Flat Rock is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. A small part of the city is also in Monroe County. According to the 2020 census, the population of Flat Rock was 10,541.

History

Flat Rock was originally a settlement of the Wyandot people. Later, it was set aside as a reservation for the Wyandot and remained a reservation in 1830.

The first European-American settlers in Flat Rock were Michael Vreeland and his five adult sons, who arrived between 1811 and 1820. Vreeland had been captured by British soldiers during the Revolutionary War and was released after American independence. The family bought 800 acres (3.2 km²). The town was named "Village of Vreeland" until 1838, when the Vreeland family sold most of the land and gave up control of the area. The Vreeland family built the first grain and lumber mill, bringing the grinding stones from New York. Descendants of Michael Vreeland still live in Flat Rock and attend Flat Rock public schools, making them the seventh generation of their family to live in the town they founded.

The first record of settlers in the area that later became Flat Rock was made by a French priest named Father Jean Dilhet. In 1798, he described his parish and mentioned "Grosse Roche," which referred to a settlement named after a large limestone rock on the south side of the Huron River.

In 1818, a land office opened in Detroit, and Solomon Sibley bought 330.93 acres (1.3392 km²) of land. In 1824, this land was sold to Michael and Jacob Vreeland. Parts of this land were used to create the villages of Vreeland and Smooth Rock. At that time, there were Huron, Seneca, and Wyandot Native American villages in the area.

After the Erie Canal opened in 1825, many people, especially from New York, moved to Michigan to settle. By 1828, the village had four stores, two sawmills, a wool carding mill, a flour mill, and 250 people. It served mainly as a center for farmers living nearby.

The village of Flat Rock was officially planned and recorded in 1838 by the Gibraltar and Flat Rock Land Company. They tried to build a canal to connect Lake Erie with Lake Michigan, but this effort did not succeed.

In 1925, Henry Ford was drawn to the water power of the Huron River. He built the Ford Motor Company Lamp Factory along the river. The Flat Rock Dam was built to provide electricity from water power to the factory.

Flat Rock became a village in 1923 and a city in 1965.

On January 25, 1979, Robert Williams was killed by the arm of a robotic transfer vehicle while working at the Ford Motor Company’s Michigan Casting Center in Flat Rock. This was the first known case of a person being killed by a robot.

In 2021, Ford Motor Company released benzene into the city sewer system, causing 1,100 people to leave their homes.

Geography

Flat Rock is located in southern Wayne County. A very small part of the city is in Monroe County to the south. This happened because the border along the Huron River followed the river’s path in 1923, the year Flat Rock became a village. At that time, the river had two curves, but those curves have since been filled in. The city is bordered by Woodhaven to the northeast, Rockwood to the southeast, and South Rockwood to the south across the Huron River in Monroe County.

U.S. Route 24 (Telegraph Road) runs through the center of Flat Rock. It goes north 14 miles (23 km) to the western part of Dearborn and southwest the same distance to Monroe. Interstate 75 runs along the eastern edge of Flat Rock, with direct access from Exit 29 (Gibraltar Road). I-75 continues northeast 21 miles (34 km) to Detroit and southwest 35 miles (56 km) to Toledo, Ohio.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Flat Rock has a total area of 6.71 square miles (17.38 km²), with 6.57 square miles (17.02 km²) as land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km²), or 2.06%, as water.

The city is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as being in both Wayne County and Monroe County. In the 2010 census, the city’s total land area was recorded as 6.67 square miles (17.28 km²). No land area or population data for Monroe County was included, but the city is still listed in some categories as part of Monroe County. The official Flat Rock city website also states that the city’s boundaries extend into Monroe County.

Flat Rock has a higher average number of tornadoes than the entire state of Michigan. It also has a 40% greater average than the entire United States. Two F4 tornadoes have struck Flat Rock: one in 1956 and another in 1965. These tornadoes caused 23 deaths and over 300 injuries.

Economy

In December 2019, Flat Rock had an unemployment rate of 6.5%, which was higher than the United States average of 3.7%. The average income per person in Flat Rock was $27,549, which was lower than the United States average of $31,177. The average income for households in Flat Rock was $63,375, which was higher than the United States average of $57,652. The median income for families in Flat Rock was $76,481, which was higher than the United States average of $70,850.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the city had 9,878 people, 3,754 households, and 2,684 families. The population density was 1,512.7 people per square mile (584.1/km²). There were 3,995 housing units, with an average density of 611.8 per square mile (236.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 4.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 4.4% of the population.

Of the 3,754 households, 38.9% had children under 18 living with them. 49.8% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.6% of all households had only one person, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.62 people, and the average family size was 3.10 people.

The median age in the city was 36.9 years. 27.4% of residents were under 18, 8.4% were between 18 and 24, 26.6% were 25 to 44, 27.1% were 45 to 64, and 10.4% were 65 or older. The gender distribution was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

As of the 2000 census, the city had 8,488 people, 3,181 households, and 2,306 families. The population density was 1,266.9 people per square mile (489.2/km²). There were 3,291 housing units, with an average density of 491.2 per square mile (189.7/km²). The racial makeup was 95.32% White, 1.43% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.64% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 2.70% of the population.

Of the 3,181 households, 39.8% had children under 18 living with them. 51.7% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 22.9% of all households had only one person, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66 people, and the average family size was 3.12 people.

The population was distributed as follows: 29.3% under 18, 10.1% aged 18 to 24, 30.3% aged 25 to 44, 20.8% aged 45 to 64, and 9.5% aged 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 87.7 males.

The median household income in the city was $44,084, and the median family income was $54,186. Males had a median income of $43,967, while females had a median income of $27,348. The average income per person was $21,256. About 8.5% of families and 8.8% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under 18 and 4.8% of those aged 65 or older.