National Register Listings in
Oakland County, Michigan

Affleck, Gregor S. and Elizabeth B., House Albertson, Eli and Sidney Teeter, House Aldrich, Royal, House Andrews-Leggett House Apple Island Historic Archaeological Site Axford-Coffin Farm B and C Grocery Building Botsford Inn Botsford-Graser House Brooks Farm Casa del Rey Apartments Caswell House Central School Clarkston Village Historic District Cranbrook Derby Street-Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge Detroit Finnish Co-operative Summer Camp Detroit Zoological Park Downtown Holly Commercial District Eagle Theater Eastern Michigan Asylum Historic District Eastern Michigan Asylum Historic District (Boundary Decrease) Endicott, John & Mary Elizabeth Booth, House Everts, Caleb, House Fairgrove Avenue Historic District Farmington Historic District First Methodist Episcopal Church of Farmington Foote, Dr. Henry K., House Franklin Boulevard Historic District Franklin Historic District Franklin Historic District (Boundary Increase) Fuerst, Jacob and Rebecca, Farmstead Gillespie Street-Clinton River Bridge Grand Trunk Western Railroad Birmingham Depot Griggs Brothers-Rochester Elevator Company Grain Elevator Grinnell Brothers Music House Highland United Methodist Church Hilzinger Block Hirst Hotel Holly Union Depot Howard, Horatio N., House Hubbard-Kesby House Hunter, John W., House Indian Lake Road Stone Arch Bridge Lake Orion Historic District Lathrup Village Historic District Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station McCoy, Kittie C., House Meadow Brook Farms Milford Rural Agricultural School Modern Housing Corporation Addition Historic District Myrick-Palmer House Newberry, Milo Prentice, House North Milford Village Historic District Northland Gardens O'Dell, H. Augustus and Agnes Cleveland, House-Inch House Oak Hill Cemetery Orchard Lake Schools Historic District Ortonville Mill Oxford Downtown Historic District Pleasant Ridge East Historic District Pleasant Ridge Historic District Pleasant Ridge Historic District (Boundary Increase) Plumbrooke Estates Pontiac Commercial Historic District Pontiac Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase) Reuther, Walter P. and May Wolf, House Rowe House Sashabaw Presbyterian Church Scripps, William Edmund and Nina A. Downey, Estate Smith, Melvyn Maxwell and Sara Stein, House Sprague, Rollin, Building-Old Stone Store St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church, Convent, and School Stony Creek Village Historic District Taliaferro, Thomas W. and Margaret, House Torrey, Charles, House Trowbridge Road-Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge Waterford Village Historic District Western Knitting Mills Wisner House Yamasaki, Minoru & Teruko, House Yerkes, Joseph D., House Yerkes, Robert, House
Michigan was the site of the deadliest school massacre in American history. In 1927, a school board member in Bath, Michigan, named Andrew Kehoe detonated explosives he had planted in the local school, killing 38 children and six adults. Kehoe had also killed his wife and set fire to his farm before carrying out the attack.
Michigan random facts
Oakland County, located in the southeastern part of Michigan, has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. The area was originally home to Native American tribes, such as the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Huron peoples. European settlers arrived in the late 18th century, with the first permanent settlement established in what is now Pontiac in 1818.

During the 19th century, Oakland County saw rapid growth and development. The construction of the Clinton River and Oakland Plank Roads in the 1840s and the arrival of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad in the 1850s helped facilitate transportation and economic prosperity. Agriculture, logging, and mining were key industries during this time, with farming becoming the dominant livelihood for many residents.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw Oakland County transform into a major industrial hub. The rise of the automobile industry in nearby Detroit had a significant impact on the county, leading to the establishment of numerous automotive suppliers. The county also experienced suburbanization, as more people moved out of the overcrowded city and into the expanding neighborhoods of Oakland County.

Today, Oakland County is known for its vibrant communities, excellent schools, and robust economy. It has become one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, attracting businesses and residents from all over. The county continues to evolve, with ongoing efforts to balance urban development with the preservation of its natural beauty and historical sites.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Oakland County, Michigan.

  • 1819 - Oakland County is officially established by the Michigan Territorial Legislature
  • 1820 - The first county seat is established in Pontiac
  • 1827 - The first courthouse is built in Pontiac
  • 1831 - The village of Auburn is founded
  • 1843 - The Michigan State Fair is held in Auburn Hills for the first time
  • 1850 - The villages of Waterford and White Lake are established
  • 1862 - The Detroit and Bay City Railroad reaches Pontiac, boosting economic development
  • 1875 - The city of Royal Oak is incorporated
  • 1928 - Construction of the Highland Park Ford Plant begins
  • 1950 - Population of Oakland County exceeds 500,000
  • 1967 - The Detroit riots have an impact on Oakland County, leading to an increase in suburbanization
  • 1970 - The Detroit Lions football team moves to Pontiac and becomes the Detroit Lions
  • 1985 - The Palace of Auburn Hills, an indoor sports and entertainment venue, opens
  • 2000 - Oakland County reaches a population of over 1 million
  • 2013 - The city of Pontiac files for bankruptcy