Independence Township, Michigan

History

The first settlers arrived in Independence Township in the mid 1820s and early 1830s, primarily from New Jersey and New York. The first settler to purchase and settle land in the township was John W. Beardslee (b. 1799, d. 1883), from Sussex County, New Jersey.

While initially the township was primarily agricultural, the many lakes in the area were beginning to draw vacationers out of Detroit and other cities. In 1851, the railroad came through Clarkston, which prompted hotels to be built in the township to accommodate the resort vacationers coming to the area.

The invention of the automobile had a tremendous effect on Independence Township. Roads that were once Native American trails were paved and widened for this new mode of transportation. The old Saginaw Trail, now known as Dixie Highway, was paved as early as 1920, and Main Street ((M-15)) in Clarkston was paved around 1922.

The expanding national highway system brought I-75 through Independence Township 1962, spurring both business and residential development. Many farms gave way to subdivisions and strip malls as Independence Township continued evolving into part of Metropolitan Detroit.

Parks

Independence Township is home to several parks.

Education

Independence Township is primarily serviced by the Clarkston Community Schools.

In 2016, Clarkston High School had an enrollment of 1,930 students in grade nine through twelve. The school is located at 6093 Flemings Lake Road in Independence Township.

Clarkston High School offers twenty-six varsity sports, and competes in the Oakland Activities Association. It is a member of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

Renaissance High School is located at 6558 Waldon Road in Independence Township. Renaissance High School is for students in grades 9 to 12 who need an alternative to the traditional high school setting in order to be successful. Renaissance students must meet Clarkston High School graduation requirements and receive a Clarkston High School diploma. Renaissance students are encouraged to participate in athletics, clubs and extracurricular activities offered at Clarkston High School. Renaissance students can also take courses at the Oakland Schools Campus, whose Northwest campus is also located in the township at 8211 Big Lake Road.

Opened in 2008, Everest Collegiate High School is a private Roman Catholic high school also located in the township at 5935 Clarkston Road in Independence Township. The school competes athletically in the Catholic High School League and is a member of the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

Clarkston Junior High School is located at 6595 Waldon Road in Clarkston. The school teaches eight and ninth grades.

Sashabaw Middle School is located at 5565 Pine Knob Lane in Independence Township. The school teaches sixth and seventh grades.

There are seven public elementary schools in Independence Township:

Everest Academy, a private Catholic elementary school, is also located in Independence Township.

Subdivisions

As of 2016, there were seventy-five real estate subdivisions in Independence Township:

Golf

Independence Township is home to three public golf courses; Fountains Golf Golf Club, an 18-hole course located at 6060 Maybee Road in Independence Township, Pine Knob Golf Club, a 27-hole course, located at 5580 Waldon Road in Independence Township, and Shepherd's Hollow Golf Club, a 27- hole championship course rated 42nd best golf course in the United States by Golf Magazine. It is located at 9085 Big Lake Road in Independence Township.

Oakhurst Golf and Country Club is a private club, located at 7000 Oakhurst Lane in Independence Township. Oakhurst was the home of the 99th Michigan Amateur

Skiing and music

Pine Knob is a ski resort located in Independence Township. It features 17 trails and 12 lifts. It is known for its slope called "The Wall".

Pine Knob is also home to the DTE Energy Music Theatre, an outdoor Amphitheater concert venue that has featured hundreds of celebrities and is always one of the highest grossing outdoor amphitheaters in the United States. It is located in Independence Township minutes away from downtown Clarkston.

The concert venue, which opened in 1972, was originally called Pine Knob Music Theater until DTE Energy purchased its naming rights in 2001.

Hills and lakes

Independence Township is located along the Hillsdale-Lapeer Moraine Range. The highest hill along that range in Independence Township is Pine Knob, at 1,221 feet. It is also the highest point in Southeastern Michigan. Only three miles away is Waterford Hill, the second highest hill in Independence Township with an elevation of 1,150 feet. Atop Waterford Hill is Olympus Circle, the highest elevation of any residential street in Independence Township.

The Clinton River winds its way through Independence Township creating more than thirty named lakes of all sizes along the way.

Road racing

Waterford Hills Road Racing Track is a professional road racing track located at 4770 Waterford Road in Independence Township.

The track is a 1.5 mile road racing track (not an oval) with right and left turns, hills and straight-a-ways. The fastest cars hit over 120mph on the back straight. The track has spectator seating along the track.

Races are run in accordance with the Sports Car Club of America) competition rules.

Location

Clarkston falls in the exact middle of both Detroit and Flint, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.3 square miles (94 km²), of which 35.2 square miles (91 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), or 3.03%, is water.

Demographics

The population of Independence Township was 34,681 at the 2010 census.

In Independence Township in 2010, there were:

Notable people

This list includes people from the area (Clarkston and Independence Township).