Our Community

Macomb County, MI was named in honor of General Alexander Macomb, a highly decorated veteran of the War of 1812; Macomb County was formally organized on January 15, 1818 as the third county in the Michigan territory. 

The first Europeans arrived in the Macomb Co. area during the 17th century. They included French fur trappers and Moravian missionaries. In the late 1790s, Christian Clemens visited the area, and in March 1800, purchased a distillery, considered the first building on the site of the future Mount Clemens. The next year he purchased 500 acres for development.  In the early 1800s, and at least by 1840, settlers moved into the interior of the county. The roots of the county villages and townships were established by this time. In addition to the original French and English, later settlers included Germans, Belgians and others who came directly from Europe.

In the 1870s, mineral baths brought international fame to Mount Clemens. Many believed the waters had healing powers. Although the stream still runs beneath the city, interest in the spas died out in the early 20th century. Recently, there has been a reemergence of interest in the mineral baths now being offered at St. Joseph Hospital in Mount Clemens.

Between 1920 and 1930, Macomb County doubled in population, rising from 38,103 to 77,146 persons. Two significant developments spurred this growth - the establishment of Selfridge Field in 1917, and the beginning of the urbanization movement northward from the City of Detroit.

During the 1940s and the 1950s the movement from the central city to the suburbs increased. The largest growth occurred between 1950 and 1970, when over 440,000 people were added to Macomb County's population.

Macomb County, MI is the ninth smallest of Michigan's 83 counties; Macomb boasts 482 square miles, yet it ranks third in population, with 829,453 (2005 estimate) residents as reported in  U.S. Census 2000. Median household income for 2003 was a healthy $51,742, well ahead of the statewide average for Michigan. The county is recognized as a leader in business and industry, and designated as a "Community of Economic Excellence" by the State of Michigan. It is one of three counties that comprise the Detroit Metropolitan area, (one of the top 10 metro areas in the US).   Among the county's 27 municipalities are included three of the ten largest communities in Michigan; Warren (3rd), Sterling Heights (6th), and Clinton Township (10th).

Macomb County consistently offers the lowest tax base in the region with only 11 cents of every property tax dollar going to support county services. Macomb County has the highest possible credit rating from Moody's and Standard & Poor's, making it one of only 34 counties in the entire nation to achieve this status.

The towns and cities that make up Macomb County, Michigan are a mix of old and new but there is something very distinctive about the older towns. In this day and age when Shopping Malls and Commerce Centers have drawn away from the old charm of the cities and turned many main streets into almost ghost towns, many of Macomb’s downtowns are still thriving. The brick front symmetrical shops housing everything from shoemakers to video stores seems to be unaffected by the Malls that have rendered many of middle America’s quaint older downtowns stagnate. This says something about the quality and balance of growth in this area.

While Macomb County, MI has no one major differentiating attraction, like a Disney Land or a 6 Flags, there is plenty to do here. Start with the plethora of activities and festivities surrounding Apples, add camping, and hunting, and fishing.  Boating and most outdoor sports are covered. Lake St. Clair is one of the most popular recreational boating destinations in the country. Popularly referred to as the “heart” of the Great Lakes, this nearly circular body of water is 26 miles long and has an area of 430 square miles.