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Ypsilanti, Michigan

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 207.200.116.14 (talk) at 05:48, 2 January 2006 (Corrected MAJOR historical errors; some of the original information was ANN ARBOR history; some was just WRONG). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Ypsilanti redirects here; for other uses, see Ypsilanti (disambiguation).

Ypsilanti is a city located in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti.

Originally a trading post established by a French-Canadian fur trader from Montreal, Gabriel Godfroy, it was incorporated in 1823 as the Village of Woodruff's Grove. It was renamed in 1829 to honour Demetrius Ypsilanti, a hero in the Greek war for independence. The name was suggested by former President Thomas Jefferson shortly before he died in 1824, but was initially used only for Ypsilanti Township.

The geographic grid centre of Ypsilanti is the intersection of the Huron River and Michigan Avenue, which connects downtown Detroit, Michigan with downtown Chicago, Illinois, and is coextensive with U.S. Highway 12.

Water Tower and Statue of Demetrius Ypsilanti

History

  • Trading post established by French-Canadian from Montreal: 1809
  • Platted and incorporated as a village under the name Woodruff's Grove: 1823
  • Ypsilanti Township (the future Charter Township of Ypsilanti) platted: 1825
  • Ypsilanti Village elevated to city status: 1858.

Geography

Ypilanti is located in the western reaches of Metropolitan Detroit/Windsor/Toledo, the world's largest international metropolitan area. Suburban development between Detroit and Ann Arbor, via Washtenaw Avenue and Packard Road has been unbroken since the late 1960's.

  • Ypsilanti is positioned at 42.24 degrees north latitude and 83.62 degrees west longitude.
  • The distance from Ypsilanti to Washington, DC is 429 miles (686 km).
  • The distance to Lansing, the Michigan state capital, is 58 miles (93 km).
  • The Huron River flows through both the City of Ypsilanti and the Charter Township of Ypsilanti.

Since 1979, the city has become known for summer festivals in the part of the city called "Depot Town," which is adjacent to Riverside Park and Frog Island Park. Festivals include the annual Heritage Festival, the Frog Island Jazz Festival, the Elvis Festival, the Orphan Car Festival, a beer tasting festival, and a latino festival.

Ypsilanti is a subject of Sufjan Stevens' song "For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti" on the first of his state-project CDs, Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State.

Progressivism

Ypsilanti has been known as one of the most tolerant and progressive communities in Michigan. In the early 1970's, along with neighboring City of Ann Arbor, the citizens reduced the penalty for simple possession of marijuana possession to $5, with the campaign slogan "5 is fine." This fine was raised in the early 1980's to $25 in both Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.

In the 1990's Ypsilanti became the first city in Michigan to pass a Living Wage ordinance.

Ypsilanti's reputation for tolerance was tested in the late 1990's, after the city adopted an ordinance to ban discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity/transgender status, body weight (i.e., being obese or underweight), and family obligations. Two ballot measures to repeal the ordinance were led and bankrolled by such right-wing Christian advocates as Tom Monaghan. Both measures failed, the second by a larger percentage than the first.

Geography

Location of Ypsilanti, Michigan
Location of Ypsilanti, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.5 mi² (11.7 km²). 4.4 mi² (11.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 mi² (0.3 km²) is water. The total area is 2.45% water.

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 22,362 people, 8,551 households, and 3,377 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,962.3/km² (5,081.5/mi²). There are 9,215 housing units at an average density of 808.6/km² (2,094.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 61.40% White, 30.58% African American, 0.44% Native American, 3.18% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.32% from other races, and 3.01% from two or more races. 2.47% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 8,551 households out of which 19.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.0% are married couples living together, 13.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 60.5% are non-families. 40.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.15 and the average family size is 2.96.

In the city the population is spread out with 15.9% under the age of 18, 38.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 12.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 24 years. For every 100 females there are 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $28,610, and the median income for a family is $40,793. Males have a median income of $30,328 versus $26,745 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,692. 25.8% of the population and 16.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 30.1% of those under the age of 18 and 15.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Higher Eduation

Sites of interest

File:RRomanesqueYpsilanti.jpg
Starkweather Hall, Ypsilanti, Michigan
  • Frog Island
  • Ypsilanti has the largest historic district of any city in the state of Michigan, the most developed section of which is the old Depot Town adjacent to Frog Island Park and Riverside Park. It features many specialty shops, bars & grills, and a farmers' market
  • Ypsilanti Water Tower
  • Starkweather Hall, constructed 1897
  • Highland Cemetery
  • First United Methodist Church
  • Automotive Heritage Museum
  • Firehouse Museum

Sources

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