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Trenton is a city in Wayne County in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 19,584. The city is part of Downriver, a collection of mostly blue-collar communities south of Detroit on western bank of the Detroit River, thus "down-the-river."
Many residents are employed in the city's factories such as the DaimlerChrysler Trenton Engine Plant *, Solutia and the Detroit Edison Trenton Channel Power Plant. Oakwood South Shore Hospital (also known as Seaway Hospital) is located within city limits and has 203 beds. The city operates the 21,000-square-foot Trenton Veterans Memorial Library, constructed in 1997 for $4 million, and a historical museum. Trenton has 15 churches of 10 denominations.
The Battle of Monguagon also took place in Trenton on the site of Elizabeth Park, which is part of the Wayne County Park System and is the first county park in Michigan, designated in 1919.
History
The "founder" of Trenton is considered to be Abram Caleb Truax, a member of the territorial militia in attendance when General William Hull surrendered Detroit to the British General Isaac Brock early in the War of 1812. After the war in 1816, Truax acquired a large tract of land in the Michigan Territory along the Detroit River from the U.S. government and constructed a sawmill, church and store in what is today downtown Trenton. When Territorial Governor Lewis Cass organized Monguagon Township in 1827, Truax became the first Township Supervisor. He laid out the village of Truaxton in 1834. A post office had been established there named "Monguago" in 1828 with Truax as the first postmaster. The post office name was changed to "Truago" in 1837, and to "Trenton" in 1847, after a type of limestone mined from a local quarry. The village was platted and recorded under the named Trenton in 1850 by Abram's son and daughter George Brigham Truax and Sophia Slocum, the wife of industrialist Giles Slocum. * The Slocum family estate was given to the county, becoming what is known as Elizabeth Park, named after Elizabeth Slocum.
In 1834 an industrialist, Giles Bryan Slocum, constructed a dock, making Trenton a major hub of steamboat traffic. * In 1846, Capt. Arthur Edwards founded the Detroit & Cleveland Steamboat Company in Trenton. Through the late 1880s Trenton, like several Downriver communities, was known for its extensive shipyards.
Trenton incorporated as a village in 1855.
A Detroit businessman and later Michigan's first U.S. attorney, Solomon Sibley, started a limestone quarry near Trenton, near what is today Fort Street and Sibley Road. Materials from the quarry were used to construct structures in Detroit, most notably Fort Detroit along the Detroit River. The quarry was later sold to Austin Church *, who used limestone to make baking soda, which he sold under his family's nameplate, Arm & Hammer.
Through the late 1880s and even early 1900s, Trenton prospered because it was roughly a days-journey between both Detroit and Monroe, Michigan, which meant people travelling between the two cities would have to stop overnight in Trenton.*
Trenton annexed the village of Sibley (along the modern Riverview border) in 1929, extending the city's northern boundary to modern-day Sibley Road. Trenton incorporated as a city in 1957.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.4 km² (7.5 mi²). 18.9 km² (7.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (2.67%) is water. The city is located between Detroit, Michigan, and Monroe, Michigan in the state's southeastern lower peninsula. The city is located on the western bank of the Detroit River and is bounded by Grosse Ile, Michigan to the east, Riverview, Michigan to the north, Brownstown Township, Michigan to the west and south and Woodhaven, Michigan to the west.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 19,584 people, 8,137 households, and 5,590 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,035.8/km² (2,682.8/mi²). There were 8,345 housing units at an average density of 441.4/km² (1,143.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.92% White, 0.37% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 8,137 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,566, and the median income for a family was $61,891. Males had a median income of $52,123 versus $31,892 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,288. About 4.0% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.
City Government
City Hall is located at 2800 Third St.
The current city officials are:
- Mayor: Gerald R. Brown (2007)
- Mayor Pro-Tem: William LeFevre (2007)
- City Council: Timothy Taylor (2009), Timber R. Baun-Crooks (2009), W. Dan Gillespie (2007), MaryEllen McLeod (2007), Terrence Teifer (2009)
- City Assessor: John Dahlquist (2007)
- City Clerk: Kyle F. Stack (2007)
- City Treasurer: Randy Schoen (2007)
Public Schools
Trenton has six public schools with more than 3,000 students total. The schools are Owen Elementary School, Anderson Elementary School, Taylor Elementary School, Hedke Elementary School, Arthurs Middle School (Formerly known as Monguagon) and Trenton High School. *
Culture
Trenton features an active community revolving around sports and the arts and its downtown area along West Jefferson Boulevard features an annual art fair, called the Mid-Summer Festival.
The recently-remodeled Trenton Village Theatre is also located in the downtown area (The art deco theater was designed by Charles N. Agree, who also created the Grand Ballroom in Detroit among many [http://www.cinematreasures.com/architect/150/ others.)
Trenton also operates the Bridge Cultural Center at 2427 West Road, a former farmhouses that now houses an array of yearly activities including the annual Christmas fair, arts and crafts events and the Trenton Model Train Club.
Festivals
Trenton has several festivals throughout the year.- Roar of the River
- Taste of Trenton
- Country Christmas
- Somewhere in Time
- Mid-Summer Festival
- Scarecrow Festival
Parks and Recreation
The city recently spent $8.4 million to renovate the Kennedy Recreation Center, a $150,00-square-foot complex along West Road that includes an ice rink, meeting rooms and shops. It is also home to the Trenton High School hockey team.
Adjacent is the Kennedy Outdoor Aquatic Center, a 13,000-square-foot pool and water park that opened in 2005. The facility includes a 25-meter, 8-lane competitive pool with two diving boards, a 15-meter lap pool, a waterslide with separate splash area and a 7,000 square-foot leisure pool.
The city has 200 acres of parks including 22 operated by the city and six at schools. The city and Wayne County each also operate boat launches.
Along the Detroit River, Elizabeth Park, operated by Wayne County is a popular destination for picnic-goers and fishermen.
The city also runs the Westfield Activties Center at 2700 Westfield, which hosts meetings and houses the city's senior citizen program; the Teifer Building; and the Haas Park Building.
Trivia
- Trenton is home to the world's first traffic lane markings, which appeared on River Road (now West Jefferson) in 1912.
- The first A & W root beer stand in Michigan opened in Trenton in 1935 *.
- On October 2, 2005, 14 senior citizens from a Trenton tour group were thrown overboard in an upstate New York lake when the boat they were riding in capsized. At least 21 passengers died.
- Donald M. Dickinson, U.S. Postmaster General under President Grover Cleveland was a resident of Trenton.
External links
"Trenton, Michigan"