Lake Orion ( / ˈ ɒr i ən / ORR -ee-ən ) is a village located on the northern edge of Metro Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. According to the 2020 census, the population of Lake Orion was 2,876. The name "Lake Orion" can describe both the village and the larger Orion Township, which includes the village as part of its area.

Lake Orion started as a resort town and has gradually added features typical of a bedroom community over time.

History

Judah Church and Moses (or Samuel) Munson were among the first settlers. Munson arrived in 1824 and built a sawmill in 1825. He also planted the first orchard in the area. Jesse Decker and his wife, Mary, arrived from upstate New York in 1825. He was very active and helped the community grow. Because of his efforts, the place became known as "Decker's Settlement," and the town was named "Canandaigua" after a town in New York where the settlers came from. Over time, the settlement became a busy place with a sawmill, tavern, post office, general store, blacksmith shop, school, and cemetery. In 1828, a power dam was built, joining several small lakes to create Lake Canandaigua, which is now called Lake Orion.

In 1830, Decker built the first frame barn in the area with help from local Native Americans. The first post office opened in 1832, with Decker as the postmaster. In 1835, the community changed its name from Canandaigua to Orion, and Lake Canandaigua became Lake Orion. The new name was chosen by the village's attorney, likely because of the Orion Trees in the area. That same year, the Township of Orion was officially approved by the Michigan Territorial government. Decker became the first Supervisor of Orion, earning $2 a year. By 1836, two people were licensed to run taverns in the town, one of whom was Decker. In 1837, he was elected to the first Michigan House of Representatives and also served as a justice of the peace for the Orion area. By 1840, Decker owned 440 acres (1.8 square kilometers) of land.

In 1909, a Marine Postal Center was established, delivering mail to over 300 cottages on the lake and islands by boat. Lake Orion was the first town in the United States to have this service.

In 1929, Amelia Earhart visited Lake Orion at the invitation of William Edmund Scripps, a local aviator. During her visit, she flew an experimental glider at Scripps Mansion. That same year, the village was officially renamed "Lake Orion."

Lake Orion was served by trains on the Michigan Central Railroad from 1872 to 1976 and the Detroit United Railway interurban system from 1899 to 1931. Each service had its own track and depot, both named "Orion" and located near the intersection of M-24 and Flint Street. A flag stop called Rudds Station was on the Michigan Central Railroad line east of the village near Clarkston and Kern Roads. Rudds Station served Rudds Mill, a wheat-producing mill on Paint Creek. The Michigan Central Railroad line ran from Detroit to Mackinaw City, and the Flint Division of the Detroit United Railway line ran from Royal Oak to Flint. As cars became more popular and M-24 was paved in 1929, passenger service on the Detroit United Railway ended in 1931, and its tracks were removed during the 1940s for a World War II metal drive. The Michigan Central Railroad line continued passenger service until 1950 and freight service until the 1970s. The Michigan Central Railroad track passed through New York Central and Penn Central and was closed in 1976 after being acquired by Conrail. Most of the original tracks were removed, and the line from the village south toward Rochester now serves as the Paint Creek Trail. A narrow path remains north of the village, passing over the historic Indian Lake Road Stone Arch Bridge, a small limestone bridge built in 1891.

Lake Orion was also served by trains on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The Polly Ann line ran from Pontiac to Caseville, passing through western Orion Township. Two flag stop stations served Lake Orion on the Polly Ann line: Eames Station near the intersection of Joslyn and Silverbell Roads, and Cole Station near the intersection of Joslyn and Clarkston Roads. A short section of the track was still used as of 2014 by the Canadian National Railway to connect the General Motors Orion Assembly plant to the main line in Pontiac. All track north of the plant was removed by 1985. In 1993, a federal grant and matching funds from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources helped purchase the right-of-way from the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The corridor now serves as the Polly Ann Trail, connecting Lake Orion with Oxford, Addison Township, and Leonard.

Lake Orion became a popular vacation spot for people in Metro Detroit in the early 20th century. The arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad in 1872 helped make Lake Orion a major summer resort for travelers between Detroit and Flint. In 1874, local leaders formed the Orion Park Association to take advantage of the growing number of visitors. They created a park on the lake’s shore (now Green’s Park) near the train depot and operated a steam-powered boat for lake excursions and trips to Park Island. Over time, Park Island Amusement Park expanded to include a penny arcade, carousel, souvenir booths, refreshment stands, dining rooms, dance halls, and a wooden roller coaster called "The Thriller."

The swimming beach on the north side of Park Island had separate bathhouses for men and women, a waterslide, and diving boards, the tallest 42 feet above the water. Lake Orion was stocked with fish like bass, pickerel, and pike, and fishing contests were held seasonally. Double-deck boats, including the "City of Orion," offered lake tours with bands and a dance floor on the upper deck. At night, Park Island was lit up with thousands of lights.

Once a top vacation spot, the park struggled during the Great Depression and suffered several fires, leading to its closure in 1955. The park was owned by the Detroit Edison Company from 1912 until it closed. Later, a private developer built homes on Park Island in the 1960s. In the 1910s and 1920s, Lake Orion was promoted in brochures and newspapers as the "Venice of the Middle West," "Paris of Detroit," and "Lake Orion, the One Best Resort."

The story of the Lake Orion Dragon says that in the 1800s, a group of children built a fake dragon and floated it on the lake. Many people saw it, and the lake became known for the dragon. There are different stories about who built it, but most believe Levi A. Wild was responsible.

In 1894, the Lake Orion "dragon" entered local history. Two women near the present Robert's Rondevoo cove first saw it. As the story spread, some claimed the dragon was at least 80 feet long. Newspapers in Detroit and other cities joked that Orion residents should "drink more well-water in the future." The nickname for Lake Orion High School’s sports teams, the Dragons, comes from this legend.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.30 square miles (3.37 square kilometers), of which 0.79 square miles (2.05 square kilometers) is land and 0.51 square miles (1.32 square kilometers) is water.

Lake Orion, also called "Orion Lake," is a medium-sized inland lake with an area of 506 acres. It has a maximum depth of 80 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake is located within the Village of Lake Orion and Orion Township. It is the eighth largest lake by area in Oakland County.

The current size of the lake was formed by combining smaller lakes over time, starting with the construction of a dam on Paint Creek in the 1830s. Canals were also dug to increase the amount of land along the lake’s edges.

A public access boat launch is located on the northern side of the lake. It is managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Lake Orion has several islands. Some islands have homes that are used seasonally or all year. The largest islands, Bellevue and Park, are connected to the mainland by two-lane bridges and have homes that are occupied year-round. Most boats can pass under the Bellevue Bridge, which has a clearance of 9.6 feet. The Park Island bridge has a lower clearance, allowing only canoes, kayaks, and rowboats to pass underneath. The other islands can only be reached by boat. Victoria Island is the third largest island and has several seasonal and year-round homes. A smaller island, Paint Island, once had a single home from the 1850s to the 1950s. Little remains of the island due to erosion, except for one tree, and the shallow waters near it can be dangerous for boaters. Sweet’s Island is home to the Lake Orion Boat Club, which has a private boathouse and docks for members. Romance Island has one cottage, Preston Island has two seasonal cottages, Dot Island has one seasonal cottage, and Armada Island has four seasonal cottages. Homes on all islands except Bellevue and Park require the use of watercraft to travel to and from the mainland.

Demographics

The demographics listed below apply only to the village. For information about the entire Orion Township, refer to the township's demographics.

According to the 2010 census, the village had 2,973 people, 1,304 households, and 709 families. The population density was 3,763.3 people per square mile (1,453.0 per square kilometer). There were 1,483 housing units, with an average density of 1,877.2 units per square mile (724.8 per square kilometer). The racial composition of the village was 94.2% White, 1.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 3.5% of the population.

Of the 1,304 households, 27.0% had children under 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples, 10.7% had a female householder without a husband, 3.8% had a male householder without a wife, and 45.6% were non-family households. Thirty-eight percent of all households included only one person, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.19 people, and the average family size was 2.93 people.

The median age in the village was 41.2 years. Twenty point six percent of residents were under 18, 7.8% were between 18 and 24, 27.9% were aged 25 to 44, 27.5% were aged 45 to 64, and 16.2% were 65 or older. The gender distribution was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

Government

Lake Orion is managed by Orion Township for tasks such as collecting taxes, conducting elections, and providing assessments for county, state, and national purposes. The Village of Lake Orion is a Michigan home rule village, meaning it has its own rules set by the people. It uses a council-manager form of government, where a local charter approved by voters outlines how the village is run. The village council, which includes a President and six council members, makes decisions for the village. The council appoints a Village Manager, who is the top administrator responsible for managing daily operations and overseeing all departments. Darwin McClary is the current Village Manager, appointed in November 2022. He previously served as Manager from 2013 to 2017.

The Lake Orion Community Schools school district provides education services to the village.

Notable people

This list includes individuals from Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion.

• Scott Amedure, guest on The Jenny Jones Show and murder victim
• Trevor Blaylock, member of the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command
• Christopher Bowman, U.S. Winter Olympian, National Champion, and World Medalist figure skater
• William Broomfield, former congressman
• Pat Caputo, sportswriter for The Oakland Press and radio personality at WXYT-FM
• Rolla C. Carpenter, engineer, academic, and writer
• Dave Collins, former professional baseball player and former coach at Lake Orion High School
• Barbara Ann Crancer, associate circuit court judge and daughter of Jimmy Hoffa
• Nicole Curtis, host of DIY and HGTV's home renovation show Rehab Addict
• Matthew Dear, musician
• Andrew J. Feustel, NASA astronaut
• Frontier Ruckus, art-folk band
• Tom Gillis, professional golfer
• Jeff Heath, professional football player
• Frederick Henderson, former CEO of General Motors
• James P. Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and son of Jimmy Hoffa
• Jimmy Hoffa (family summer home), former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
• Zak Keasey, former professional football player
• Scott Kowalkowski, former professional football player
• Mickey Lolich, former professional baseball player and donut shop owner
• James Marcinkowski, politician, attorney, and former CIA case officer
• Chris "Hot Wings" Michels, syndicated radio show host
• Jamie Milam, professional hockey player
• Troy Milam, professional hockey player
• Frank Novak, former NFL coach
• Shannon Pettypiece, White House correspondent for Bloomberg LP
• Raymond Plouhar, staff sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps
• William Edmund Scripps, newspaper magnate
• Rich Strenger, lawyer and former professional football player
• Rod Taylor, former professional hockey player
• Ron Tripp, World sambo and judo champion and president of USA Judo
• Cynthia Watros, actress
• Mike Weger, business owner, real estate developer, and former professional football player
• Della Woods, drag racer