Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck, Michigan | |
---|---|
— City — | |
Location in Wayne County and the state of Michigan | |
Coordinates: 42°23′52″N 83°3′26″W / 42.39778°N 83.05722°WCoordinates: 42°23′52″N 83°3′26″W / 42.39778°N 83.05722°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Michigan |
County | Wayne |
Organized (township) | 1798 |
Incorporated (village) | 1901 |
Incorporated (city) | 1922 |
Government | |
• Type | Council-Manager |
• Mayor | Karen Majewski |
• City Manager | William Cooper |
Area | |
• Total | 2.08 sq mi (5.4 km2) |
• Land | 2.08 sq mi (5.4 km2) |
• Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) |
Elevation | 623 ft (192 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 22,423 |
• Density | 10,751.0/sq mi (4,151.0/km2) |
Time zone | EST (UTC−5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−4) |
ZIP codes | 48211–48212 |
Area code(s) | 313 |
FIPS code | 26-36280[1] |
GNIS feature ID | 0627707[2] |
Website | hamtramck.us |
Hamtramck ( /hæmˈtræmɨk/ ham-TRAM-ik) is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park. Hamtramck is named for the French-Canadian soldier Jean François Hamtramck who was the first American commander of Fort Shelby, the fortification at Detroit.
Hamtramck was originally settled by German farmers, but Polish immigrants flooded into the area when the Dodge Brothers plant opened in 1914.[3] Poles used to make up a large proportion of the population. It is sometimes confused with Poletown, a traditional Polish neighborhood, which used to lie mostly in the city of Detroit and includes a small part of Hamtramck. As of the 2010 American Community Survey, 14.5% of Hamtramck's population is of Polish origin;[4] in 1970, it was 90% Polish.[5]
Over the past thirty years, a large number of immigrants from the Middle East (especially Yemen) and South Asia (especially Bangladesh) have moved to the city. As of the 2010 American Community Survey, the city's foreign born population stood at 41.1%,[6] making it Michigan's most internationally diverse city (see more at Demographics below).
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.08 square miles (5.4 km2), all land.
Hamtramck is mostly surrounded by Detroit except a small common border with the city of Highland Park, which is in turn surrounded by Detroit. Hamtramck lies about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the center of Detroit. The I-75 freeway roughly runs along this city's western border and I-94 runs near its southern border.
[edit] Culture
Hamtramck flourished from 1910 to 1920 as thousands of European immigrants, particularly Polish, were attracted by the growing automobile industry. The city has grown increasingly ethnically diverse but still bears many reminders of its Polish ancestry in family names, street names and businesses.[3] A recent survey found 26 native languages spoken by Hamtramck schoolchildren. The city's motto was "A League of Nations".
At the time of the 2000 census, Hamtramck was again experiencing considerable growth, with over 8,000 households and a population of almost 23,000.
In 1997, the Utne Reader named Hamtramck one of "the 15 hippest neighborhoods in the U.S. and Canada" in part for its punk and alternative music scene, its Buddhist temple, its cultural diversity, and its laid back blue-collar neighborhoods.[7] And in May 2003, Maxim Blender selected Hamtramck as the second "Most Rock N' Roll City" in the U.S., behind Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York City. Hamtramck is home of several of Michigan's most distinguished music venues.
In January 2004, members of the Al-Islah Islamic Center requested permission to use loudspeakers for the purpose of broadcasting the Islamic call to prayer. This request set off a contentious debate in the city, ostensibly about the noise that would be caused by the call to prayer, eventually garnering national attention.[8] Ultimately, Hamtramck amended its noise ordinance in July 2004 regulating all religious sounds.[9]
Hamtramck Disneyland, an art installation, is in the city.
[edit] Hamtramck festivals
[edit] Pączki Day
Polish immigrants, residents of Hamtramck, and southeastern Michigan celebrate Fat Tuesday (known locally as Pączki Day) by lining up at the city's numerous Polish bakeries to purchase pączki. On Pączki Day, several local bars host parties with live entertainment, some starting as early as 7 A.M.[10]
[edit] Hamtramck Blowout
The "Hamtramck Blowout" is an annual Indie music festival held in March in Hamtramck. It is currently sponsored by the Metro Times.[11] Similar festivals are held in Austin, Texas (Sxsw) and Milwaukee, WI (Summerfest). In 2011 almost 200 bands played the Blowout at 14 venues over four days.[12]
[edit] St. Florian Strawberry Festival
Held annually in the first weekend in May at grounds at St. Florian Church.
[edit] Hamtramck Labor Day Festival
Held Labor Day weekend, ending with the Polish Day Parade on Labor Day. Live music on three stages, carnival area, beer, and food tents line a half-mile (1 km) stretch of Joseph Campau Street, from Caniff to Carpenter.[13]
[edit] Planet Ant Film & Video Festival in Hamtramck
Held at the Planet Ant Theater, the festival celebrates independent movies and the people who make them, featuring comedies, dramas, documentaries, animation and music videos.[14]
[edit] Economy
General Motors' Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant, one of the automaker's premiere facilities, produces the Chevrolet Volt, the Cadillac DTS, and the Buick Lucerne.[15]
Detroit Axle maintains a plant there. However, in April, 2009, American Axle & Manufacturing announced that it planned to close it plant at the Hamtramck/Detroit border and move production to Mexico, resulting in the elimination of several hundred jobs.
The Polish Art Center, at 9539 Joseph Campau Street, is a local institution in Hamtramck. There, one can find many Polish art objects, books, foods, and art from other areas of Europe. The center's selection of Communist-era Polish theatrical and operatic posters is unusual.[16]
The Ukrainian American Archives & Museum of Detroit is located at 11756 Charest Street. The Museum's purpose is “to educate and inform the general public about the culture, art, and history of Ukrainians, their immigration to the United States and the contributions of Americans of Ukrainian descent to America; to engage in research in these areas; to maintain archives for the deposit of documents and other records relating to these topics; to acquire, preserve, exhibit artifacts of artistic, historical, and scientific value relating to these subjects; to sponsor public programs in order to study and preserve the heritage of Ukrainian Americans.”[17]
For more than 85 years, Kowalski Sausage Co. manufactured meat products at 2270 Holbrook Street, which are distributed in the metropolitan Detroit area.[18]
Notwithstanding the statement in the credits that it was filmed "in Detroit, Michigan", the 1998 Indie film Polish Wedding was filmed mainly in Hamtramck, and particularly at a house on Wyandotte Street.[19] Theresa Connelly, who wrote and directed the film, had spent her childhood in Hamtramck.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 22,976 people, 8,033 households, and 4,851 families residing in the city. The population density was 10,900.5 per square mile (4,208.7 /km2), making it the most densely populated city in Michigan.[20] There were 8,894 housing units at an average density of 4,219.6 per square mile (1,629.2 /km2). The racial makeup of the city was 60.96% white (which includes people of Middle Eastern ancestry), 15.12% African American, 0.43% Native American, 10.37% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 11.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.
In the 2000 census, major ancestry groups reported by Hamtramck residents were as follows:
Historical populations | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1910 | 3,559 |
|
|
1920 | 48,615 | 1,266.0% | |
1930 | 56,268 | 15.7% | |
1940 | 49,839 | −11.4% | |
1950 | 43,555 | −12.6% | |
1960 | 34,137 | −21.6% | |
1970 | 26,783 | −21.5% | |
1980 | 21,300 | −20.5% | |
1990 | 18,372 | −13.7% | |
2000 | 22,976 | 25.1% | |
2010 | 22,423 | −2.4% |
- Polish 22.9%
- Black or African American 15.1%
- Yugoslav 10.5%
- Arab (Excluding Iraqi and Lebanese) 8.2%
- Asian Indian 5.4%
- Ukrainian 3.2%
- German 2.9%
- Albanian 2.8%
- Bangladeshi 2.7%
- Irish 2.2%
- Italian 1.8%
- Russia 1.4%
- American 1.1%
- French (except Basque) 0.8%
- Lebanese 0.7%
- Scottish 0.7%
- Mexican 0.6%
- Pakistani 0.6%
- Macedonian 0.5%
- Iraqi 0.5%
3.1% of Hamtramck's population reported Albanian ancestry. This made it the second most Albanian place in the United States by percentage of the population, second only to Fairview, North Carolina.[21]
There were 8,033 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.59.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% 18 through 24, 31.9% 25 through 44, 17.7% 45 through 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 110.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,616, and the median income for a family was $30,496. Males had a median income of $29,368 versus $22,346 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,691. About 24.1% of families and 27.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.9% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2010 the population of Hamtramck was 22,423. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 53.0% Non-Hispanic white, 19.3% black or African-American, 0.3% Native American, 21.5% Asian, 0.3% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 4.7% reporting two or more races and 1.5% Hispanic or Latino.[22]
[edit] Government
Hamtramck is governed under a council-manager form of government in which the elected mayor of the city is the chief executive officer. The city council consists of six seats. Though part of the council, the mayor is elected separately, and votes only in the case of a tie and on ordinances and contracts. The city council hires a city manager, who becomes the city's chief administrative officer. The city manager has the vested powers and responsibility to appoint and remove all city employees and department heads, prepare the city's budget, and other city functions.[23]
In December 2010, citing general budget woes and the city of Detroit withholding a portion of shared revenue for the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant straddling the border of both cities, Hamtramck requested of the State of Michigan to be allowed to declare bankruptcy which was denied.[24] Receivership was avoided when a deal was struck between the city and Detroit which required Detroit to pay $3.2 million in collected taxes to Hamtramck in exchange for Hamtramck paying Detroit nearly the same amount for a water and sewage bill that was in arrears.[25]
The United States Postal Service operates the Hamtramck Post Office at 2933 Caniff Street.[26] The post office annex is located at 14600 Dequindre Street in the City of Detroit.[27]
[edit] Education
[edit] Public schools
Hamtramck is served by Hamtramck Public Schools.[28] Hamtramck High School is the public high school of Hamtramck. In addition Hanley International Academy, Frontier International Academy[29], Hamtramck Academy, and Bridge Academy, are all charter schools, in Hamtramck.[30]
[edit] Private schools
Hamtramck was historically a Polish Catholic community, so it housed Catholic schools. One of the buildings now used by Hanley charter school was previously St. Florian Elementary School, a Catholic school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit.[30] The city also housed St. Florian High School, a Catholic high school which opened in 1940 and was located in another wing of the same building. In the fall of 2002, St. Florian High and Bishop Gallagher High School in Harper Woods merged to form Trinity Catholic High School in Harper Woods. At that point St. Florian Elementary remained open.[31] In 2005 the archdiocese announced that St. Florian Elementary would close. After St. Florian Elementary's closing, no Catholic schools are located within the city limits of Hamtramck. During the same year, the archdiocese announced that Trinity High School would close.[32]
[edit] Public libraries
Hamtramck Public Library Albert J. Zak Memorial is located at 2360 Caniff.[33] The Tau Beta Association founded the library in November 1918. The library opened at its second location, the second floor of a professional building, on November 14, 1938. In 1951 the City Hall branch opened in the first floor of the municipal building; it was dedicated on January 22, 1952. The current library received its groundbreaking ceremony on July 5, 1955. It was completed on May 31, 1956 and dedicated on July 1, 1956.[34]
[edit] Timeline
- 1796: Colonel Jean Francois Hamtramck took possession of Detroit after British troops evacuated.
- 1798: The Township of Hamtramck was established.[3]
- 1901: Hamtramck was established as a village.[3]
- 1908: Saint Florian Roman Catholic Church parish is the first Catholic church in Hamtramck.[35]
- 1910: Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company break ground for an automotive plant in Hamtramck; rapid influx of European immigrants begins.[3]
- 1914: Dodge Brothers plant begins operations.[36]
- 1922: Hamtramck is incorporated as a city to protect itself from annexation by Detroit; Peter C. Jezewski is the first mayor.[3]
- 1926: St. Florian's present edifice is built.[35] It has a 1928 Austin Organ Opus #1528 that contains 3 Manuals and 40 ranks,[37] which was newly refurbished in 2008.[38]
- 1959: Won Little League World Series of Baseball.[39] Hamtramck was a hotbed of baseball activity at the time, and it is the only Michigan city to win that title.[39]
- 1996: In November, voters pass the Ordinance to Preserve Parkland in Hamtramck by a 64% vote, after a year long campaign, marking the first time an ordinance was ever enacted in the City by a referendum vote of the population.[40]
- 2000: Hamtramck goes into Emergency Financial Status after running million dollar deficits and political in-fighting. Gov. Engler appoints Louis Schimmel as Emergency Financial Manager.[41]
- 2005: Hamtramck voters ratify a new City Charter[42]
- 2007: Hamtramck emerges from state-mandated Emergency Financial Status.
- 2010: Hamtramck asked the state of Michigan permission to file for bankruptcy protection.
In 1910 Hamtramck, then a village, had 3,559 residents. Between 1910 and 1920 Hamtramck's population grew by 1,266 percent. The growth of Hamtramck and neighboring Highland Park broke records for increases of population; both municipalities withstood annexation efforts from Detroit.[43]
[edit] Notable residents
- Jane Bartkowicz, tennis player and girls single winner at The Championships, Wimbledon, was born in Hamtramck, and her skills were developed under the tutelage of the Hoxies.[44]
- Albert M. Bielawski, Michigan State Representative, lived in Hamtramck.
- Art "Pinky" Deras, led Hamtramck to the Little League World Series championship in 1959 and the Pony League World Series championship in 1961, and considered to be the greatest Little Leaguer of all time.[39]
- Bob Franke, singer-songwriter, born in Hamtramck.
- John Hodiak (1914–1955), actor, raised in Hamtramck.[45]
- Jean Hoxie, Hamtramck tennis player and coach[46] inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1965.[47][48][49]
- Gail Kobe, actor, born and raised in Hamtramck.[50]
- Warith Deen Mohammed (1933–2008), son of Elijah Muhammad, leader of American Society of Muslims, born in Hamtramck.[51]
- Tom Paciorek, Major League Baseball star, played on the 1961 Hamtramck team that won the Pony League World Series championship. Paciorek is enshrined into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
- Mitch Ryder, singer, The Detroit Wheels, born in Hamtramck.[52]
- Rudy Tomjanovich, professional basketball player, coach.[53] Member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
- Tom Tyler (1903–1954), actor, retired to and died in Hamtramck.[45]
- Roger Zatkoff (born 1931), NFL player for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.[54]
- Raymond Zussman Jewish recipient of the Medal of Honor
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hamtramck, Michigan
- ^ a b c d e f City of Hamtramck official website, history.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
- ^ Stanley S. (1976). In Quest of a Cultural Identity: An Inquiry for the Polish Community. New York, New York: IUME, Teachers College, Columbia University. ISBN ERIC ED167674.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau, Fact Finder, Hamtrack, Michigan.
- ^ Wasacz, Walter, Hip Hamtown Model D.
- ^ USA Today, In a changing city, voices raised over call to prayer.
- ^ Hamtramck Noise Ordinance
- ^ Pączki Day, City of Hamtramck website.
- ^ "Hamtramck Blowout, a ten minute Essay". http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20100101093626/http://metrotimes.com/blowout/. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
- ^ "HAMTRAMCK BLOWOUT NO. 14". http://www2.metrotimes.com/blowout/default.asp. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
- ^ Labor Day Festival, Hamtramck Star.
- ^ Absolute Michigan, Planet Ant Film Festival.
- ^ Chevy Volt production will add 550 new jobs in Detroit, says GM.
- ^ Polish Art Center.
- ^ Ukrainian American Archives & Museum of Detroit.
- ^ Kowalski Sausage Co. home page.
- ^ Internet movie data base, Polish Wedding.
- ^ Public Transportation in Michigan: An Economic Development Tool Whose Time Has Come (legislative committee report).
- ^ Albanian ancestry by city
- ^ 2010 population report for Hamtramck
- ^ City of Hamtramck, Government, Accessed May 15, 2009
- ^ Michigan Town Is Left Pleading for Bankruptcy, by Monica Davey | The New York Times, published 27 December, 2010
- ^ Hamtramck, Neighboring Detroit Settle Tax Dispute, by Kate Linebaugh | The Wall Street Journal, published 23 March, 2011
- ^ "Post Office Location - HAMTRAMCK." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on April 17, 2009.
- ^ "Post Office Location - HAMTRAMCK ANNEX." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on April 17, 2009.
- ^ Hamtramck Schools.
- ^ Frontier International Academy.
- ^ a b Montemurri, Patricia. "NEW CATHOLIC HIGH PROPOSED." Detroit Free Press. January 30, 2006.News E2. Retrieved on April 17, 2011. "St Florian Elementary in Hamtramck now Hanley International Academy[...]"
- ^ Mercer, Tenisha. "Schools merge, form Trinity High." The Detroit News. June 5, 2002. Metro 6E. Retrieved on April 29, 2011.
- ^ Pratt, Chastity, Patricia Montemurri, and Lori Higgins. "PARENTS, KIDS SCRAMBLE AS EDUCATION OPTIONS NARROW." Detroit Free Press. March 17, 2005. A1 News. Retrieved on April 30, 2011. "School closings announced Wednesday by the Archdiocese of Detroit doomed eight high schools in Detroit and neighboring suburbs and will shutter 10 elementary schools, including historic landmarks such as St. Alphonsus Elementary in Dearborn and St. Florian Elementary in Hamtramck." and "[...]said Jean Irvin-Stanley, who has children at Trinity High and Notre Dame High, both scheduled to shut their doors." "And with the closing of St. Florian Elementary, there will be no Catholic school in once heavily Polish Catholic Hamtramck."
- ^ "Welcome to the Hamtramck Public Library." Hamtramck Public Library. Retrieved on April 26, 2009.
- ^ "About." Hamtramck Public Library. Retrieved on April 26, 2009.
- ^ a b St. Florian Roman Catholic Church.
- ^ Hamtramck History, pictures and links.
- ^ Opus List, Austin Organs, Inc.
- ^ Calendar of events, St. Florian Catholic Church.
- ^ a b c Kulfan, Ted (August 10, 2010). "'Pinky' Deras: The greatest Little Leaguer there ever was". Hamtramck, Michigan: The Detroit News. http://detnews.com/article/20100821/SPORTS07/8210322/-Pinky--Deras--The-greatest-Little-Leaguer-there-ever-was. Retrieved 2010-11-09.
- ^ http://www.hamtramck.us/about/pages/history.php
- ^ Mackinac Center, Hamtramck receivership history.
- ^ City Charter passes by 153 votes
- ^ "Detroit Suburbs Ahead in Census." The New York Times. May 16, 1920. Retrieved on April 11, 2009.
- ^ "Michigan Sports Hall of Fame biography". 2008. http://www.michigansportshof.org/inductees/archives/bartkowicz.html. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- ^ a b "Hamtramck Hollywood Connection". 2008. http://www.hamtramckcitizen.com/news/hamtramck-has-a-long-hollywood-connection. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- ^ Pitrone, Jean. (1985) Jean Hoxie, the Robin Hood of Tennis. (Avenue Pub Co.) ISBN 0-910977-01-1; ISBN 978-0-910977-01-2 129 pages.
- ^ Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Inductees.
- ^ Class of 1986 Michigan Tennis Hall of Fame, Tribute to Jean Hoxie and Jerry Hoxie.
- ^ Rochelle, Larry (2007) Ten Mile Creek (BookSurge Publishing) ISBN 1-4196-6665-7; ISBN 978-1-4196-6665-0, 190 pages, a novel about Toledo, tennis and Hamtramck.
- ^ Hamtramck Historical Commission, Gail Kobe
- ^ "obituary, The Times". London. September 11, 2008. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4726358.ece. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
- ^ "VH1 - Mitch Ryder biography". 2008. http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/ryder_mitch/bio.jhtml. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ Taylor, Phil. "'hey, Call Anytime'." Sports Illustrated. July 4, 1994. Retrieved on April 11, 2009.
- ^ "Indians Scalp Red Sox As Yankees, Dodgers Falter." Toledo Blade. Wednesday September 19, 1951. Page 30. Google News 30 of 54. Retrieved on September 20, 2009.
[edit] Further reading
- Farmer, Silas. (1884) (Jul 1969) The history of Detroit and Michigan, or, The metropolis illustrated: a chronological cyclopaedia of the past and present: including a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annuals of Wayne County, in various formats at Open Library.
- Kowalski, Greg, Hamtramck: The Driven City (Arcadia Publishing) 160 pages. ISBN 0-7385-2380-1; ISBN 978-0-7385-2380-4.
- Serafino, Frank, (1983) West of Warsaw. Avenue Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-910977-00-5 ISBN 0-910977-00-3.
- St. Florian Parish, Hamtramck, Michigan, 1908-1983 Published in 1985, s.n. (Hamtramck, Mich) (English and Polish) 400 p. Open Library.
- Wodka, Joseph. Some Correlates of Political Stability in a Polish-Language Voting Precinct in the Detroit Metropolitan Area; 1959 thesis.
[edit] External links
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