During the time Michigan was part of the British-owned Northwest Territory, there were two main Indian Nations, the Algonquins who were tribes of the Hurons, Ottawas, Ojibwas, Pottawatomies, Miamis, Sauk, Sashabaws and others; and the Iroquois. By the time the settlers ventured into Waterford Village, there were few Indians living in the area.
In the latter part of 1818 Oliver Williams and Alpheus Williams, his brother-in-law, entered the first land purchase for $2.00 an acre. Archibald Phillips and Alpheus Williams purchased 161.40 acres in what became the Village of Waterford.
In 1819, the Oliver Williams family established the first farm settlement in the county on the banks of Silver Lake. Archibald Phillips and Alpheus Williams continued on to where the Clinton River crossed the Saginaw Trail. Now that Indian trail is called Dixie Highway. Here the first house of the Village of Waterford was built by Alpheus Williams on the north bank of the river. Archibald Phillips built his home across from the south corner where Andersonville Road meets Dixie Highway. Williams and Phillips also built the first dam where the Clinton River crossed over the Saginaw Trail and erected the first saw mill.
The historic district of Waterford Township includes Dixie Highway, a block north and south of Andersonville Road, then Andersonville Road between Dixie Highway and Airport Road, south on Airport Road to the railroad tracks.
There are 29,387 households out of which 30.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% are married couples living together, 9.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% are non-families. 27.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 2.99.
In the township the population is spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township is $55,008, and the median income for a family is $64,500. Males have a median income of $47,409 versus $32,016 for females. The per capita income for the township is $27,432. 5.1% of the population and 3.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 5.8% are under the age of 18 and 4.0% are 65 or older.History
In January 1805, Congress passed an act for the organization of the Territory of Michigan. In 1813, Colonel Lewis Cass was appointed third governor and he formed the boundaries of Oakland County in 1819. Waterford became a township in 1834 and in 1837 Michigan became a state. Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 91.4 km² (35.3 mi²). 81.2 km² (31.3 mi²) of it is land and 10.3 km² (4.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 11.22% water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 73,150 people, 29,387 households, and 19,130 families residing in the township. The population density is 901.2/km² (2,334.3/mi²). There are 30,404 housing units at an average density of 374.6/km² (970.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the township is 92.65% White, 2.89% African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 3.91% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.