How did Metro-Detroit suburbs get their names?

[Danny]

Clawson was named after the Village of Lawson. The people there don't want to be part of Royal Oak. They voted to charter their village and later incorporate a city. The People added the 'C' to Lawson and became the City of Clawson

[Danny]

Wasn't Westland named after its mall too?

Yes, here's how the people did it. In 1960s Westland Mall was completed at the time it was Nankin TWP. Along came greedy Livonia. They want to annex about 1 by 6 mile wide of the area to grab some of the Westland Mall revenue so they can lure developers and tear up the creeks and woods near the Joy Rd. township base line. The People of Nankin TWP. rushed to Lansing's State Boundry Commission and apply to incorporate their TWP. to a city. The SBC board approve their request. By 1963 The people name their city Westland after the mall.

[jcole]

Clawson was named after the Village of Lawson. The people there don't want to be part of Royal Oak. They voted to charter their village and later incorporate a city. The People added the 'C' to Lawson and became the City of Clawson

From the Clawson History website:

On August 16, 1880, the first post office in Clawson opened. Legend has it that it was to be named after Mr. John Lawson who was the first postmaster; however, he never held that postion. Another tale was that it was named after C. [[Clyde) Lawson, which is impossible because Clyde Lawson was born in 1882! With the post office, Clawson finally had an official name.

[antongast]

I'm told that Birmingham was named after a burning ham.

Someone may have been pulling my leg.

[night-timer]

I've often wondered where the name Hamtramck came from, and isn't it missing an 'i'? [[The 'c' is silent.)

[night-timer]

I'm told that Birmingham was named after a burning ham.

Someone may have been pulling my leg.

Birmingham is the second biggest city is England after London and, interestingly, it has almost zero tourism and doesn't rate a mention in travel guides. I lived in the UK for quite some time. Birmingham is not the most 'industrial' of the UK cities. Comparisons with Detroit don't really work.

[Hermod]

Birmingham is the second biggest city is England after London and, interestingly, it has almost zero tourism and doesn't rate a mention in travel guides. I lived in the UK for quite some time. Birmingham is not the most 'industrial' of the UK cities. Comparisons with Detroit don't really work.

I agree with above. Also remember that "ham" is another synonym for "town" as in the word "hamlet". Consider other names like Nottingham.

Other town/city synonyms include don, ton, tun, dorp, dorf, burg, boro, bury, ville, shire, etc. Morningside and EEV street names will provide copious examples.

[jcole]

I've often wondered where the name Hamtramck came from, and isn't it missing an 'i'? [[The 'c' is silent.)

It was named after Colonel John F Hamtramck, Commandant of Detroit from 1796-1803. It was the name of one of the four townships of Wayne County and later become Hamtramck

[jiminnm]

Here's a few that I know of:
Southgate: got it's name from both it's location in southern Metro Detroit and the now near-death shopping center that was erected within the city.

The first thing you mentioned is correct, the second is not. Southgate dates to the late 1950s, before the shopping center was built or planned.

[GUSHI]

From rich people who were in power.

[rb336]

Birmingham is the second biggest city is England after London and, interestingly, it has almost zero tourism and doesn't rate a mention in travel guides. I lived in the UK for quite some time. Birmingham is not the most 'industrial' of the UK cities. Comparisons with Detroit don't really work.

Birmingham was one of the epicenters of the Industrial Revolution. Industry was moved out to northern areas and Scotland after Birmingham was nearly demolished in WWII

[SaintMe]

The first thing you mentioned is correct, the second is not. Southgate dates to the late 1950s, before the shopping center was built or planned.

I think you may be mistaking Southland Center, the indoor mall, built in 1970 in Taylor at Eureka & Racho, and the Southgate Shopping Center, the strip mall, built in 1958 at Eureka & Trenton, and for which the city of Southgate [[formerly Ecorse Twp.) is named.

[Hermod]

Disco [[24 & Van Dyke), Washington [[Van Dyke just north of 26), Meade [[26 & North Ave), Davis [[27 & Romeo Plank), and Waldenburg [[22 & Romeo Plank) were little crossroads communities in Macomb County. Most of them boasted a general store, and auto repair shop, and a bar.

They are still quite identifiable by the old buildings, though Waldenburg has seen some CVS and strip mall changes. You can still find the bar [[Waldenburg Inn) which is a typical small town bar with nice people. Washington at one time was a stop on the Michigan Air Line [[GTW) railroad from Richmond to Pontiac.

A little community called Big Beaver was just north of 16/Big Beaver on Rochester Road. Biog Beaver had a drug store, grocery store, and hardware store. I think it disappeared with the widening of Rochester Road to four lanes.

Eames, Shoup, and Goodison were also railroad stations in Oakland County.

[Jimaz]

What's the etymology of "Big Beaver"? Why do we use the adjective "Big" there? I couldn't find the answer in Wikipedia.

[jiminnm]

I think you may be mistaking Southland Center, the indoor mall, built in 1970 in Taylor at Eureka & Racho, and the Southgate Shopping Center, the strip mall, built in 1958 at Eureka & Trenton, and for which the city of Southgate [[formerly Ecorse Twp.) is named.

and therein you see the risk of drinking wine prior to posting.

[Scottathew]

and therein you see the risk of drinking wine prior to posting.

A little wine greatly enhances many things! Online debate might not be one of them, but it does lead to lively conversation!

[EastsideAl]

Erin TWP. was at the southern corner of Macomb County. It was a Irish farming settlement. When East Detroit was named, it maintained its Irish culture. Fewer Irish families live in there at the time. When more Germans, Polish and Italian Families came. Other Irish families move away. By the 1990s The name East Detroit was changed to Eastpointe. The people want their suburban name not to look like East Side Detroit. But to have a 'Grosse Pointe' of the East.

The village at Gratiot and Nine Mile in Erin Twp. that was the beginning of East Detroit/Easpointe was known as Halfway. It was originally a stagecoach stop that was about halfway between Detroit and Mt. Clemens. When it was expanded and incorporated as a city in 1929 the name was changed to East Detroit, because it was thought that that would make it more attractive to developers and prospective residents and businesses. So "Eastpointe" wasn't the first time that town had hitched its name to that of another place in order to seem more attractive [[or so they thought) to outsiders.

The area around Halfway was Erin Township, which was indeed named for the old country. That's why the East Detroit High [[there is no Eastpointe High) teams are still known as the "Shamrocks" today. It was certainly called Erin Township on the death certificate when my great-grandfather managed to get himself killed when his car was smacked by an interurban near Gratiot & Ten Mile in 1910.

[gazhekwe]

Pontiac, an Odawa Ogima, was the man who led Pontiac's War in 1763 following the British victory in the French and Indian War. The confederation of tribes successfully overtook eight British forts in the Great Lakes region: Sandusky, St. Joseph, Miami, Ouiatenon, Michilimackinac, Venango, LeBeouf, Presque Ile.

[gazhekwe]

Big Beave, from a previous thread:

Historyguy Member Username: Historyguy Post Number: 24 Registered: 11-2004

Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 12:31 pm: According to "Pathways Of History Through Troy" by Lois Lance, there are two theories about how Big Beaver Road got its name. One is that there was a large colony of beavers on a creek in the area; the other is that Big Beaver was an Ottawa Indian who passed through the township

[gazhekwe]

I've often wondered where the name Hamtramck came from, and isn't it missing an 'i'? [[The 'c' is silent.)

Colonel John Francis Hamtramck, a French-Canadian soldier, who was born in Quebec, and found his way into the United States Army during the Revoluntionary War.
Hamtramck served under General Anthony Wayne, and members of his staff during the surrender of Detroit from the British on July 11, 1796. After the war, he built himself a home near the present entrance to the Belle Isle Bridge. When he died in 1803, he was buried in the old church yard of Ste. Anne's. Later his body was removed to the new site on Bates Street and finally interred inMt Elliott Cemetery. The lettering on his gravestone became so worn, that in 1928, the Catholic Study Club of Detroit, restored the monument, which reads as follows:

"Sacred to the memory of John Francis Hamtramck, Esq., Colonel of the U. States Regiment of Infantry, and Commandant of Detroit and its Dependencies. He departed this life on the 11th of Ap 1803, Aged 48 years, 7 months, and 28 days. True patriotism and a zealous attachment to national liberty, joined to a laudable ambition, led him into military service at an early period of his life. He was a Soldier before he was a Man. He was an active participator in all the dangers, difficulties and honors of the Revoluntionary War; and his heroism and uniform good conduct procured him the Attention and Personal Thanks of the Immortal Washington. The United States in him have lost a Valuable Officer and a Good Citizen, and Society an Useful and Pleasant member. To his family the loss is incalculable, and his Friends will never forget the memory of Hamtramck. This humble monument is placed over his Remains by the Officers who had the honor to serve under his Command-a small by grateful Tribute to his Merit and his Worth."
When the county was organized and given the name of Wayne, and equal propriety was given a rural township a little north ofDetroit, named Hamtramck.

http://www.oocities.org/histmich/hamtramck.html

[gazhekwe]

was there ever a settlement called Plum Hollow?

Sure was, still there really. Nine Mile and Lahser. Namesake grocery store, golf course and bowling alley are still there.

[gazhekwe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monguag...ship,_Michigan

Potawatomi name Maangaagwan maybe, would be pronounced Mong og wun. I can't really make it out as written, could have to do with Maang loon, or Gaag porcupine

[EastsideAl]

Colonel John Francis Hamtramck ... After the war, he built himself a home near the present entrance to the Belle Isle Bridge.

It bears repeating that this location was in what soon became Hamtramck Township. What is now the City of Hamtramck represents just a very small remaining piece of a township that once covered most of the east side.

[Gingellgirl]

Neat little book on the subject: "If This Is Hastings, Then Where Is Hog's Hollow? A discovery of the lost villages in Oakland and Macomb counties" by Deborah J. Remer. Check your local library's Michigan history section, or interloan it.

[Scottathew]

Neat little book on the subject: "If This Is Hastings, Then Where Is Hog's Hollow? A discovery of the lost villages in Oakland and Macomb counties" by Deborah J. Remer. Check your local library's Michigan history section, or interloan it.

Thanks for the tip, Rochester Hills Public Library has two copies, one of which will be in my hands soon!