Auburn Hills, Michigan
| Auburn Hills, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| City of Auburn Hills | |
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| Motto: "Honoring The Past. Building The Future" | |
 Location in the state of Michigan |
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| Coordinates: 42°41′15″N 83°14′03″W / 42.68750°N 83.23417°WCoordinates: 42°41′15″N 83°14′03″W / 42.68750°N 83.23417°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Settled | 1821 |
| Incorporated | 1983 |
| Government | |
| • Manager | Thomas Tanghe |
| • Mayor | Kevin McDaniel |
| Area | |
| • City | 16.64 sq mi (43.10 km2) |
| • Land | 16.60 sq mi (42.99 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 961 ft (293 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • City | 21,412 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 21,614 |
| • Density | 1,289.9/sq mi (498.0/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,296,250 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 48321, 48326 |
| Area code(s) | 248, 947 |
| FIPS code | 26-04105 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1675443 |
| Website | City of Auburn Hills, Michigan |
Auburn Hills (formerly Pontiac Township) is a city in Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of Chrysler, The Palace of Auburn Hills (home of the Detroit Pistons), and Oakland University.
In 1908, automobile pioneer John Dodge bought a farmhouse 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Auburn Heights to use as his country retreat. His oldest child, Winifred Dodge, married real estate baron Wesson Seyburn, who built his own country retreat 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of Auburn Heights. The estate included hunting land, dog kennels, a swimming pool, horse stables, and a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) Colonial Revival house. Pontiac Township purchased the estate in 1976, and adapted the buildings for government use. Today, it is known as the Auburn Hills Civic Center.
The first use of the name "Auburn Hills," in 1964, was by Oakland Community College. They named their campus (a former Nike missile base) at Featherstone and Squirrel roads for the town and the hilly terrain in the area. Besides Oakland Community College, three other colleges, Oakland University, Baker College, and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School have campuses partially within the city limits.
Auburn Hills began as Pontiac Township, including the village of Auburn, in 1821, at what is today the corner of Auburn and Squirrel roads. Situated on the Clinton River, it was named by Aaron Webster, the first settler, for Auburn, New York. His sawmill and grist mill attracted settlers to Auburn. After the streets were laid out in 1826, Auburn rivaled nearby Pontiac until the 1860s, when it lost its prosperity. The town was renamed Amy in 1880, and it officially became Auburn Heights in 1919. Pontiac Township bordered the city of Pontiac on two sides. The township attempted to incorporate as Pontiac Heights in 1971, but was denied by state officials. Pontiac Township became a charter township in 1978, to protect itself from further annexation. In 1983, Pontiac Township merged with the village of Auburn Heights to become the City of Auburn Hills. It is not to be confused with the similarly named city of Auburn, Michigan, that exists in Bay County, near Saginaw Bay.
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