1996 Macomb County (Michigan) Directory

Table of Contents (Continued)
Major Parks in Macomb County.. .. 67-68
Freedom Hill County Park. .. 67
Metro Beach Metropark .. 67
Stony Creek Metropark .. 67
Wolcott Mill Metropark 67
Map of Major Parks 68
Other Organizations . 69-72
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 69
Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority 69
Macomb Coalition for Emergency Shelter 69
Macomb County Community Growth Alliance 70
Macomb Community College Board of Trustees 70
Macomb Intermediate School District Board of Education 71
Michigan Jobs Commission - Rehabilitation Services 71
Southeast Michigan Councii of Governments (SEMCOG) 72
SMART Board 72
Traffic Safety Association of Macomb County 72
Macomb County Newspapers 73-78
The Advisor & Source Newspapers 73
Armada Times 73
The Chronicle 73
The Connection 74
Detroit Free Press 74
Detroit News 74
The Eastsider .. 75
The Journal 75
Macomb County Legal News 75
Macomb Daily 76
Richmond Review & Chesterfield Review 76
Romeo Observer .. 76
Shelby-Utica News 77
St. Clair Shores Sentinel. 77
Sterling Heights Sentry 77
The Voice 78
Warren Weekly 78
Important Telephone Numbers 79-83
A Brief History of Mdcomb County
Named in honor of General Alexander Macomb, a highly decorated veteran
of the War of 1812, Macomb County was formally organized in 1818 as the
third County in the State of Michigan. At that time, it covered a much larger
area than it does today. In 1819 and 1820, large portions of the County were
removed to form the Counties of Oakland, Lapeer, Genessee and St. Clair.
The first Europeans had arrived in the area during the 17th century. They
included French fur trappers who recognized the richness of the marshes and
sought new opportunities for trade. The first organized, non-native settlement
in the County was established in 1784 by a group of missionaries known as
the Moravians. They settied along the banks of the Clinton River, then known
as the Huron River, but were forced to leave four years later by the Chippewas.
In 1796, a new settlement, located on the Clinton River a few miles
downstream, was established by a man named Christian Clemens. Known
as Mount Clemens, the settlement would eventually become the Macomb
County seat. In the 1800's, settlers moved into the interior of fhe County,
carving out farms from the hardwood forests.
In the 1870's, mineral baths brought international fame to Mount Clemens.
Many believed the waters had healing powers. Although the stream still runs
beneath the city, inferest in the spas died out in the early 20th century.
Between 1920 and 1930, Macomb County doubled in popUlation, rising
from 38,103 fo 77,146 persons. Two significant developments spurred this
growth -- the establishment of Selfridge Field in 1917, and the beginning of
the urbanization movement northward from the City of Detroit. During the
1940's and 1950's the movement from the central city to the suburbs increased.
The largest growth occurred between 1950 and 1970, when over 440,000
people were added to the CountYs population.
Today, Macomb County encompasses 482 square miles, and ranks third
in population in the State, with a 1990 census total of 717,400 persons. The
County is recognized as a leader in business and industry, and designated as
a "Community of Economic Excellence" by the State. While agricutture and
vacant land still dominate County land use totals, residential development is
rapidly growing. Present land usage in Macomb County is a follows:
Vacant 92,260 acres 29.9%
Agricultural 76,490 acres 24.8%
Residential 66,450 acres 21.5%
Public/Semi-Public 40,030 acres 13.0%
Industrial 15,200 acres 4.9%
Recreational 10,760 acres 3.5%
Commercial 7,310 acres 2.4%
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