Orion Township, Michigan

Orion Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County, Michigan, United States. The population was 38,206 as of the 2020 census.

The official motto of the township and village is "Where living is a vacation". "Lake Orion" is often used to describe both the village and the township. The township hosts General Motors' Orion Assembly plant which produces small cars and EV pickup trucks.

History
Orion Township was established in 1835 as a popular destination along the Detroit United Railway for those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Visitors come to enjoy Park Island Amusement Park and Dance Hall and some to learn more about the famous dragon on the lake.

LEGEND OF THE DRAGON

Excerpts reprinted from "The Legend of a Dragon" written by S. April Wuest, published in "Orion Township Sesquicentennial 150 Years 1835-1985" In 1894, there was a dragon. He took up dwelling in Lake Orion and though seemingly quite a friendly fellow, struck terror in the hearts of residents who sighted him. He grew with each sighting (dragons do this - growing and aging fast, but .... living forever) and increased in size from 18 feet to an outstanding length of 80 feet. He was described by witnesses as green with black spots. He was covered with scales and arose from the deep carrying slime and seaweed.

The fact is that two Orion ladies fishing from a dock in the lake, probably did see the wretched creature rise from the water. This encounter was enough to provoke numerous sightings, some of them undoubtedly real.

The Review newspaper reported an encounter which Mrs. Vincent Brown had while fishing from a rowboat with her two young nieces. When the creature appeared, the brave Mrs. Brown fought him off by beating him on the head with a board. This did not discourage the dragon and she rowed frantically to shore amid the screaming terrors of two frightened girls.

People were afraid to swim in the lake and used the creature as a scapegoat for all sorts of mishaps such as tipped boats and even missing livestock. Some people even claimed to have seen fire breathed from his nostrils.

It is not recorded when the first explanatory statements came out, but there does seem to be an explanation - and a most amusing one.

In those days, the Miller family, who had two mischievous boys named John Lawson and "Tut", lived at 312 S. Broadway. The boys were said to be responsible for the dragon. John swore it was his younger brother's doing and that the latter worked laboriously, sewing cloth that would cover wire rings which attached to the wooden base of a sea serpent. The base was fixed with wheels and the monster was lowered into the lake with a wire leash attached.

There are those who doubt that explanation and credit the sightings with nothing more than a shadow cast on the lake by an old tree. Whether myth, fancy, or fact, the story will be retold for years to come.

Communities
The Township has three unincorporated communities: Former places include:
 * Lake Orion is an incorporated village located within Orion Township.
 * Eames began as a station on the railroad in 1874. It was given a post office in 1883.
 * Lake Orion Heights is located between Lake Orion, Square Lake and Elkhorn Lake(42.77028°N, -83.26417°W Elevation: 1007 ft./307 m.).
 * Gingellville, also Gingleville, is located at Baldwin and Gregory Roads (42.72167°N, -83.30778°W Elevation: 1017 ft./310 m.).
 * Rudds Mill (also known as Rudds Station) is located at Kern and Clarkston Roads (42.76778°N, -83.21833°W Elevation: 945 ft./288 m.).
 * Cole was a station on the Pontiac, Oxford and Northern Railroad. It had a post office from 1884 until 1907.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.9 sqmi, of which 33.3 sqmi is land and 2.6 sqmi, or 7.18%, is water. The Township boasts more than 4,200 acres or parks and open spaces, including 42 lakes larger than five acres, more than 10 square miles of recreation, and more than 50 miles of safety path and trail ways.

Orion Township Is bordered to the east by Oakland Township, to the west by Independence Township, to the south by Auburn Hills and to the north by Oxford Township.

Parks & Trails
Friendship Park - 3380 Clarkston Road

With 134.97 acres of land, Friendship Park is the largest Township owned property. It is located at the intersection of Baldwin and Clarkston Roads with access from Clarkston Road. The park's building houses summer camps, preschool classes, yoga, tai chi, and safety classes, along with private rentals. The park incorporates the following facilities:


 * 4 Baseball Fields (4 lighted fields)
 * 8 Soccer Fields
 * 2 Pickleball Courts Rules for Courts
 * 1 Tennis Court
 * ADA Accessible Miracle Field
 * Andrea Yatooma Home Plate Concession Stand and Restrooms
 * ADA Accessible Playground (Dragons Den)
 * 1 Wheelchair Accessible Playground
 * Park building with restrooms (indoor and outdoor access), indoor multi-purpose meeting room, small kitchen (45 people at tables or 75 seats) and covered outdoor portions (75 people at tables)
 * Restrooms in the northern area of the parks
 * Wedding Gazebo/Shelter (150-200 people in area)
 * Historic Howarth School House and Porritt Barn
 * Fishing Pond
 * Limestone surface park trails
 * Community Garden
 * Walking Trails
 * Mountain Bike Trails
 * Parking Areas

Camp Agawam - 1301 W. Clarkston Road

Camp Agawam is located in the heart of Orion Township, Michigan. The camp was previously owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America, until 2014 at which point Orion Township took ownership. Camp Agawam offers a wide variety of opportunities for all ages. With roughly 140 acres, numerous campsites, rental facilities, walking trails, a chapel, a state-of-the-art playground, disc golf course, and beautiful Tommy's Lake with public beach access, this is truly a picturesque park in the middle of suburban life.

Civic Center Park - 2525 Joslyn Road Civic Center Park is a 78.86 acre community park located on Joslyn Road north of Waldon Road with access from both roadways.


 * 3 Baseball Fields (2 lighted)
 * 7 Soccer Fields
 * 2 Basketball Courts
 * Ice Rink (open seasonally)
 * Fitness Course
 * 2 Volleyball Courts
 * Sheardy Pavilion (60 people at tables) with attached restrooms
 * 1 ADA accessible play structure
 * Limestone surface park trails
 * Wildwood Amphitheater
 * 2 access points to the Polly Ann Trail
 * Parking Areas

Jesse Decker Park - 4080 N. Squirrel Road

With 24.65 acres of land, Jesse Decker Park is the newest Orion Township community park constructed in 2009. It is located in the southeast corner of the Township on Squirrel Road south of Silverbell Road. The park includes the following facilities:


 * 3 Youth Baseball Fields
 * 1 Multipurpose Sports Field
 * 2 Tennis/Pickleball Courts
 * 1 Playground
 * Sledding Hill
 * Picnic Shelter (40 people at tables)
 * Asphalt and limestone surface park trails
 * Heron Springs Nature Area
 * Portable Restrooms
 * Parking Area

Wildwood Amphitheater - 2700 Joslyn Court

This outdoor amphitheater is home to the Free Concerts in the Park series that takes place on Tuesdays, Free Movies in the Park series that takes place on Wednesdays throughout the summer. This venue also hosts outdoor film festivals, music festivals, outdoor movies and other public events. The Wildwood Amphitheater is available for private rentals.

Paint Creek Trail

The Paint Creek Trail is an 8.9 mile recreational trail located in northeast Oakland County. It traverses through Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, Orion Township, and the Village of Lake Orion. Most of the trail is surfaced with crushed limestone, and is 8 feet wide. A 1/4 mile segment at the northern terminus in Lake Orion is paved with asphalt.

The trail is built on a former railroad bed. The Paint Creek Trailways Commission is an intergovernmental agency that owns and manages the trail and trail right-of-way. The Commission right-of-way is generally 100 feet wide. The trail is not always in the center of the right-of-way. The Paint Creek is a designated trout stream that intertwines with the trail at many points, and provides great fishing opportunities.

The Paint Creek Trail – Michigan's Millennium Legacy Trail

In 1999, the Paint Creek Trail received a special honor. The Southeast Michigan Greenways Trail, a conceptual network of inter-connected trails and greenways throughout the 7-county area of Southeast Michigan, was proclaimed Michigan's Millennium Legacy Trail by the White House on October 21, 1999. The Paint Creek Trail carried the honor of being the physical representative of the trail system since it serves as an excellent physical and operational example for other trails. As part of the designation, the Trailways Commission was given a $10,000 grant for a Millennium Legacy Trail Art Project. The grant, along with other matching funds, paid for our Prairie Restoration Art Project – a gazebo-like structure located on the Trail north of Gallagher, that commemorates our Prairie Restoration Project south of Silver Bell Road.

The Paint Creek Trail – a National Recreation Trail

On June 1, 2006, the Paint Creek Trail received the honor of being named a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The National Recreation Trails program recognizes exemplary trails of local and regional significance that provide for numerous outdoor recreation activities in a variety of urban, rural, and remote areas. Over 900 Trails in every state have received this designation. The NRT Program is jointly administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with American Trails. As a National Recreation Trail, the Paint Creek Trail will benefit from the prestige and increased visibility of being part of the 10,000 mile National Trail System. The Trailways Commission received a letter and certificate signed by the Secretary of the Interior, as well as logo signs to be placed along the Trail. Additionally, the Trailways Commission receives access to technical assistance and unique funding opportunities. As part of this designation, the Paint Creek Trail is included in the on-line National Registry of Trails, and is given its own NRT webpage. The webpage includes descriptive information, pictures, and facts about the Paint Creek Trail. You can access it here: Paint Creek Trail – a National Recreation Trail.

The Paint Creek Trail – A Pure Michigan Trail

Paint Creek Trail Recognized as Pure Michigan Trail at Annual Governor's Conference on Tourism

The Paint Creek Trail was designated a Pure Michigan Trail at the Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on April 11, 2023. The Trail was honored with an award for its example of the state's natural beauty and the outdoor recreation and alternative transportation opportunities it provides to the local area and visitors alike. The trail will be featured in the Pure Michigan travel campaigns from now on as an example of what makes Michigan the #1 trail state in the nation.

Polly Ann Trail

The Polly Ann Trail is a major non-motorized trail in Oakland County extending north from Orion Township in suburban Detroit on a former Pontiac, Oxford, and Northern Railroad corridor. The Oakland County Polly Ann ends on Bordman Road at the Lapeer/Oakland County border. The Oakland County segment connects the Townships of Orion, Oxford and Addison and the Villages of Oxford and Leonard. The Orion Township pathway system connects the trail to the popular Paint Creek Trail.

Both portions are owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The trail is managed separately by groups in Lapeer County and by the Polly Ann Trail Management Council, Inc. (PATMC) in Oakland County, The portion of the trail in Oakland County has a crushed stone surface and runs for 14.2 miles from Orion Township to the Oakland–Lapeer county line.

Certain sections of the trail in urban areas have an improved asphalt surface. Along the way, trail users pass through the communities of Orion Township, Oxford Township, the Village of Oxford, Addison Township and the Village of Leonard.

In Lapeer County, the Polly Ann Trail continues north with a much rougher ballast surface for 20 miles to North Branch Township. The trail is clear and maintained in Dryden Township, Dryden Village, and Imlay City, with the latter community featuring a paved stretch. The rest of the trail is largely unimproved and may be rough, uneven and wet in spots. For this reason, mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders will generally have the best experience along the Polly Ann Trail in Lapeer County.

Recognition

 * A Michigan Best City for Fit Lifestyles - #11
 * A Michigan Safest City - #27
 * Better City for Pets
 * eCities 5-Star Community
 * Michigan Green Communities - Gold Certified
 * Tree City USA
 * Pure Michigan Trail Town
 * Water Town
 * America In Bloom - Level 3 Community

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,463 people, 12,246 households, and 8,976 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,003.3 PD/sqmi. There were 12,837 housing units at an average density of 384.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 95.42% White, 1.26% African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population.

There were 12,246 households, out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the township the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $71,844, and the median income for a family was $83,514. Males had a median income of $61,562 versus $36,481 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,299. About 2.0% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 and over.

Education
The majority of students attend Lake Orion Community Schools. A small portion is in the Pontiac School District. Another portion of students also attend Clarkston, Rochester and Oxford Community School Districts.

St. Joseph Catholic School is located in the township.

Notable people
This list includes people from Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion


 * Scott Amedure, The Jenny Jones Show murder victim
 * Matthew Blackmer, American pair skater
 * Christopher Bowman, World Medalist champion figure skater
 * William Broomfield, former congressman
 * Pat Caputo, sportswriter for The Oakland Press
 * Rolla C. Carpenter, engineer, academic, writer
 * Dave Collins, former professional baseball player
 * Barbara Ann Crancer, daughter of Jimmy Hoffa
 * Matthew Dear, musician
 * Andrew J. Feustel, NASA astronaut
 * Frontier Ruckus, art-folk band
 * Tom Gillis, professional golfer
 * Jeff Heath, professional football player
 * Frederick Henderson, former CEO of General Motors
 * James P. Hoffa, son of Jimmy Hoffa
 * Jimmy Hoffa, former Teamsters President
 * Zak Keasey, former professional football player
 * Mickey Lolich, former professional baseball player
 * James Marcinkowski, politician, attorney
 * Chris Michels, syndicated radio show host
 * Jamie Milam, professional hockey player
 * Troy Milam, professional hockey player
 * Frank Novak, former NFL coach
 * Raymond Plouhar, staff sergeant, USMC
 * William Edmund Scripps, newspaper magnate
 * Rich Strenger, former professional football player
 * Rod Taylor, former professional hockey player
 * Ron Tripp, World Sambo and Judo champion
 * Cynthia Watros, actress
 * Mike Weger, former professional football player
 * Louis George Carpenter, College Professor, known for scientific irrigation