Eastpointe (formerly East Detroit) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in
Macomb County in the U.S. state of
Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
. An inner-ring
suburb of Detroit, Eastpointe borders
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
to the south, roughly northeast of
Downtown Detroit
Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a Neighborhoods in Detroit, residential area of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Locally, "downtown" tends to refer to the 1.4 square mile region bordered by M-10 (Michigan high ...
. As of the
2020 census, the city had a population of 34,318.
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
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
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 (which includes all or part of Eastpointe,
Roseville, and
St. Clair Shores. 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
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
; the "pointe" suffix is intended to associate the city instead with the nearby affluent communities of the
Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe is a group of five adjacent suburbs in the Metro Detroit, Detroit metropolitan area on the shore of Lake St. Clair. From southwest to northeast, they are:
*Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, Grosse Pointe Park
*Grosse Pointe, Michiga ...
s. The city also changed its name to give the community a sense that it was its own city with its own unique history, identity, and not an extension or branch of Detroit. Other names were also nominated for the referendum never balloted.
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, formerly Kelly Middle School), and four elementary schools. The primary district boundaries of Eastpointe Community Schools encompass the City of Eastpointe, minus the northeastern portion (east of Kelly Rd. and north of Stephens) and the southeastern portion of the city of
Warren.
Geography
Eastpointe is in southern Macomb County, northeast of
Downtown Detroit
Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a Neighborhoods in Detroit, residential area of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Locally, "downtown" tends to refer to the 1.4 square mile region bordered by M-10 (Michigan high ...
and north of
Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe is a group of five adjacent suburbs in the Metro Detroit, Detroit metropolitan area on the shore of Lake St. Clair. From southwest to northeast, they are:
*Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, Grosse Pointe Park
*Grosse Pointe, Michiga ...
. It is bordered to the west by the city of
Warren, to the north by
Roseville, and to the east by
St. Clair Shores. It is bordered to the south by the cities of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
and
Harper Woods in
Wayne County. Roads that follow the city borders include Beechwood Avenue (up until it reaches Stephens Road, where it switches over to Hayes) on its western border (properties on both sides of these streets are within the city limits), 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 10 Mile Road on its northern border except for portions of the blocks of Macomb St. west to Hayes.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.04%, are water.
Eastpointe is generally considered to be a
bedroom community
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
. It is a relatively short drive from many other points of interest in the Detroit area. It is served by
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is just east of Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern ter ...
(I-94) and
I-696, as well as
M-3 (Gratiot Avenue),
M-102 (8 Mile Road), and
9 Mile Road.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 census, there were 34,318 people, 13,126 households, and 8,523 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...
was . There were 13,798 housing units.
2010 census
As of the
2010 census, there were 32,442 people, 12,557 households, and 8,220 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...
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 residents 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
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
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
2000 census, there were 34,077 people, 13,595 households, and 8,959 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 13,965 housing units at an average density of . 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 residents 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, 24.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.6% was from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% was 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
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $20,665. About 4.2% of families and 6.4% 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 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
Spirit Airlines, Inc. is an American ultra-low cost airline headquartered in Dania Beach, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Spirit was the ...
had its headquarters in Eastpointe. The headquarters moved to
Miramar, Florida in the
Miami Metropolitan Area
The Miami metropolitan area is a coastal metropolitan area in southeastern Florida. It is the sixth-largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States, and the lar ...
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.
Culture and arts
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 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.
Government
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 2017, Eastpointe elected its first African-American councilwoman,
Monique Owens. 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, becoming the first African-American mayor of Eastpointe.
Owens was unseated in the 2023 mayoral primary.
Her tenure as mayor was marred by multiple scandals, including a lawsuit alleging that she violated residents' First Amendment rights
and a criminal charge for alleged false statements on a grant application.
Residents also objected to police reports she made against critics,
her failure to file financial disclosure statements,
her heated tirades against residents and other officials during meetings,
and her lack of support for the LGBT community.
On November 7, 2023, voters chose former city council member Michael Klinefelt as mayor. Eastpointe voters also elected incumbent Harvey Curley and newcomer Margaret Podsiadlik to the city council. The three were sworn in the following Monday.
Discrimination lawsuit
After a racial discrimination lawsuit was brought against the city regarding its election of all city council members through
Plurality-at-large voting
Plurality block voting is a type of block voting method for multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of seats to be filled. The candidates with the most votes are elected. The usual result when the candidates div ...
, alleging that the plurality-at-large system discriminated against African-American voters and violated Section 2 of the
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movem ...
, the city settled the lawsuit with the
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
in June 2019 by agreeing to switch to
single transferable vote
The single transferable vote (STV) or proportional-ranked choice voting (P-RCV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which each voter casts a single vote in the form of a ranked ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vot ...
for the at-large election of city council members for the November 2019 municipal election.
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.
First Amendment lawsuit
In 2022, four Eastpointe residents filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Eastpointe and Mayor Monique Owens alleging violations of their First Amendment rights. The plaintiffs alleged that Owens had interrupted and censored their remarks during time allotted for public comments at council meetings and engaged in viewpoint discrimination against them. The complaint requested that the city amend its public comment rules and sought damages from the mayor.
On December 8, 2022, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting Owens from shouting down speakers or restricting the subject matter of their remarks. The order is to remain in effect until the case is resolved or the court orders otherwise.
The lawsuit stemmed largely from an incident at the council's September 6, 2022, meeting, during which Owens interrupted or talked over three residents who had attempted to speak. As Owens argued with one of the residents, the other four council members walked out, ending the meeting.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from the
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a First Amendment advocacy group.
LGBT community relations
In 2019, the City of Eastpointe became one of the first municipalities in Macomb County to recognize Pride Month, despite the opposition of Mayor
Monique Owens, who said that Eastpointe has "always accepted everybody". On May 16, 2023, the Eastpointe City Council again voted on a Pride Month resolution, but it failed in a 2-2 vote due to opposition from Rob Baker and Stacy Cobb-Muñiz. Owens was absent from the meeting. The council's decision prompted sparked a protest at City Hall.
Mayor's criminal conviction
On September 28, 2023, Eastpointe's departing mayor,
Monique Owens, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement. The case, which was initially charged as felony false pretenses, stemmed from her application for a CARES Act grant for her business. The application stated that her business, Naturally Funny Talent Agency, was 51 percent of more owned by veterans and that it had 100-249 employees. Upon investigation, the Macomb County Sheriff's Office determined that Owens had had never served in the military and that she was the sole employee of the company.
On November 9, 2023, Owens was sentenced to six months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and $725 in court costs.
Education
Eastpointe Community Schools operates public schools in Eastpointe and includes most of the municipality. The southeastern corner of the city is instead within
South Lake Public Schools.
[District Map]
"
Archive
South Lake School District. Retrieved on November 1, 2012. Koepsell Elementary of the South Lake district is in Eastpointe.
Eaton Academy, a charter school, is in Eastpointe. It is located on the grounds of the former St. Veronica School of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
The Archdiocese of Detroit () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church covering the south-east portion of Michigan in the United States.
The archdiocese consists counties of Lapeer County, Michigan, Lap ...
.
St. Thomas Lutheran Church formerly operated the St. Thomas Lutheran School. A drop in enrollment occurred after the
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of market decline in economies around the world that occurred from late 2007 to mid-2009. in the late aughts. It closed in 2015. The Great Start Readiness Program began renting the facility after its closure.
Higher education
Eastpointe is also served by
Macomb Community College's South Campus, which is located in Warren, two miles north of the city.
Wayne County Community College District's Mary Ellen Stempfle University Center is located in Harper Woods, just across
8 Mile from Eastpointe.
State and federal government facilities
The
U.S. Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the East Detroit Post Office in Eastpointe.
The Michigan Secretary of State has a branch office in Eastpointe.
Notable people
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
Eric Aaron Bischoff (born May 27, 1955) is an American television producer, Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Booker, professional wrestling booker, promoter, and performer. He is best known for serving as Executive Producer and later Sen ...
(b. 1955) former president of
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of National W ...
(1993–1999) and on-screen personality for
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
(2002–2006). Currently the co-host of
83 Weeks podcast (2019–present)
Merollis Chevrolet of Eastpointe is where
Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
"World's Greatest Salesman"
Joe Girard set consecutive sales records over a fifteen-year period.
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.
Detroit-style pizza inventors, Gus and Anna Guerra opened Cloverleaf Bar (on
Gratiot Avenue in 1953 after selling Buddy's Pizza (originally named
Buddy's Rendezvous) on Six Mile Rd and Contant Street in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
.
Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
(aka Vincent D. Furnier; b. 1948, Detroit), an American shock-rock singer and musician, was a childhood resident of East Detroit. He resided on Lincoln Ave. near Kelly Road, and attended grade school at Kantner Elementary.
Actor
Jayson Blair
Jayson Thomas Blair (born March 23, 1976) is a former American journalist who worked for ''The New York Times''. In May 2003, he resigned from the newspaper following the revelation of fabrication and plagiarism within his articles.
In 2004, h ...
of MTV's ''
The Hard Times of RJ Berger'' is an Eastpointe native.
Rapper
Kid Rock
Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter. After establishing himself in the Music of Detroit#Hip-hop, Detroit hip-hop scene, he broke through into m ...
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
Jacob M. Appel (born February 21, 1973) is an American polymath, author, bioethicist, physician, lawyer, and social critic.Nagamatsu, Sequoia "A Few Words with the Ubiquitous Jacob M. Appel" ''Prince Mincer'' Journal http://primemincer.com/ con ...
'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
''Iron Eagle'' is a 1986 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie who co-wrote the screenplay with Kevin Alyn Elders, and starring Jason Gedrick and Louis Gossett Jr.Mann, Roderick"Sidney Furie leads the cheer for 'Iron Eagle'." ''Los Angeles ...
''.
''Back in the USA'' is the 1970 debut studio album, and second album overall, by the American protopunk band
MC5
MC5 was an American rock music, rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The classic lineup consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis (bassist), Michael Davis, and drummer ...
recorded in Eastpointe in 1969.
Jeopardy!
''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...
Tournament of Champions contestant Sandie Baker was from Eastpointe.
The "Recruiters" sketch from ''Mr. Show with Bob and David'' was set in East Detroit.
Athletics
East Detroit High School produced a number of professional football players, including
Gary Ballman,
Ron Kramer, Matt Hernandez, and
Mickey Walker.
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...
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
The Detroit Caesars were a professional softball team played in the American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) from 1977 to 1979.
History
Prior to formalized professional play, Detroit was a hotbed for softball, with some of the top players ...
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
The Detroit Auto Kings were a professional softball team that played in the North American Softball League (NASL) in the 1980 season at Memorial Field in East Detroit, Michigan.
League history
Detroit was represented by the Detroit Caesars, w ...
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.
Social Clubs
Freemasonry
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
first came to East Detroit in the mid-1950s. East Detroit Lodge No. 589, that held its Regular Communication on the 1st Monday of the month, was located at 17003 E Nine Mile. East Detroit #589 was formed and worked Under Dispensation in early 1955, was Chartered by Grand Lodge of Michigan's Grand Master Henry R. Ruusi (1907–1995) on May 24, 1955, and 43 years later was Consolidated with Eureka North Warren Lodge No. 594 on March 23, 1998.
Grosse Pointe Lodge No. 584, Chartered on May 27, 1953, relocated from 1850 Vernier Rd, Grosse Pointe Woods, to Eastpointe in March 1992, and later Consolidated with Jefferson Lodge No. 553 on September 19, 2000.
Religion
Catholic churches
Roman Catholic churches in Eastpointe include St. Basil the Great Church and St. Veronica Parish.
The St. John Deaf Center, affiliated with Holy Innocents Church in Roseville, is in Eastpointe.
St. Barnabas Catholic Church closed permanently in 2021.
Our Lady of Grace Vietnamese Parish () is in nearby
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 municipalities in Michigan
Michigan is a state in the Midwest region of the United States. According to the 2020 United States Census, Michigan is the 10th most populous state with inhabitants and the 22nd largest by land area spanning of land. Michigan is divided in ...
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
1897 establishments in Michigan
Populated places established in 1897
Cities in Macomb County, Michigan
Metro Detroit