Hamtramck, Michigan
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Hamtramck is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan in the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 22,976. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit on all sides, but a small portion of the western border touches the city of Highland Park. Hamtramck is named for the soldier Jean Francois Hamtramck who was the first American commander of Fort Shelby, the fortification at Detroit. Hamtramck was originally settled by Eastern European immigrants, particularly Poles, who still make up a large proportion of the population. It is sometimes confused with Poletown, a traditional Polish neighborhood which lies mostly in the city of Detroit and includes a small part of Hamtramck.
Recently, Hamtramck's city council voted unaimously to amend the city's noise ordinance to allow loudspeaker broadcasts of the Islamic call to prayer and Christian church bells.
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History
- 1796 - Colonel Jean Francois Hamtramck took possession of Detroit after British troops evacuated.
- 1798 - The Township of Hamtramck was established.
- 1901 - Hamtramck was established as a village.
- 1908 - Saint Florian's parish is the first Catholic church in Hamtramck
- 1910 - Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company break ground for a automotive plant in Hamtramck; rapid influx of European immigrants begins.
- 1914 - Dodge Brothers plant begins operations.
- 1922 - Hamtramck is incorporated as a city to protect itself from annexation by Detroit; Peter C. Jezewski is the first mayor.
- 1926 - St.Florian's present church edifice is built
Culture
Hamtramck flourished from 1910 to 1920 as thousands of European immigrants, particularly German and Polish, were attracted by the growing automobile industy. The city has grown increasingly enthnically diverse but still bears many reminders of its Polish ancestry in family names, street names and businesses. A recent survey found 26 native languages spoken by Hamtramck schoolchildren. The city's motto is "A League of Nations".
At the time of the 2000 census, Hamtramck was again experiencing considerable growth, with over 8,000 households and a population of almost 23,000.
Geography
MIMap-doton-Hamtramck.PNG
Location of Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is mostly encircled by Detroit except a small portion that touches the city of Highland Park. Hamtramck lies about five miles (8 km) from the center of Detroit. The I-75 Freeway roughly runs along this city's western border and I-94 runs near its southern border.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.5 km² (2.1 mi²). 5.5 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 22,976 people, 8,033 households, and 4,851 families residing in the city. The population density is 4,204.3/km² (10,900.5/mi²). There are 8,894 housing units at an average density of 1,627.5/km² (4,219.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 60.96% White, 15.12% African American, 0.43% Native American, 10.37% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 11.89% from two or more races. 1.31% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 8,033 households out of which 33.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% are married couples living together, 16.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% are non-families. 32.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.74 and the average family size is 3.59.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 110.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 109.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $26,616, and the median income for a family is $30,496. Males have a median income of $29,368 versus $22,346 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,691. 27.0% of the population and 24.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 36.9% of those under the age of 18 and 18.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.