Eastpointe, Michigan

Eastpointe (formerly East Detroit) is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 34,077. Eastpointe forms a part of the Metro Detroit area. It borders on 8 Mile Road on the northern edge of Detroit.

History
The community was first settled by Irish and German immigrants in the 1830s. In October 1897, a Post Office was established there with the name of "Half-way", as it was near the halfway point of the stage run between downtown Detroit and the Macomb County seat at Mount Clemens. It incorporated as the village of Halfway in December 1924 and reincorporated as the City of East Detroit in January 1929. The city changed its name to "Eastpointe" after a vote in 1992; the name change had been proposed to remove any perceived association with the adjacent city of Detroit; the "-pointe" is intended to associate the city instead with the nearby affluent communities of the Grosse Pointes. Prior to 1924, most of the community formed a part of Erin Township.

The city's school district was unaffected by the municipal name change, and still is called East Detroit Public Schools. It has one high school (East Detroit High School), one middle school (Kelly Middle School), and six elementary schools. East Detroit Public Schools serves Macomb County residents, whose primary district boundaries encompass the City of Eastpointe and the southeastern portion of the City of Warren.

Politics
Eastpointe is a Michigan home-rule city and operates under the council-manager form of government. The city's mayor and four council members are elected at large to four-year staggered terms, Suzanne Pixley is the current Mayor of Eastpointe (November 2007). The Mayor and two City Council seats will be up for re-election in November 2011. 

Entertainment and recreation
Eastpointe has many summer festivals and events, including Erin-Halfway Days Living History Festival held at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park in late July, Music in the Park Wednesday nights at Spindler Park, and Summer Fest, formerly known as The Ox Roast, mid to late August at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park.

Cruisin' Gratiot in June is an annual weekend celebration of automotive history, tradition and memorabilia. The event includes car shows, contests, and live music.

Eastpointe is generally considered to be a bedroom community. It is nevertheless a relatively short drive from many other points of interest in the Detroit area. It is served by I-94 and I-696, as well as Gratiot Avenue, 8 Mile Road, and 9 Mile Road.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13.2 km²), all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,077 people, 13,595 households, and 8,959 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,678.8 per square mile (2,579.8/km²). There were 13,965 housing units at an average density of 2,737.0 per square mile (1,057.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.13% White, 4.70% African-American, 0.42% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 13,595 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,261, and the median income for a family was $54,895. Males had a median income of $41,449 versus $28,095 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,665. About 4.2% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2010 Eastpointe had a population of 32,442. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 64.4% non-Hispanic white, 29.5% black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.2% Non-Hispanics reporting some other race, 2.9% reporting two or more races and 2.1% Hispanic or Latino.

Economy
The American Power Boat Association (APBA) is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. The APBA is headquartered in Eastpointe.

At one time Spirit Airlines had its headquarters in Eastpointe. The headquarters moved to Miramar, Florida in November 1999.

In 1959, a young businessman by the name of Art Van Elslander opened the doors to a 4,000-square-foot Danish furniture showroom on Gratiot Avenue in Eastpointe which would become the first Art Van.

Politics & Business
Raised in Eastpointe, Douglas A. Brook (b. 1944) was United States Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) from 1990 to 1992 and Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) from 2007 to 2009.

Edward J. Bonior (1922–2001) was Mayor of East Detroit from 1963-1967. He is the head of the Boniors political family.

Merollis Chevrolet of Eastpointe is where Guinness Book of World Records "World's Greatest Salesman" Joe Girard set consecutive sales records over a fifteen year period.

Former Macomb County Commissioner and former representative of the Michigan House of Representatives Frank Accavitti Jr. is a Eastpointe resident. Accavitti is a former board member and past president of the Eastpointe Kiwanis Club. He also is a member of the Eastpointe Lions Club, the Selfridge Air National Guard Base Community Council, the Eastpointe Historical Society, the friends of the Roseville Library and the Eastpointe Community Chest. Accavitti has served as a trustee of the Eastpointe Employees' Pension Fund, the Eastpointe Memorial Library Board, the South Macomb Disposal Authority and the South East Macomb Sanitary District.

Jerry M. Linenger, M.D., M.S.S.M., M.P.H., Ph.D. (Captain, Medical Corps, USN, Ret.) is a former NASA astronaut, who flew on the Space Shuttle and Space Station Mir Born and raised in Eastpointe, Linenger graduated from East Detroit High School in 1973

Arts & Entertainment
Rapper Kid Rock refers to Eastpointe in his song "It's Still East Detroit To Me."

Christian Berishaj (stage name Christian TV) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer, mixer, videographer and designer and a former member of the band, Love Arcade, in which he was known as Snowhite. He was raised in Eastpointe.

Mike Lubinski of the reality show Big Brother is from Eastpointe.

Adrenalin is an American rock band from East Detroit Michigan, that is perhaps best known for their song "Road of the Gypsy," featured in the 1986 film Iron Eagle.

Back in the USA is the 1970 debut studio album, and second album overall, by the American protopunk band MC5 recorded in Eastpointe in 1969.

Athletics
East Detroit High School produced a number of professional football players, including Gary Ballman, Ron Kramer and Mickey Walker.

Dennis Brown is a former American football player and coach. In 1995, Brown was hired as the head football coach at East Detroit High School.

The Detroit Caesars were a professional softball team that played from 1977 through 1979 in the American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League (APSPL), winning two pro softball championships while playing at Memorial Field in East Detroit. The team disbanded after the 1979 season, but the Detroit Auto Kings would play the 1980 season in the North American Softball League (NASL), before ceasing play and ending professional softball played in East Detroit.

Education
East Detroit Public Schools operates public schools in Eastpointe. The southeastern corner of the city is served by South Lake Public Schools.