Brownstown has three separate but connected segments due to the incorporation of the cities of Flat Rock, Rockwood, and Woodhaven in the early 1960s.[5]
The region now known as Brownstown was, like surrounding areas in Michigan, once a part of the French colony of New France (Mid France). The area eventually fell into hands of the British and finally came under American rule in the 18th century. The original 43-square-mile (110 km2) area of land south of Detroit was designated a township by the Michigan Territorial Council on April 5, 1827, when Moses Roberts was elected its first supervisor. This made Brownstown one of Wayne County's nine original townships.[6]
Research from local historians have found that the township was named for Adam Brown, who was kidnapped by the Wyandot Indians. Brown was raised by the Wyandots, married a native woman, and grew to become a tribal leader. As time passed, settlements spread out from the lakeshore to begin changing the swampy, sandhill countryside into productive farmland. Established in 1893, Kurtzhals Farm is one of the largest remaining farms in the township.[6][7]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 30.64 square miles (79.36 km2), of which 8.45 square miles (21.89 km2) (27.58%) are covered by water.[8]
At the 2000 census, 22,989 people, 8,322 households, and 6,249 families resided in the township. The population density was 1,024.0 inhabitants per square mile (395.4/km2). The 9,008 housing units had an average density of 401.3 per square mile (154.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 89.02% White, 3.82% African American, 0.53% Native American, 3.83% Asian, 0.86% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.58%.[2]
Of the 8,322 households, 40.3% had children under 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were not families. About 19.8% of households were one person, and 4.3% were one person 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76, and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township, the age distribution was 28.7% under 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% 65 were or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household was $55,239 and for a family was $65,544. Males had a median income of $50,246 versus $29,614 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,523. About 5.7% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under 18 and 7.4% of those 65 or over.
The population of Brownstown Township was 30,627. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 79.0% non-Hispanic white, 8.6% Black or African-American, 0.4% Native American, 5.2% Asian, 0.1% non-Hispanics of some other race, 2.1% reporting two or more races and 5.2% Hispanic or Latino.[9]
US 25, U.S. highway that was decommissioned in 1973. It ran along the current Dix–Toledo Road, which runs through the northern portion of the township.
The township is also home to the Chevrolet Volt Battery Pack Assembly Plant. GM converted an empty warehouse on Sibley and King Roads between I-75 and Allen Road into a temporary plant.[10]
Amazon opened a distribution center in Brownstown in 2015.[11]
Students in the small neighborhood south of Pennsylvania Road and west of Telegraph within Brownstown attend Taylor School District schools. These students are assigned to Eureka Heights Elementary School,[16] West Middle School,[17] and Taylor High School, all in Taylor.[18]
Residents in the northern section were once served by the Bacon Memorial Library in Wyandotte, but now all residents are served by the Trenton Veterans Memorial Library in Trenton.[19]
^"Wyandotte Nation Adam Brown biography". Wyandotte Nation. Retrieved August 11, 2014. Excerpted from the C. A. Buser files and the book, The Provisional Government of Nebraska Territory and The Journals of William Walker, Provisional Governor of Nebraska Territory – Edited by William E. Connelley
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