Redford Township, often called Redford, is a type of township in Wayne County, Michigan. It is a suburb near Detroit and borders the city to the west. It is located about 15 miles (24.1 km) northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 49,504.

History

Springwells Township and Bucklin Township were officially created and planned by a governor's action on April 12, 1827. Postal rules required townships to have unique names if they were divided, so the Bucklin name was no longer used after it was split on October 29, 1829, along what is now Inkster Road. The western part became Nankin Township, and the eastern part became Pekin Township. The name Pekin came from people's interest in China at that time. In March 1833, Pekin was renamed Redford, and the southern half became Dearborn Township on April 1. The name Redford was chosen because Native Americans and European settlers crossed the River Rouge at that location. "Rouge" means "red" in French.

The township once included land up to Greenfield Road, but in the 1920s, parts of the township east of Greenfield Road were added to Detroit. This addition stopped in 1926 when the Michigan legislature gave the township "charter" status. In 1918, a post office called "Five Points" operated between 6 Mile Road and 7 Mile Road along Five Points Road.

Redford is home to Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, whose hiring practices led to the 2012 Supreme Court case Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Geography

Redford Township is a western neighborhood of Detroit. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.2 square miles (29 km²), all of which is land. The middle part of the River Rouge flows through Lola Valley Park in the township. Ashcroft Creek, another part of the Rouge River, flows for about half a mile in the southeastern corner of the township before entering Detroit's Rouge Park and then flowing into the main part of the Rouge River. Tarabusi Creek, which is part of the Bell Branch, another part of the Rouge River, flows through Western Golf Club and Bell Creek Park.

Demographics

In 2020, Redford Township had a population of 48,492. The racial and ethnic groups in the population included 44.1% White, 50.2% African-American, 0.4% Asian, 3.0% who reported more than one race, and 5.5% Hispanic. White residents who were not Hispanic made up 41.5% of the population.

In 2010, Redford Township had a population of 48,362. The racial and ethnic groups included 64.7% White, 28.7% African-American, 0.8% Asian, 2.3% who reported more than one race, 0.6% who reported other races (which may include Native American, Pacific Islander, or other categories), and 2.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The African-American population grew by about 200% between 2000 and 2010, while the overall population of the township decreased by 6%.

The U.S. Census Bureau labeled Redford Township as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2000 Census to ensure it appeared on both lists of places (like cities) and county subdivisions (like townships). The statistics for the township and the CDP were the same.

As of the 2000 Census, there were 51,622 people, 20,182 households, and 13,582 families in the township. The population density was 4,597.4 people per square mile (1,775.1/km²). There were 20,605 housing units at an average density of 1,835.1 per square mile (708.5/km²). The racial makeup included 87.98% White, 8.54% African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 2.02% of the population.

There were 20,182 households. Of these, 31.8% had children under 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples, 12.1% had a female householder without a husband, and 32.7% were non-families. Twenty-seven percent of households included only one person, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.54, and the average family size was 3.12.

The population was distributed as follows: 25.3% under 18, 7.0% aged 18–24, 34.0% aged 25–44, 18.7% aged 45–64, and 14.9% aged 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 92.9 males.

The median household income was $49,522, and the median family income was $56,461. Men earned a median income of $41,923, while women earned $29,987. The average income per person was $22,263. About 3.2% of families and 5.1% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under 18 and 5.2% of those 65 or older.

As of the 2010 Census, there were 48,362 people, 19,148 households, and 12,387 families in the township. The population density was 4,597.4 people per square mile (1,775.1/km²). There were 20,739 housing units at an average density of 1,835.1 per square mile (708.5/km²). The racial makeup included 66.4% White, 28.9% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 2.9% of the population.

Education

The public schools in Redford Township are managed by the Redford Union School District, South Redford School District, and Clarenceville School District.

Public high schools in the area include:
• Redford Union High School
• Thurston High School

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit previously operated Bishop Borgess High School and Academy (closed in 2005) and Detroit Catholic Central High School (moved to Novi, Michigan in 2005) in Redford Township.

The Redford Township Library is located on West Six Mile Road. Library service began in the 1920s with a bookmobile that delivered books to residents. By the 1950s, the library operated from a small storefront on Beech-Daly Road, about a block south of Fenkel. A larger, modern Redford Township District Library was open from 1962 until August 23, 2004, when the library moved to a new, even larger building with updated technology. The old library building was transformed into an open-air market, an amphitheater called the Redford Marquee, and a public green space. The Redford Marquee opened in July 2008. The new library was made possible by an $8.5 million community bond. The 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m²) facility is located on a 2.6-acre (11,000 m²) site leased for $1 for 99 years. The library’s collection includes 100,000 books and periodicals, 2,500 CDs, records, cassettes, and other audio materials, as well as 2,500 video items.

Notable people

Redford is the birthplace of several notable individuals. These include Ted Nugent, a musician born on December 13, 1948; Stephen Wasil, an arena football player born on April 14, 1984; Eric Wilson, an NFL player born on September 26, 1994; and Paul Waterman, a businessman and CEO born on July 24, 1964.

In popular culture

Folk musician and songwriter Sufjan Stevens' song "Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)" is part of his 2003 album Michigan. The song quietly tells the story of Stevens' childhood experiences in Redford Township, where his grandparents lived.

Sister cities

Redford has two sister cities, which are named by Sister Cities International:
• St. Johann in Tirol, Austria
• Gau-Algesheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Additional sources

Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Great Lakes Books Series. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-1838-6.