Aviva Directory » Local & Global » North America » United States » States » Michigan » Cities & Towns » White Lake

White Lake, Michigan is an unincorporated community in White Lake Charter Township, in the northeast corner of the Detroit Metro Region.

In Michigan, unincorporated communities do not have defined boundaries. Thus, in many cases, it can be difficult to define what is or is not in the community.

When it comes to White Lake, that can be doubly difficult because the township carries the same name. A logical assumption would be that it is located around the body of water with that name. However, township maps indicate that the body of water is adjacent to the township on the west, but excluded from it.

Often, that determination is made from the location of the post office, but the White Lake post office closed in 1910, although "White Lake" is a valid identifier for postal purposes. The National Weather Service has a White Lake office along White Lake Road, in the northeastern portion of the township, in the area of Crosby Lake, Robinson Lake, and Foley Lake.

One might presume that White Lake Road would lead to White Lake, but it passes through the northern part of the township, leading to the body of water by that name.

Wikipedia states that White Lake is centered around the intersection of White Lake Road and Ormond Road, which would correspond to the community that has developed along the eastern shores of the lake.

Some unincorporated communities in Michigan have defined boundaries through their designation as census-designated places, and these boundaries, although without legal status, are reflected in maps provided through Bing search. Although I do not see White Lake listed as a census-designated place, Bing maps does define boundaries for White Lake separate from that of the Charter Township of White Lake, as it would for a CDP.

These boundaries define to nearby areas as being part of White Lake. These include the area around the eastern half of the body of water named White Lake, which includes an area outside of that of the township. This area includes Stilson Lakes and some smaller bodies of water, north of M-59 (Highland Road).

These boundaries also include a larger area south and southeast of the first, with Cooley Lake Road being its southern boundary, and the Highland Recreation Area excluded, to the west. The Williams Lake Road serves as the eastern boundary, while its northern boundaries are broken. This area includes several lakes, the largest being Pontiac Lake, Oxbow Lake, Cedar Island Lake, and Brendel Lake.

Lacking confirmable boundaries, we will consider online resources representing governmental agencies, businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, or recreational opportunities that carry a White Lake postal address, or otherwise claim to be in White Lake, as being suitable for this portion of our guide.

Cities and villages within twenty miles of White Lake include Walled Lake, Milford, Clarkston, Keego Harbor, Wixom, Orchard Lake, Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Lake Angelus, Novi, Bloomfield Hills, Holly, Auburn Hills, Franklin, Ortonville, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Farmington Hills, South Lyon, Beverly Hills, and Rochester Hills, although the unincorporated communities of East Highland, Seven Harbors, Highland, and Andersonville are within ten miles.

The area of the township was first settled by Harley Olmsted, who came from Monroe County, New York in 1830, and the first houses on the village site were built by Jesse Seeley and Cornelia G. Wyckoff in 1833.

A post office was established as White Lake on June 17, 1836, with Marfield Ludlow as postmaster. The office was renamed Mayville on June 10, 1840, but the Plainville post was changed to White Lake on May 29, 1841, and moved to White Lake, where it operated until January 31, 1910. From 1962 to 1976, the White Lake post office operated as a branch of Union Lake, which may currently be the case.

Prior to its settlement by European-Americans, the area was frequented by the Potawatomi, Ojibwa, and Ottawa people, who traveled and camped in the area.

The original White Lake Settlement was in the area of what is now Ormond Road and White Lake Road, the latter of which was a well-used Native American trail. A stagecoach line used the road to connect Grand Rapids and Detroit as early as 1836, making stops at the settlement. This portion of the township is now almost completely residential.

The former Oxbow Lake Village, along Elizabeth Lake Road near Oxbow Lake, was founded by Erasmus Hopkins, who came from Steubenville County, New York, in 1833. A post office was established there as White Lake Centre on June 11, 1873, with Ralph W. Hopkins as postmaster. The office was renamed Ox Bow on March 10, 1875, but was closed on June 29, 1901.

With twenty-one lakes in the township, the area offers several recreational and vacation opportunities today.

 

 

Recommended Resources


Search for White Lake on Google or Bing