Lincoln Park, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Lincoln Park is a city in Wayne County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It lies in an area of cities and communities known as Downriver
. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census . The settlement was organized as a village in 1921, and reorganized as a city in 1925. The area was originally home to the Potawatomi
Indians who ceded the land to a French
settler, Pierre St. Cosme, in 1776. It developed as a bedroom community, providing homes to workers in the nearby steel mills and automobile plants of the Detroit
area while having no industry within its bounds.
, the city has a total of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all land. The north and south branches of the Ecorse River
run through Lincoln Park and join just before leaving the city.
Lincoln Park borders the cities of Detroit, Allen Park
, Melvindale
, Ecorse
, Wyandotte
and Southgate
.
Long before Lincoln Park was incorporated as a city, an area adjacent to the Ecorse River was the site of a pivotal meeting during Pontiac's Rebellion
. On April 27, 1763, a council of several American Indian
tribes from the Detroit region listened to a speech from the Ottawa
leader Pontiac
. Pontiac urged the listeners to join him in a surprise attack on Fort Detroit
, which they attempted on May 9. Today, the area is known as Council Point Park
, and a small engraved boulder marks the site of the historic meeting.
Neighborhoods were first laid out in what is today Lincoln Park in 1906. It was incorporated as a town in 1921 and as a city in 1925.
Preston Tucker
, famous for his controversial financing and development of the revolutionary 1948 Tucker Sedan, grew up in Lincoln Park in the early 1900s. Tucker joined the Lincoln Park Police Department in his early years to gain access to the high performance cars the department used. Tucker is the subject of the 1988 movie Tucker: The Man and His Dream
.
Lincoln Park gained brief notoriety in 1999 when the school board enacted a new dress code intended to keep out gang symbology and colors. However, included among the prohibited paraphernalia were any items related to the "pagan
" or "goth
" lifestyle/fashion sense, including most notably, representations of the pentagram
. The decision sparked animosity between the administration and the students and teachers, who generally saw it as an excessive measure given gang activity in the school had been largely eliminated in the late 1990s. This animosity culminated in legal action against the school initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union
, on behalf of Crystal Seifferly, a 17 year old high school student who self-identified as a practicing pagan. Under mounting pressure from the courts and media, the administration formally made an exception in the policy for practicing witches, though informally it dropped the matter.
In September 2006, the same school board made another attempt, banning clothing with any writing.
On February 20, 2001, Tempest Smith
, another Lincoln Park student with an interest in Wicca
, hanged herself after being bullied in the middle school.
Singer/songwriter Bob Seger
was for a time a student at Anderson High School
. In his song, "Back in '72," he sings the line, "But we got homesick for Lincoln Park."
of 2010, there were 38,144 people, 16,204 households, and 10,581 families residing in the city. The population density
was 6,834.9 per square mile (2,640.5/km²). There were 16,821 housing units at an average density of 2,873.7 per square mile (1,110.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73% White, 6.07% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. 15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 16,204 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples
living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,515, and the median income for a family was $29,747. Males had a median income of $10,197 versus $6,549 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,140. About 40.1% of families and 44.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
primarily serving its 19,700 people under the age of 18. The district includes Lincoln Park High School
, Lincoln Park Middle School, Carr Elementary, Foote Elementary, Hoover Elementary, Keppen Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Mixter Elementary, Paun Elementary, and Raupp Elementary.
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It lies in an area of cities and communities known as Downriver
Downriver
Downriver is the unofficial name for a collection of 18 suburban cities and townships in Wayne County, Michigan south of Detroit along the western shore of the Detroit River....
. The population was 38,144 at the 2010 census . The settlement was organized as a village in 1921, and reorganized as a city in 1925. The area was originally home to the Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
Indians who ceded the land to a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
settler, Pierre St. Cosme, in 1776. It developed as a bedroom community, providing homes to workers in the nearby steel mills and automobile plants of the Detroit
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
area while having no industry within its bounds.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all land. The north and south branches of the Ecorse River
Ecorse River
The Ecorse River is an river in southern Michigan. Because of its small size, it is often identified as Ecorse Creek. It flows through the Downriver section of Metro Detroit, and is a tributary of the Detroit River. The early French settlers named it the Rivière aux Écorces, meaning the "bark...
run through Lincoln Park and join just before leaving the city.
Lincoln Park borders the cities of Detroit, Allen Park
Allen Park, Michigan
Allen Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,210. The suburb of Detroit was recognized in Money Magazine's list of America's Best Small Cities. Allen Park is part of the collection of communities known as DownriverFord Motor...
, Melvindale
Melvindale, Michigan
Melvindale is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan and a downriver suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,715. Melvindale's slogan is "The Little City with a Big Heart."-History:...
, Ecorse
Ecorse, Michigan
Ecorse is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan, named for the Ecorse River. The population was 9,512 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Wyandotte
Wyandotte, Michigan
Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,883 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 7.6% from 2000. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and is part of the collection of communities known as...
and Southgate
Southgate, Michigan
Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,047 at the 2010 census.Southgate was the last city to incorporate from the former Ecorse Township, gaining city status in October 1958...
.
History
Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's War, Pontiac's Conspiracy, or Pontiac's Rebellion was a war that was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes primarily from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Country, and Ohio Country who were dissatisfied with British postwar policies in the...
. On April 27, 1763, a council of several American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes from the Detroit region listened to a speech from the Ottawa
Odawa people
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
leader Pontiac
Chief Pontiac
Pontiac or Obwandiyag , was an Ottawa leader who became famous for his role in Pontiac's Rebellion , an American Indian struggle against the British military occupation of the Great Lakes region following the British victory in the French and Indian War. Historians disagree about Pontiac's...
. Pontiac urged the listeners to join him in a surprise attack on Fort Detroit
Fort Detroit
Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S...
, which they attempted on May 9. Today, the area is known as Council Point Park
Council Point Park
Council Point Park is a park in Lincoln Park, Michigan. The park is 27 acres, and boarders the cities of Wyandotte and Ecorse. The point itself is formed by the northern and southern branches of the Ecorse Creek, right before the creek reaches the Detroit River. The land for the park was purchased...
, and a small engraved boulder marks the site of the historic meeting.
Neighborhoods were first laid out in what is today Lincoln Park in 1906. It was incorporated as a town in 1921 and as a city in 1925.
Preston Tucker
Preston Tucker
Preston Thomas Tucker was an American automobile designer and entrepreneur.He is most remembered for his 1948 Tucker Sedan , an automobile which introduced many features that have since become widely used in modern cars...
, famous for his controversial financing and development of the revolutionary 1948 Tucker Sedan, grew up in Lincoln Park in the early 1900s. Tucker joined the Lincoln Park Police Department in his early years to gain access to the high performance cars the department used. Tucker is the subject of the 1988 movie Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker: The Man and His Dream is a 1988 biographical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Jeff Bridges. The film recounts the story of Preston Tucker and his attempt to produce and market the 1948 Tucker Sedan, which was met with scandal between the "Big Three automobile...
.
Lincoln Park gained brief notoriety in 1999 when the school board enacted a new dress code intended to keep out gang symbology and colors. However, included among the prohibited paraphernalia were any items related to the "pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
" or "goth
Goth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
" lifestyle/fashion sense, including most notably, representations of the pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
. The decision sparked animosity between the administration and the students and teachers, who generally saw it as an excessive measure given gang activity in the school had been largely eliminated in the late 1990s. This animosity culminated in legal action against the school initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, on behalf of Crystal Seifferly, a 17 year old high school student who self-identified as a practicing pagan. Under mounting pressure from the courts and media, the administration formally made an exception in the policy for practicing witches, though informally it dropped the matter.
In September 2006, the same school board made another attempt, banning clothing with any writing.
On February 20, 2001, Tempest Smith
Tempest Smith
Tempest Kayne Smith was a 12-year-old girl from Lincoln Park, Michigan, USA who committed suicide by hanging on February 20, 2001. Based on the contents of her diary, the cause of the suicide was assumed to be bullying by her classmates at Lincoln Park Middle School...
, another Lincoln Park student with an interest in Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
, hanged herself after being bullied in the middle school.
Singer/songwriter Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
was for a time a student at Anderson High School
Southgate Anderson High School
Southgate Thomas J. Anderson High School is a high school in Southgate, Michigan, United States.-History:Originally one of two high schools in Southgate, along with the since closed Schafer High School....
. In his song, "Back in '72," he sings the line, "But we got homesick for Lincoln Park."
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 38,144 people, 16,204 households, and 10,581 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,834.9 per square mile (2,640.5/km²). There were 16,821 housing units at an average density of 2,873.7 per square mile (1,110.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73% White, 6.07% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. 15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 16,204 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,515, and the median income for a family was $29,747. Males had a median income of $10,197 versus $6,549 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,140. About 40.1% of families and 44.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city's education system is served by the Lincoln Park Public SchoolsLincoln Park Public Schools (Michigan)
Lincoln Park Public Schools is a school district with its headquarters in Lincoln Park, Michigan, United States.-Secondary schools:* Lincoln Park High School* Lincoln Park Middle School-Alternative schools:* Crowley Center...
primarily serving its 19,700 people under the age of 18. The district includes Lincoln Park High School
Lincoln Park High School (Michigan)
Lincoln Park High School is a public school in Lincoln Park, Michigan. The school colors are orange and blue, and the teams are called the Railsplitters, a reference to Abraham Lincoln...
, Lincoln Park Middle School, Carr Elementary, Foote Elementary, Hoover Elementary, Keppen Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Mixter Elementary, Paun Elementary, and Raupp Elementary.