore Lake hosts a weekend-long celebration for

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Many ...

. In 2011 it marked its 52nd year with the theme "Ignite the Spirit of America". Typical events include a

fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...

display over the lake, a boat parade, a ski show performed by the Whitmore Lake

Water Ski Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffi ...

Club, a running / swimming race, and many other events.

Harvest Festival

The Whitmore Lake Harvest Festival is a two-day event that occurs annually at the end of September, and was first established in 2007. The primary function of the 2009 Harvest Festival was to adopt a pet or donate money towards that cause.

Michigan Pond Hockey Classic

The Michigan Pond Hockey Classic is an annual adult pond hockey tournament held on Whitmore Lake. Established in 2008, the event raises funds for families and schools to support youth participation in athletics.

Education

The community is served by

Whitmore Lake Public Schools Whitmore Lake Public Schools was established in the year 1944. The schools were located just outside downtown Whitmore Lake, Michigan. Originally, the High School, Middle School, and Elementary School were built on the same land. Due to a few dif ...

. The

Whitmore Lake High School Whitmore Lake Secondary School is a public secondary school in Whitmore Lake, Michigan Whitmore Lake is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community spans the boundary between Green ...

Trojans are members of the Tri-County Conference.

Notable people

Dave Alexander (musician) David Michael Alexander (June 3, 1947 – February 10, 1975) was an American musician, best known as the original bassist for influential protopunk band The Stooges. Biography After his family relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan, from Whitmore Lak ...

, musician, member of the highly influential band The Stooges, born in Whitmore Lake

References

External links

Whitmore Lake Public Schools
{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Livingston County, Michigan Unincorporated communities in Washtenaw County, Michigan Census-designated places in Michigan Unincorporated communities in Michigan Census-designated places in Washtenaw County, Michigan Census-designated places in Livingston County, Michigan