Wayne County, Michigan

Wayne County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, 1,820,584 people lived there.[3] It is the 18th most-populous county in the United States. The county seat is Detroit[4] which is the largest city in Michigan.[1]

Wayne County
County
County of Wayne
The Guardian Building which serves as the county headquarters
The Guardian Building which serves as the county headquarters
Flag of Wayne County
Flag
Map of Michigan highlighting Wayne County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°17′N 83°16′W
Country United States
State Michigan
FoundedAugust 15, 1796 (created)
1815 (organized)[1][2]
Named forAnthony Wayne
SeatDetroit
Largest cityDetroit
Area
 • Total673 sq mi (1,740 km2)
 • Land612 sq mi (1,590 km2)
 • Water61 sq mi (160 km2)  9.0%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2016)
1,749,366
 • Density2,974/sq mi (1,148/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts11th, 12th, 13th, 14th
Websitewww.waynecounty.com

History
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18102,227—
18203,57460.5%
18306,78189.7%
184024,173256.5%
185042,75676.9%
186075,54776.7%
1870119,06857.6%
1880168,44441.5%
1890257,11452.6%
1900348,79335.7%
1910531,59152.4%
19201,177,645121.5%
19301,888,94660.4%
19402,015,6236.7%
19502,435,23520.8%
19602,666,2979.5%
19702,666,7510.0%
19802,337,891−12.3%
19902,111,687−9.7%
20002,061,162−2.4%
20101,820,584−11.7%
2012 (est.)1,792,365−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
2012 Estimate[6]
"Mad Anthony" Wayne

Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was created. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. When it was created, the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and small sections that are now part of northern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were part of Wayne County. On August 15, 1796, the boundaries of Wayne County were set to begin at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River then west to Fort Wayne, then to the southernmost point of Lake Michigan and along the western shore north to the territorial boundary in Lake Superior and then along the territorial boundary through Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Erie back to the starting point.[7]

On January 14, 1803, the Governor of Indiana Territory, William Henry Harrison, changed the boundary. This new boundary included Chicago, Illinois and a large strip of Wisconsin along Lake Michigan.[8]

These boundaries were later changed again when Indiana and Illinois became states and as other counties were created in Michigan Territory.

Geography

The county has a total area of 672.20 square miles (1,741.0 km2). Of this, 614.15 square miles (1,590.6 km2) (or 91.36%) is land and 58.05 square miles (150.3 km2) (or 8.64%) is water[9] Parts of the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair are included in the county.

The eastern boundary is a water boundary in the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair with Essex County, Ontario, Canada. Cars crosses this boundary at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge.

Grosse Ile is the largest island in Wayne County. It is connected to the mainland by the Wayne County Bridge and the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge.

Adjacent counties

Cities, villages, and townships
The white areas represent unincorporated charter and civil townships. The gray areas represent incorporated cities and villages.

Cities

Townships
  • Northville Charter Township
  • Plymouth Charter Township
  • Redford Charter Township
  • Sumpter Township
  • Van Buren Charter Township

References
  1. "Bibliography on Wayne County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  2. Wayne County, Michigan History Magazine Archived 2006-05-13 at the Wayback Machine
  3. United States Census Bureau, County population Archived 2011-03-24 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 29, 2011
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
  6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Retrieved March 17, 2013.
  7. "Proclamation by Winthrop Sargent". Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan together with Reports of County Pioneer Societies, Vol VIII (second ed.). Lansing, Mich.: Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford. 1907 [1886]. pp. 496–497. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  8. "Proclamation by Governor Harrison". Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan together with Reports of County Pioneer Societies, Vol VIII (second ed.). Lansing, Mich.: Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford. 1907 [1886]. pp. 540–542. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  9. "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.

Other websites

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