Officially known as the City of the Village of Clarkston, but more commonly known as Clarkston, Michigan, the city is surrounded by Independence Township, in Oakland County.
Situated on one-half a square mile, Clarkston is the smallest city in the state, by land area, and has a population of just under a thousand. Its peak population was 1,034 in 1970
In the northern segment of the city is a body of water known as Mill Pond, which was created by the Clark Brothers, who constructed a dam on the Clinton River to power their gristmill and sawmill, and later an upholstery factory owned by Henry Ford. There is both an upper and a lower Mill Pond, although the Upper Mill Pond has been losing water in recent years, reverting to part of the river.
The Clinton River connects Mill Pond with Cemetery Lake, which borders the city in the southwest, and with Dollar Lake, south of Clarkston. Canals connect the river with Parke Lake, on the city's eastern border, and Deer Lake, on the western border.
Clarkston is about forty miles north-northeast of the City of Detroit. The chief routes to the city are I-75, which runs east-west just north of the city, and US-24 (Dixie Highway), which runs northwest-southeast just outside of its southwestern border. M-15 becomes Main Street as it runs north-south through Clarkston's downtown district, connecting with I-75 and US-24. White Lake Road enters the city in the southwest, ending at Main Street in downtown Clarkston. Other routes passing through or from the city include Clarkston Road, Holcomb Road, Ortonville Road, and Waldon Road.
Ortonville is 8.8 miles north of Clarkston, while Lake Angelus is 9.8 miles southeast, Holly is 13.4 miles northwest, Auburn Hills is 13.8 miles southeast, Oxford is 14.2 miles northeast, Orchard Lake is 15.3 miles south, Pontiac is 16.9 miles southeast, Lake Orion is 17.3 miles northeast, and Milford is 18.2 miles southwest.
The first home in the area that was to become Clarkston was a cedar-pole shanty built in 1830 by Linus Jacox, a squatter who had come from New York State. The first land purchase in the area was made by the Williams family of Waterford Township in 1823. By 1831, Jacox was joined by the Butler Holcomb, John and Thomas Beardslee, and Melvin Door families, and other settlers soon came from New York, New Jersey, and other places.
Jeremiah Clark came in 1832 and was soon joined by his brothers, Nelson W. Clark and Milton H. Clark, who built homes in the area. The Nelson Clark home still stands on North Main Street. The Clark brothers were very involved in the community, building a sawmill, a gristmill, a fish hatchery, and a general store. Jeremiah Clarkston served as a township supervisor and justice of the peace. The Clarks platted the village in 1840 and on December 2, 1840, the Independence post office was moved to the Clark Store and renamed Clarkston. The town was incorporated as a village in 1925 and became a city in 1992.
The Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad (which later became the Grand Trunk Western/Canadian National) established a station at Clarkston in 1851, bringing tourists from Detroit, Pontiac, and beyond, and spurring the opening of hotels such as the Deer Lake Inn, Dernarest House, and Vliets-On-The-Hill, as well as an opera house on the upper floor of the Maccabees Building downtown.
The automobile and improved roads in the early 1900s brought even more people to Clarkston, as the Saginaw Trail became the Dixie Highway, which was paved in 1920, and M-15 (Main Street) was paved a couple of years later. The Interstate came through just north of Clarkston in 1962, bringing an increase in residential and business development to the village. Farms were subdivided, becoming residential neighborhoods and strip malls as Clarkston began its transition into a northern Detroit suburb.
While Clarkston and the surrounding township area enjoyed busy summer seasons on the lakes, its year-round population didn't reach a thousand until 1970. Clarkston's downtown district was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which allowed for the preservation and continued use of its surviving historic buildings.
The focus of this guide is on the small City of Clarkston, Michigan, and appropriate resources will include websites representing the city, as well as local individuals, businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, and events.
Categories
Faith & Spirituality |
Recommended Resources
Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce
Formed in 1987-1988 through a merger of the Clarkston Downtown Business Association and the Business Association of Independence Township, the Chamber is a business membership organization managed by an executive director. Its history, mission, board of directors, ambassadors, and staff are introduced, and an overview of its projects and programs are included. Meeting schedules, workshops, trainings, and employment opportunities are included.
https://www.clarkston.org/
Clarkston Community Historical Society
Formed from a movement in the early 1970s to save historic homes and businesses on Main Street, as the state was considering widening the street to accommodate truck traffic, the Historical Society takes on the wider role of preserving the history of the Clarkston, Michigan community. Membership information, meeting schedules, and a calendar of programs and events are posted to the site, and the Clarkston Heritage Museum is highlighted, with hours and photos.
http://www.clarkstonhistorical.org/
Although all of its campuses are located outside the city limits, the public school provides a PK-12th-grade curriculum to the city and a surrounding region, covering 63 square miles, and operating seven elementary schools, a middle school, junior high school, and high school, as well as an alternative high school and an early childhood center for 3-5 year-olds. Featured is a district map, sub-sites for each of its school campuses, district highlights, and a faculty and staff directory.
https://www.clarkston.k12.mi.us/
Currently part of a group of newspapers owned by the Sherman family, the Clarkston News has been in print since September of 1929, covering local and regional news and sports stories, school news, and local events. Available by subscription in a weekly print version, the web edition features select articles, including news, sports, obituaries, public notices, and letters to the editor. Subscriptions may be made online, and advertising opportunities are described.
https://clarkstonnews.com/
The Clarkston Youth Baseball Organization is a non-profit created to provide Clarkston, Michigan area youth with opportunities to play amateur baseball and to train players and coaches in the fundamental aspects of the game. Its field locations and training facilities are highlighted, and maps show their locations. Registration schedules for players and parents, head coaches, and assistant coaches are posted, and registration may be completed online.
http://www.riverdawgs.org/
Michigan History: Village of Clarkston
Operated by undergraduate students of Michigan State University, Michigan History is an online student magazine focused on Michigan history, culture, and tradition. Its section on the City of the Village of Clarkston features a contemporary profile of the community, with photographs, then offers the early history of the village, the role of religion and education in the village, and Henry Ford’s personal, business, and economic interests in Clarkston. Citations are provided.
http://michiganhistory.leadr.msu.edu/village-of-clarkston-home/
The City of the Village of Clarkston, Michigan
The official municipal website publishes council agendas and minutes, as well as meeting video, meeting schedules and minutes for other municipal boards and commissions, budget reports, property tax information, the city charter and ordinances, master plan and procedures, job postings, a guide to local organizations and businesses, and information on city programs and services. Other resources include area maps, a map of the city’s historic district, and a street map.
http://villageofclarkston.org/
