Southeast Michigan
Encyclopedia
Southeast Michigan, also called Southeastern Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
that is home to a majority of the state's businesses and industries as well as slightly over half of the state's population, most of whom are concentrated in Metro Detroit
.
, to the south-east Lake Erie
, and the Detroit River
which connects these two lakes. The region is home to Detroit, the state's largest city (and the nation's eleventh largest), and the numerous communities that make up the larger Metro Detroit
area.
Other important cities in Southeastern Michigan include:
With 4,488,335 people, Metro Detroit
is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the United States, while Ann Arbor's MSA ranks 141st with 341,847. Metropolitan areas of Southeast Michigan, and parts of the Thumb
and Flint/Tri-Cities
, are grouped together by the U.S. Census Bureau with Detroit-Warren-Livonia MSA in a wider nine county region designated the Detroit–Ann Arbor–Flint Combined Statistical Area
(CSA) with a population of 5,428,000.
Denotes member counties of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)*
, Sterling Heights
, Dearborn
(Henry Ford's childhood home) and Detroit
, also called "Motor City" or "Motown". Other economic activities include banking and other service industries. Mostly all of Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties is all urbanized. In the recent years, urban sprawl has affected the areas of Canton
, Commerce
, Chesterfield
, and Clinton
townships. The metropolitan area is also home to some of the highest ranked hospitals and medical centers, Such as the Detroit Medical Center(DMC), Henry Ford Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, and the University of Michigan
hospital in Ann Arbor.
SEMCOG Commuter Rail
is a proposed regional rail link between Ann Arbor and Detroit.
The Detroit Metro Airport is the busiest in the area with the opening of the McNamara terminal and the now completed North Terminal. The airport is located in Romulus
.
Manufacturing and service industries have replaced agriculture for the most part. In rural areas of Saint Clair County
, Monroe
, and Livingston
Counties still grow crops such as corn
, sugar beets, soy beans, other types of beans, and fruits. Romeo and northern Macomb County is well known for its apple and peach orchards.
Two Native-run casinos are proposed to be built in Port Huron and Romulus. If allowed, the casinos will serve as competition for Detroit Casinos. The motion to give Indian Tribes in the Upper Peninsula land to build casinos in Port Huron and Romulus was voted down by the state government. The casinos would have added more jobs and an economic boost to Port Huron, a despreat city. Detroit Democrats opposed the two casinos due to competition to the three in Detroit.
Most major Detroit radio stations, such as WJR and WWJ
, can be heard in most or all of southeastern Michigan. Port Huron, Howell, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Adrian, and Monroe are also served by their own locally-originating stations. National Public Radio is broadcast locally from Ann Arbor on Michigan Radio
WUOM 91.7 FM and from Detroit on WDET-FM 101.9 FM.
Television.
Major television stations include: WJBK-TV Fox2 (Fox
), WXYZ
7 Action News (ABC
), WDIV Local 4 (NBC
), WWJ-TV
channel 62 (CBS
) and WKBD
channel 50 (CW
).
Newspaper
Daily editions of the Detroit Free Press
and The Detroit News
are available throughout the area.
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
that is home to a majority of the state's businesses and industries as well as slightly over half of the state's population, most of whom are concentrated in Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
.
Geography
It is bordered in the north-east by Lake St. ClairLake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
, to the south-east Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, and the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
which connects these two lakes. The region is home to Detroit, the state's largest city (and the nation's eleventh largest), and the numerous communities that make up the larger Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
area.
Other important cities in Southeastern Michigan include:
- AdrianAdrian, MichiganAs of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, county seat of Lenawee CountyLenawee County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 98,890 people, 35,930 households, and 26,049 families residing in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile . There were 39,769 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile...
and home of Adrian CollegeAdrian CollegeAdrian College is a private, co-educational liberal arts college related to the United Methodist Church in the city of Adrian, Michigan.-Campus:The school is approximately a 45-minute drive from Ann Arbor and Toledo, Ohio, and 90 minutes from Detroit...
, Siena Heights UniversitySiena Heights UniversitySiena Heights University is a Roman Catholic postsecondary institution in Adrian, Michigan. It is affiliated with the St. Joseph Academy and Montessori Children’s House.-History:...
and Jackson Community CollegeJackson Community CollegeJackson Community College is a community college located in Jackson County, Michigan. Originally established as Jackson Junior College in 1928, Jackson County electors voted to reincorporate the institution as a Community College District under Public Act 188 of 1955 in 1962...
. - Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, home of the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's main campus. - DearbornDearborn, Michigan-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
- LivoniaLivonia, MichiganLivonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
- MonroeMonroe, MichiganMonroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
, county seat of Monroe CountyMonroe County, MichiganMonroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population is 152,021. The largest city and county seat is Monroe. The U.S. Census Bureau defines all of Monroe County as conterminous with the Monroe Metropolitan Area... - Mount Clemens, MichiganMount Clemens, MichiganMount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,312. It is the county seat of Macomb County.-Early history:...
, county seat of Macomb CountyMacomb County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile... - NoviNovi, MichiganNovi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
- PontiacPontiac, MichiganPontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, county seat of Oakland CountyOakland County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population density as of the 2000 census was 1,369 people per square mile . There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile... - Port HuronPort Huron, MichiganPort Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
, county seat of St. Clair CountySt. Clair County, Michigan-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
(although it is sometimes also considered to be part of the ThumbThe ThumbThe Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
) - RomulusRomulus, MichiganRomulus is a suburban city of Metro Detroit, located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 23,989 at the 2010 census, an increase from 22,979 in 2000. Romulus is home to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and a General Motors plant that opened in 1976...
, home to Detroit Metro AirportDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport.... - Royal OakRoyal Oak, MichiganRoyal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
- BirminghamBirmingham, MichiganBirmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
- SouthfieldSouthfield, MichiganAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road...
- Sterling HeightsSterling Heights, MichiganSterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 129,699...
, the fourth largest city (by population) in Michigan. - TroyTroy, MichiganTroy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
- WarrenWarren, MichiganWarren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
, third largest city (by population) in Michigan, location of General Motors Technical CenterGeneral Motors Technical CenterThe GM Technical Center is a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan. The campus is home to 16,000 GM engineers, designers, and technicians and has been the center of the company's engineering effort since its inauguration in 1956....
, the United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), the National Automotive Center (NAC). - West Bloomfield Township
With 4,488,335 people, Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
is the tenth largest metropolitan area in the United States, while Ann Arbor's MSA ranks 141st with 341,847. Metropolitan areas of Southeast Michigan, and parts of the Thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
and Flint/Tri-Cities
Flint/Tri-Cities
The Flint/Tri-Cities Region or Saginaw Valley is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The region is composed of the area surrounding Flint, Michigan, the Tri Cities, the Saginaw Bay and Saginaw River . Flint's population is 102,434; it is the seventh largest city in Michigan...
, are grouped together by the U.S. Census Bureau with Detroit-Warren-Livonia MSA in a wider nine county region designated the Detroit–Ann Arbor–Flint Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
(CSA) with a population of 5,428,000.
Combined Statistical Area
- Genesee County
- Lapeer County
- Livingston County*
- Macomb County*
- Monroe County*
- Oakland County*
- Saint Clair County*
- Washtenaw County*
- Wayne County*
Denotes member counties of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)*
- Lenawee County is part of Southeast Michigan, but was removed from Detroit's CSA in 2001.
Economy
The main economic activity is manufacturing cars. Major manufacturing cities are WarrenWarren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
, Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights, Michigan
Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 129,699...
, Dearborn
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
(Henry Ford's childhood home) and Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, also called "Motor City" or "Motown". Other economic activities include banking and other service industries. Mostly all of Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties is all urbanized. In the recent years, urban sprawl has affected the areas of Canton
Canton Township, Michigan
The Charter Township of Canton, usually referred to as Canton, is an affluent charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The commuter town is located west of Detroit and east of Ann Arbor. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 90,173, making it Michigan's...
, Commerce
Commerce Township, Michigan
Commerce Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 40,186 at the 2010 census. The terrain is rolling hills, but there are large expanses of flat land on which farms and, more recently, subdivisions are built. The Huron River runs...
, Chesterfield
Chesterfield Township, Michigan
Chesterfield Charter Township is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 37,405. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 44,612. The township was organized in 1842, formed out of a portion of Macomb Township...
, and Clinton
Clinton Charter Township, Michigan
The Charter Township of Clinton, usually referred to as Clinton Township, is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a part of Metro Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 96,796, and is Michigan's most populous township...
townships. The metropolitan area is also home to some of the highest ranked hospitals and medical centers, Such as the Detroit Medical Center(DMC), Henry Ford Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, and the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
hospital in Ann Arbor.
SEMCOG Commuter Rail
SEMCOG Commuter Rail
SEMCOG Commuter Rail is a proposed regional rail link along Amtrak's Wolverine between the cities of Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan with stops at new or existing stations in Ann Arbor, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Ypsilanti, Dearborn, and New Center. The project would connect with...
is a proposed regional rail link between Ann Arbor and Detroit.
The Detroit Metro Airport is the busiest in the area with the opening of the McNamara terminal and the now completed North Terminal. The airport is located in Romulus
Romulus, Michigan
Romulus is a suburban city of Metro Detroit, located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 23,989 at the 2010 census, an increase from 22,979 in 2000. Romulus is home to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and a General Motors plant that opened in 1976...
.
Manufacturing and service industries have replaced agriculture for the most part. In rural areas of Saint Clair County
St. Clair County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
, Monroe
Monroe County, Michigan
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population is 152,021. The largest city and county seat is Monroe. The U.S. Census Bureau defines all of Monroe County as conterminous with the Monroe Metropolitan Area...
, and Livingston
Livingston County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 156,951 people, 55,384 households, and 43,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 276 people per square mile . There were 58,919 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
Counties still grow crops such as corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, sugar beets, soy beans, other types of beans, and fruits. Romeo and northern Macomb County is well known for its apple and peach orchards.
Two Native-run casinos are proposed to be built in Port Huron and Romulus. If allowed, the casinos will serve as competition for Detroit Casinos. The motion to give Indian Tribes in the Upper Peninsula land to build casinos in Port Huron and Romulus was voted down by the state government. The casinos would have added more jobs and an economic boost to Port Huron, a despreat city. Detroit Democrats opposed the two casinos due to competition to the three in Detroit.
Media
RadioMost major Detroit radio stations, such as WJR and WWJ
WWJ (AM)
WWJ is Detroit, Michigan's only 24-hour all-news radio station. Broadcasting at 950 kHz, the station is owned and operated by CBS Corporation subsidiary CBS Radio. The station first went on the air on August 20, 1920 with the call sign 8MK...
, can be heard in most or all of southeastern Michigan. Port Huron, Howell, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Adrian, and Monroe are also served by their own locally-originating stations. National Public Radio is broadcast locally from Ann Arbor on Michigan Radio
Michigan Radio
Michigan Radio is a network of three public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The station is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International and American Public Media...
WUOM 91.7 FM and from Detroit on WDET-FM 101.9 FM.
Television.
Major television stations include: WJBK-TV Fox2 (Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
), WXYZ
WXYZ-TV
WXYZ-TV, channel 7, is an ABC-affiliated television station in Detroit, Michigan, USA. WXYZ-TV is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company, and is the media company's largest-market TV station property...
7 Action News (ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
), WDIV Local 4 (NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
), WWJ-TV
WWJ-TV
WWJ-TV, virtual channel 62 , is the CBS-owned and operated television station in Detroit, Michigan. It is co-owned with Detroit's CW station, WKBD-TV , and the two stations share a studio in Southfield, Michigan, a Detroit suburb....
channel 62 (CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
) and WKBD
WKBD
WKBD-TV, virtual channel 50 , is an owned and operated station of the CW Television Network, based in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned and operated by the CBS Corporation, and is one-half of a duopoly with sister station WWJ-TV . Its studios and transmitters are located at 11 mile and...
channel 50 (CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
).
Newspaper
Daily editions of the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
and The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
are available throughout the area.
External links
- Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Michigan (arranged by counties and regions)
- Info Michigan, detailed information on 630 cities
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources website, harbors, hunting, resources and more.
- Michigan's Official Economic Development and Travel Site, including interactive map, information on attractions, museums, etc.