Grosse Pointe Park is a city in Wayne 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, ...

. The population was 11,555 at the 2010 census. Bordering on

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 ...

with frontage on southern Lake St. Clair, it is the southernmost 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 ...

suburbs. Grosse Pointe Park was incorporated as a village in 1907 and again as a city in 1950.

History

Before incorporation as a city, the area that would become the city of Grosse Pointe Park was incorporated as the Village of Fairview, which spanned Bewick Street in the west to Cadieux Road in the east in Grosse Pointe Township. The city of Detroit annexed part of the village in the township from Bewick Street to Alter Road in 1907. Fearing further annexation, the part of the village east of Alter Road incorporated as the Village of Grosse Pointe Park later that year. Seeking further annexation protection from Detroit and independence from its township, the village reincorporated as a city in 1950. In November 2021, Grosse Pointe Park elected its first female mayor, Michele Hodges.

Geography

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 is land and is water. The water is part of Lake St. Clair. Grosse Pointe Park has about of borders with

, with one border between Alter Road and Wayburn to the southwest, and another along Mack Avenue to the northwest; its third border on land is with the city of

along Cadieux Road to the northeast.

Description

The neighborhoods in Grosse Pointe Park are built on a standard grid street pattern which flows out of Detroit, and housing ranges from tightly-packed single- and multi-family brick houses on the far west side of the Park, to rows of traditionally-styled single family homes generally averaging over , to multimillion-dollar mansions, some of which are found on the lakeshore. The west side of the city features mixed-use neighborhoods, where retail, schools, and churches are within close walking distance. The rest of the city is basically residential, but at the eastern edge residents are in close walking distance to "the Village" shopping district in

. Many of the houses in the Park were built prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and many of these were designed by noted architects using the finest materials. Windmill Pointe Drive, and streets such as Bishop, Kensington, Yorkshire, Edgemont Park, Three Mile Drive, Devonshire, Buckingham, Berkshire, Balfour, Middlesex, and Nottingham among others, each have dozens of large, architecturally significant homes. These mansions and mini-mansions were often placed on large lots which were often split up, the result being that some post-war ranch style homes are mixed in with homes of traditional design. Grosse Pointe Park includes a large neighborhood located on Windmill Pointe, the edge of which marks the entrance to the

Detroit River The Detroit River is an List of international river borders, international river in North America. The river, which forms part of the border between the U.S. state of Michigan and the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ont ...

and the end of Lake St. Clair. A large lakefront park with a pool, gym, movie theaters, and gathering spaces for residents only is found at this spot. At the base of the point, at the foot of Three Mile Drive, is another large park, Patterson Park, which is known for its skating rink and walking trails. One way that people distinguish geography in Grosse Pointe Park is by location north or south of Jefferson Avenue, the south side being generalized as Windmill Pointe. The Park also includes a section known as the "cabbage patch," an area of town with multi-family houses in contrast to the single-family homes with larger lots that populate the vast majority of the Grosse Pointes. The cabbage patch is generally considered to be the northwest corner of the city, bounded by Mack, Wayburn, Jefferson, and Somerset, with a small extension south of Jefferson on Nottingham and Beaconsfield. The region's name can be seen in various local establishments such as the Cabbage Patch Cafe and Cabbage Patch Saloon. Grosse Pointe Park, along with

and Grosse Pointe Farms, is in the Grosse Pointe South High School district. The elementary school in the Park: Defer, is in addition to one middle school: Pierce Middle School. The eastern Park is also served by Maire Elementary in Grosse Pointe in the Village district. Then serves the one high school, South High School off Fisher Road. There is one private school in the Park, the K-8 St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School on Charlevoix and Audubon streets.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 11,555 people, 4,516 households, and 3,182 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 4,997 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 85.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 10.5%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population. There were 4,516 households, of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% 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, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age in the city was 41.8 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 32.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% 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

of 2000, there were 12,443 people, 4,816 households, and 3,303 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,043 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.48%

, 2.95%

, 0.35% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.39% from other races, and 1.98% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.74% of the population. There were 4,816 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were

living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% 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 3.18. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $105,161. Males had a median income of $92,611 versus $63,488 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 $58,223. About 1.8% of families and 4.0% 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 3.1% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Grosse Pointe Public Schools serves Grosse Pointe Park. Defer Elementary School, and Pierce Middle School are located in Grosse Pointe Park. Maire Elementary School in

also serves a section of the city. All residents are zoned to Pierce Middle and Grosse Pointe South High School in Grosse Pointe Farms. St. Clare of Montefalco School, a private Catholic K-8 school, is in Grosse Pointe Park.

Public libraries

The Grosse Pointe Public Library operates the Carolyn and Ted Ewald Memorial Branch Library in Grosse Pointe Park. The library was scheduled to open in 2004. The branch was originally scheduled to open in October of that year, but delays moved the opening month to January 2005.Delays interrupt library work
" ''

The Detroit News ''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United S ...

''. October 20, 2004. Retrieved on April 3, 2010.

Notable people

* Jane Bashara, marketing executive and murder victim * Dorothy Marie Donnelly, poet * Mariela Griffor, author, moved to Grosse Pointe from Chile * Mark Tremonti, musician * Anita Baker, singer * Paul S. Kemp, Author

Images

File:Grosse Pointe Park along Jefferson Ave.jpg, File:Ewald Branch (Grosse Pointe Park, MI).jpg, File:Grosse Pointe Park MI Fire and Police Department.jpg,

References

External links

City of Grosse Pointe Park official websiteGrosse Pointe Historical Society
{{Authority control Cities in Wayne County, Michigan Michigan populated places on the Detroit River Michigan populated places on Lake St. Clair Metro Detroit Populated places established in 1907 1907 establishments in Michigan