Hazel Park, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| City of Hazel Park | |
 Pictured left to right: TheHazel Park Racetrack, the Hazelcrest Apartments, the Monument to the Fallen Heroes at city hall, Hazel Park Welcome Sign in Downtown, andHazel Park High School | |
| Motto: "The Friendly City" | |
 Location withinOakland County | |
  Hazel Park Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Coordinates:42°27′45″N83°06′15″W / 42.46250°N 83.10417°W /42.46250; -83.10417 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Incorporated | 1941 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Michael Webb |
| • Manager | Edward Klobucher |
| Area | |
• City | 2.82 sq mi (7.30 km2) |
| • Land | 2.82 sq mi (7.30 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 630 ft (192 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 14,983 |
| • Density | 5,316.89/sq mi (2,052.87/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,296,250 (Metro Detroit) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 48030 |
| Area code(s) | 248 and 947 |
| FIPS code | 26-37420[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0628016[3] |
| Website | Official website |
Hazel Park is a city inOakland County in theU.S. state ofMichigan. An inner-ringsuburb of Detroit, Hazel Park bordersDetroit to the north, roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) north ofdowntown Detroit. As of the2020 census, the city had a population of 14,983.[4]
Hazel Park was incorporated as a city in 1941 and bills itself asThe Friendly City. From 1949 to 2018, it was the site of theHazel Park Raceway, considered a high-quality facility originally used for both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing. From 1985 on, the track ran only harness races. After 1996, it also provided simulcasts of races year round from across North America, with betting allowed on these races at the track facilities.
This area was long occupied by indigenous peoples, with such historic and current tribes as the Potawatomi and others known to European fur traders and colonists from the 17th century.
In the later 19th century, as westward migration increased from the eastern United States to the Great Lakes territories, this area was settled by European Americans. They first developed it for agriculture. In October 1882, a group of farmers gathered to organize the community's first school. They built aone-room school in 1883 and later expanded it to two rooms. In 1884, John W. Benjamine petitioned the state of Michigan to form aschool district fromRoyal Oak Township. Benjamine, who was School Inspector for Royal Oak Township, named it Hazel Park School District 8, after the abundanthazelnut bushes in the area.
In 1920, the Thomas W. Lacey School,[5] was built on present-day Woodruff Avenue. The first Hazel Park school had been sold to Frank Neusius, who used it as a barber shop and neighborhood grocery.
Given a rapid increase in this period of the number of school-age children as population grew, the school district soon added four grade schools. It built a larger building at the central location, also called the Lacey School. This became the site for high school students. With further postwar population growth, Hazel Park High School was built. The former high school at John R and 9 Mile Roads was used as Lacey Junior High School.[6]
Hazel Park's growth was stimulated by the expansion of jobs at theFord Motor Company, based in nearbyHighland Park. Hospitals, offices and shops were developed in the area of9 Mile Road. The electric Stephenson Line was a convenient way for commuters to travel by trolley to Highland Park and Detroit. In 1924, Hazel Park installed its firsttraffic light, was granted apost office, and established aDeputy Sheriff's office. The city was incorporated in 1941.[7]
During the 1930s and 1940s, rallies and community events helped the city during theGreat Depression and the years ofWorld War II. Large parts of the auto industry were converted to production of defense-related goods, and thousands of people migrated into the area for new jobs. After the city's incorporation, it improved the infrastructure and provided running water to all areas.[8]
In 1942, theElias Brothers, John, Fred and Louis Elias, established a diner in Hazel Park. The Dixie Drive-In was one of the first in the Midwest to offer curbside services. In 1952, the diner was franchised as aBig Boy restaurant. Louis Elias was elected as Mayor of Hazel Park, serving two terms from 1953 to 1961. The Elias brothers continued to open Big Boy restaurants throughout theMetro Detroit area and in 1983 purchased the franchiser.
With the return of thousands of soldiers fromWorld War II, housing demand was very high in the area. It stimulated a boom in construction. Many of the currentbungalows in the city were built shortly after the war.
Hazel Park Raceway opened for thoroughbred horse racing in 1949. It was considered a state-of-the-art facility. Harness racing was added in 1953. In 1950 theDetroit Race Course opened inLivonia, Michigan, to the north of Detroit, offering competition with both flat and harness racing. In 1996 the state legislature approved onsite betting at racetracks for simulcast events, and the track was opened year round for patrons to view on racing events from across North America. In 2018 the profitable Hazel Park track was closed after being sold. The new owner wanted to use the large property to develop new warehouse space for anAmazon distribution center.
In 1966 theInterstate 75 (I-75) freeway was fully completed through Hazel Park, as part of the postwar highway construction subsidized by the federal government. It superseded Stephenson Highway, now used as a service drive. Similarly,I-696 was constructed through the neighboring city ofMadison Heights in 1979; it joins the two freeways and creating a busy junction with I-75, part of which extends into Hazel Park's north end.
Hazel Park is dominated by domestic architecture of the post-World War II era. Many of the city's houses were built in theCape Cod bungalow style, shortly after World War Two, and have a second story encompassed in the home's roofing.
Michigan bungalows are also common in the city. These houses were originally built during the 1920s and 1930s and can often be found near the downtown area.
Ranch houses became a popular style, and were builtin the northern neighborhoods during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Older ranch houses were often built withaluminum siding, whereas newer ones, such as the ones built in the Courts, were built in brick or stone.
Frontsplit-level and side split-level houses are not common in the city. However, back split houses - split-levels with the second story built into the back - are common in the southern portion of the city near the8 Mile border. This style of home is often the result of additions built onto one-story bungalows and ranch houses.
Colonial houses are more rare in the city, but are scattered throughout different neighborhoods. These houses are often built in brick and usually resemble urbanTudor houses. Some are built in stone, often more common north of9 Mile Road. Others are built in the Traditional Tudor style.
New development homes are extremely common in the city. They can be seen on many blocks of Hazel Park, and often range fromtwo-story snout houses to detached single-familybrownstones. Many of these houses are built in theNeo-eclectic style.
Residential areas make up the majority of the city and are in most cases located in sub-divisions located off main roads. Hazel Park was originally laid out in a grid from 1900 to 1925. East-west streets ran from Dequindre Road to Hilton Road on the western edge of the city (now the independent city ofFerndale); and north-south streets ran from Nine Mile Road to Woodward Heights Boulevard.
While largely retained, the grid has also been modified through the decades. Dead-end streets became increasingly common in the northeast area of the city after the construction of Karam Park and Longfellow Elementary school, which cut off the streets stemming from Vassar Avenue north of Woodward Heights Boulevard. Other dead-end streets occur at the borders of the properties for Webster Elementary, Ford Elementary, and Saint Justin's Catholic Church.
The business districts developed along the city's main thoroughfares. Hazel Park's central business district (CBD) developed around the intersection of John R. Road and Nine Mile Road. This CBD contains the city's municipal buildings, two shopping centers, and a high-rise apartment complex. The firstHarmony House music store opened in Hazel Park's Central Business District in 1947.
John R. Road serves as the main small business thoroughfare; the majority of the road is zoned for local business use. Small shopping centers, office parks, and sidewalk access stores are characteristic of the John R. corridor through the city. Nine Mile Road has a more suburban assortment of businesses, many of which are restaurants, churches, and slightly larger shopping centers. Eight Mile Road, Dequindre Road, and Ten Mile Road are also well-traveled, industry-related thoroughfares.
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Hazel Park has aCouncil-Manager form of government. It is governed by an electedCity Council consisting of amayor and four council members. The city council appoints aCity Manager, who manages the day-to-day operations of the city. The current mayor of Hazel Park is Michael Webb, who succeeded Jeffrey Keeton. Jan Parisi, the city's first woman mayor, resigned in 2016 due to health-and family-related reasons.[9]
Current city council members are Alissa Sullivan, who also serves as Mayor Pro Tem, Andy LeCureaux, Luke Londo, and Mike McFall. The current city manager is Edward Klobucher. City government is located on the same block as thepublic library,police station, andpost office, at 9 Mile Road and John R Road.
The Hazel Park Police Department has a force of 42 full-time police officers. The department hasauxiliary policing andneighborhood watch programs available to citizens ages 21 and over. The police department offers programs such asgun lock giveaways, house watch programs, and programs to put a child up foradoption in case the parent is not capable of raising the child.
| District | Representative | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11th | Haley Stevens | Democratic | 2023[a] |
| District | Senator | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Stephanie Chang | Democratic | 2023 |
| District | Representative | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th | Mike McFall | Democratic | 2023 |
| District | Commissioner | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ann Erickson Gault | Democratic | 2023 |
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.82 square miles (7.30 km2), all land.[16]
Hazel Park is adjacent to the cities ofDetroit to the south,Ferndale to the west,Royal Oak to the northwest,Madison Heights to the north, andWarren to the east. The city is bordered by 10 Mile Road to the north,I-696 at its northwest corner, Dequindre Road (theOakland-Macomb county line) to the east,8 Mile Road (M-102) to the south, and West End Street, Pilgrim Avenue, and Lenox Street to the west.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17,770 | — | |
| 1960 | 25,631 | 44.2% | |
| 1970 | 23,784 | −7.2% | |
| 1980 | 20,914 | −12.1% | |
| 1990 | 20,051 | −4.1% | |
| 2000 | 18,963 | −5.4% | |
| 2010 | 16,422 | −13.4% | |
| 2020 | 14,983 | −8.8% | |
| source:[8][17] | |||
| Year | $ | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35,667 | — |
| 1997 | 39,118 | +9.7% |
| 2000 | 37,045 | −5.3% |
| 2005 | 38,300 | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 39,783 | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 40,403 | +1.6% |
The median income for a household in the city in 2008 was $40,403, and the median income for a family was $49,448. Theper capita income for the city was $19,390. About 10.0% of families and 12.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or older.
As of thecensus[18] of 2010, there were 16,422 people, 6,641 households, and 3,999 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 5,823.4 inhabitants per square mile (2,248.4/km2). There were 7,611 housing units at an average density of 2,698.9 per square mile (1,042.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.8%White, 6.8%African American, 0.9%Native American, 0.5%Asian, 0.4% fromother races, and 4.6% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino residents of any race were 2.7% of the population.
There were 6,641 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.7% weremarried couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.8% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.13.
The median age in the city was 36.1 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.
In 2000, there were 7,284 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city, 27.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.5% was from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
73.1% of all households in Hazel Park were family households. 20.9% of all households were married couple families with children. 10.6% were single-mother families.
The census reported the city as 81.1%White, 9.7%African American, 0.90%Native American, 1.5%Asian, 0.90% fromother races, and 4.20% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino residents of any race were 2.7% of the population.
The top reported ancestries in the city were German (18.6%), Irish (14.8%), Polish (10.3%), English (9.7%), French (6.0%) and Italian (4.1%) Italian. French Canadians (3.6%), Scottish (3%), Arab (2.5%) and Dutch (1.6%). The city has the second-largest proportion ofNative American residents in Oakland County, afterKeego Harbor.
In 2000, 7.2% of Hazel Park citizens were foreign born. 9.7% reported speaking a language other than English.[19]
As of the 2000 Census, the median income for a household in the city was $37,045, and the median income for a family was $43,584. Males had a median income of $33,063 versus $24,362 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $16,723.
The city is served by theHazel Park School District, which has some establishments in Ferndale, a neighboring city.There are three elementary schools operating in the city of Hazel Park.
The northern portion of the city is served byWebb Elementary, while the southern portion is served byUnited Oaks Elementary andHoover Elementary. Multiple other elementary schools once operated in the city, including Roosevelt, Lee O. Clark, Longfellow, Henry Ford, Webster, and Edison Elementaries. Webster was closed as an elementary school at the end of the 2014 school year, but remains open for the Preschool program. Lee O. Clark has since been demolished, and Henry Ford has been converted into the School District Administration Building. Henry Ford also serves as an alternative education facility for students K-8 called Advantage, and a program called Breakfast Club for high school students. There is one high school and one middle school operating in Hazel Park. Hazel Park has followed a recent trend inMetro Detroit suburbs by theconsolidation of its middle schools. Formerly, two separate schools, Webb Junior High and Beecher Middle School, operated in the city. Webb was converted to an elementary school in 2004, and Beecher was torn down and re-built, commissioned as Hazel Park Junior High.
High schools in Hazel Park began with the construction ofLacey High School in 1920 andHazel Park High School in 1929. Lacey High was demolished in the early 1960s, and the Hazel Park High School was re-commissioned as Howard Beecher Junior High. In 1961, a new high school was built in the eastern portion of the city, taking the name of Hazel Park High School.
Jardon Vocational School is also in operation in order to separate special needs students from the mainstream curriculum and serves as a high school. The school operates mainly in the Hazel Park-Ferndale-Pleasant Ridge area, but also serves the rest ofOakland County, especially the south east.
The high school had an average score of 10.3 on the state'sMEAP test in 2011. This was one of the lowest scores in Oakland County.[20]
I-75 (Chrysler Freeway) provides a connection to neighboring cities such asRoyal Oak andDetroit and other major cities in the United States
I-696 (Walter P. Reuther Freeway) is a major thoroughfare near the city
M-102 (8 Mile Road) provides access to the former site of the Michigan State Fair, Detroit, Warren,Ferndale and other communities inOakland,Macomb andWayne counties.Places adjacent to Hazel Park, Michigan | |
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| Topics | .jpg) | |
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| Detroit | ||
| Municipalities over 80,000 | ||
| Municipalities 40,000 to 80,000 | ||
| Cultural enclaves | ||
| Satellite cities | ||
| Counties in MSA | ||
| Counties in CSA | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
