Macomb County, Michigan

5520 Chicago Road A Plank Road History Alexander Macomb Arsenal Acres Base Line Feed Store Base of Operations Baumgartner House Blossom Heath Inn Bunert-Weier Farm Carnegie Library Clinton Grove Cemetery Crawford Settlement Burying Ground Crocker House Cutrubes-Seefried Home Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery Eastpointe Veterans Memorial Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Electric Streetcars Erin United Presbyterian Church Erin-Warren Fractional District No. 2 School Extreme Testing Fire Apparatus Bell First Baptist Church of Warren First Methodist Episcopal Church Fitzgerald USO Building Frenchy's Auto Parts From the Foundry Fires General Motors Technical Center Gillett - Beer Farm Governor Alex J. Groesbeck Grace Episcopal Church Grand Pacific House Grist Mill Helen Starkweather Henkel Woods / Toepfer Park Heritage Acres Historic Utica Holcombe Beach Immanuel Methodist Episcopal Church In Times of War Joe Kopicki John DiGiorgio John Donley Farm Kolping Chapel Labadie Farm Lake St. Clair (Lac Sainte Claire) Loren Andrus House Made for Speed Many Tools and Many Tasks Methodist Episcopal Church Milk River Settlement Millstones Moravian Road Mount Clemens Mineral Bath Industry Mount Clemens Pottery Murthum-Vander Vlucht House Neilsen Log Cabin New Baltimore / St. John's Lutheran Church Nicholas Koenig Norman J. Halmich Park Packard Field in Roseville Packard Motor Car Company / Packard Proving Grounds Packard Proving Grounds Packard Takes Flight Rapid Railway Company Ray Township District No. 1 School Red Run Red Run Red Run Creek Red Run Creek Religious Society Church Richmond Center for the Performing Arts Sacred Heart Church Saint Clement Catholic Parish Saint Joseph Sanitarium and Bath House Saint Mary's School Sanford Stone / Weller House School District No. 1 Chesterfield Selfridge Field Selinsky-Green Log House Shore Line Interurban Railway Simpson Park Campground Site of Peck's "Village View" Farm Spring Hill Farm / Utica Nike Base St. Clement Cemetery St. John Lutheran Church and Schools St. Lawrence Parish of Utica St. Mark Lutheran Church St. Paul United Church of Christ St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church Steam Engines--A Brief History The Baumgartner House 1875 The Behrns-Qualmann Farmhouse The Claeys House The Flynn House The Hoard House The John Theisen House The Joiner House 1895 The Reddick House The Village Park The Vincent Family The Wilson-Bosh Home Thomas Edison Upton House Utica Cemetery VFW Post 1146 Veterans Memorial VFW Post 6756 Veterans Memorial Village of Romeo Village/Eckstein Park Walter C. Wetzel State Recreation Area Warren Township District No. 4 School Warren Union Cemetery Warren Village Hall Watching the Big Show William Austin Burt Wolcott Mill Wooden Wheels Young's Garden Mart Zion Church "Quality First" "The Thing"
Macomb County, located in southeastern Michigan, has a rich and diverse history that dates back thousands of years. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. French fur traders arrived in the 17th century and established trading posts along the Detroit River, initiating the European presence in the region.

During the 1800s, Macomb County experienced significant growth due to its strategic position near the Great Lakes and the development of transportation infrastructure. The county was officially established in 1818 and named after Alexander Macomb, a prominent military leader during the War of 1812. In the mid-19th century, the construction of canals and railroads further stimulated economic growth, attracting settlers from across the country.

The region played a pivotal role in the automotive industry's early development, with the founding of the Dodge Brothers Company in 1900 by Horace and John Dodge. As the automobile industry flourished in the early 20th century, numerous other automotive companies established their presence in Macomb County, leading to a surge in population and economic prosperity. In particular, the city of Warren became an important industrial hub.

In recent decades, Macomb County has experienced significant urbanization and suburban growth. Many manufacturing plants have transitioned into more diversified industries, such as technology and healthcare. The county also continues to be an essential political battleground in Michigan and the United States, as it has often reflected national voting trends in elections. Today, Macomb County remains a thriving community with a diverse population and a mix of urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Brief timeline of the history of Macomb County, Michigan:

  • 1701: French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac establishes Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, which includes areas of present-day Macomb County.
  • 1762: Treaty of Fontainebleau transfers the land to British control after France cedes it at the end of the French and Indian War.
  • 1783: The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolution, and the land comes under American control as part of the Northwest Territory.
  • 1796: Wayne County is created, encompassing present-day Macomb County.
  • 1818: Macomb County is established as a separate county from Wayne County.
  • 1835: Mount Clemens is designated as the county seat.
  • 1837: Michigan becomes a state, and Macomb County is part of the new state.
  • 1838: The first courthouse is constructed in Mount Clemens.
  • 1861-1865: Macomb County residents participate in the American Civil War.
  • 1920s: Macomb County experiences significant growth due to automobile manufacturing and the automotive industry's overall expansion.
  • 1980s: The county becomes a major force in the defense industry with the presence of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and other defense-related facilities.
  • 2005: Macomb County celebrates its bicentennial.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Macomb County, Michigan.