Brightmoor, Detroit
| Brightmoor | |
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| — Neighborhood of Detroit — | |
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| Coordinates: 42°23′47″N 83°14′43″W / 42.39639°N 83.24528°WCoordinates: 42°23′47″N 83°14′43″W / 42.39639°N 83.24528°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Wayne |
| City | Detroit |
| Organized | 1922 |
| Annexed by Detroit | 1926 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.9 sq mi (10.1 km2) |
| • Land | 3.9 sq mi (10.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 12,836 |
| • Density | 3,291.2/sq mi (1,270.7/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code(s) | 48223[1] |
| Area code(s) | 313 |
Brightmoor is a roughly 4 square miles (10 km2) neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, near the northwest border of the city.[2] Brightmoor is defined by the Brightmoor Alliance as being bordered by Puritan Road to the north, the CSX railway to the south, Evergreen Road to the east, and Telegraph Road to the west.[3] However, the demographics given here for the neighborhood are the city's formal, statistical definition which consists of eight census tracts that includes some areas outside of its boundaries, but does not include some areas within its boundaries.
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[edit] History
Developer Burt Eddy Taylor bought 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land, located one mile (1.6 km) away from Detroit's city limits at the time, in 1921.[1] Taylor created Brightmoor as a planned community of inexpensive housing for migrants from the Southern United States in the early 1920s.[4][5] The subdivision opened in 1922. B.E. Taylor recruited workers from Appalachia with the lure of employment at one of Detroit's expanding automobile manufacturing plants. An additional 2,913 acres (1,179 ha) was added to the community between 1923 and 1924.[1][5] Most of the residents worked in the automobile industry.[1] Model d has described Brightmoor a neighborhood where families could own a house and live in modest comfort.[5] The City of Detroit annexed Brightmoor in 1926.[1] The houses were intended as low cost mass produced single-family housing.
[edit] Geography
The Brightmoor Alliance under the City Connect Detroit organization and the more formalized 2010 Census data for the neighborhoods of Detroit define the boundary of Brightmoor as approximately 4 square miles (10 km²) in Detroit's northwest section. Brightmoor is bordered by several other Detroit neighborhoods—Old Redford and Rosedale to the north, Cerveny/Grandmont on east, and Cody to the south. The western boundary is Dale Street, which is one block east of Telegraph Road, which borders the autonomous Redford Charter Township. However, Detroit properties along Telegraph Road are generally not considered part of the Brightmoor neighborhood.
The boundaries of the Brightmoor neighborhood extend as far north as Puritan Street. The southern border is defined by a set of CSX rail lines and Interstate 96 from Evergreen Avenue (exit 182) east until the Southfield Freeway (exit 183), which is the eastern border. I-96 curves and runs through the neighborhood. The noncontinuous Dale Street is the western border running along the River Rouge, and Outer Drive also runs through Brightmoor.[1][6][7]
[edit] Demographics
In 1990, the neighborhood had 23,775 people. At the time 12% of the population consisted of senior citizens.[1] A 1999 The Detroit News article said that Brightmoor had been a "little-known" community for a long time and that as of 1999 the community "could better be described as "Blightmoor."" By 1999 vandalism and many abandoned buildings were in the community.[2]
In 2000, the neighborhood had 19,837, a 16.5% decrease from the 1990 figure. Of that, 37.2% of Brightmoor's population was under 18 years of age, and 5.3% was over the age of 64 years of age.[1]
By 2009, many non-profit agencies aim to assist the population of Brightmoor.[8] In the same year, urban gardens had been established in the neighborhood.[9]
In 2010, the neighborhood's population had fallen to 12,836, a drop of 35.3% over the previous decade. Of that, 29.9% of the population was under 18 years of age, and 12.7% was over 64 years of age.[10]
The Brightmoor Post Office of the United States Postal Service is located on Fenkell Street.[11]
[edit] Parks and recreation
Two area parks, the 139-acre (0.56 km2) Eliza Howell Park and Stoepel Park, are in Brightmoor. A greenway links the two parks. Howell has a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) nature trail that, in 2009, was recently constructed.[5]
The Brightmoor Alliance is a group of community organizations that work to coordinate revitalization programs in the neighborhood. Created in 2000, the Brightmoor Alliance meets regularly to discuss programs, events, and partnerships developed by member organizations. The Alliance also works with city officials and large community foundations like the Skillman Foundation to help plan and develop new programs for the neighborhood.
[edit] Schools and organizations
Brightmoor is zoned to Detroit Public Schools.[1] Schools serving sections of Brightmoor for elementary school include Murphy K-8, Vetal K-8, Burt Elementary School, Gompers Elementary School, and Harding Elementary School; all of the schools are in Brightmoor.[12] For middle school some residents are zoned to Murphy K-8 while others are zoned to Vetal K-8.[13] All residents are zoned to Frank Cody High School, outside of Brightmoor.[14] City Mission Academy, a private non-denominational Christian school, is located in Brightmoor. Nicole Aikens opened the school in the early 2000s.[4]
Organizations in the neighborhood include Brightmoor Community Center, Motor City Blight Busters, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Development, The Detroit Partnership, and 28 other area businesses, community centers, and churches. [1] The current Executive Director of the Brightmoor Alliance is Mary Banks.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "A Basic Community Profile: Brightmoor." City Connect Detroit at University of Michigan. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ a b "Homes can't hide blight: Vandalism, abandoned buildings plague Brightmoor, obscuring signs of rebirth." The Detroit News. September 28, 1999. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ "Brightmoor Alliance, community website accessed December 27, 2010
- ^ a b Carlisle, John (Detroitblogger John). "String theory." Metro Times. November 11, 2009. Retrieved on November 12, 2009.
- ^ a b c d Archambault, Dennis. "Brightmoor: 'Feisty' Neighbors Use Hope, Innovation to Face Struggles." Model d. Tuesday September 29, 2009. Retrieved on November 12, 2009.
- ^ United States Census Bureau (05 Apr 2011). "2010 Census Data for City of Detroit Neighborhoods". http://library.semcog.org/InmagicGenie/DocumentFolder/2010CensusDataDetroitQuickFacts.pdf. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
- ^ City Connect Detroit (2011). "A Basic Community Profile: Brightmoor". http://goodbrightmoor.org/?q=node/6. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ "Article: Partnerships rebuild Brightmoor Community." Michigan Chronicle. May 31, 2005. Retrieved on November 12, 2009.
- ^ Archambault, Dennis. "Urban farming in Brightmoor Gardens: Neighbors sow change in Detroit." MLive.com. October 23, 2009. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ "Community Profiles". Data Driven Detroit. http://www.cridata.org/GeoProfile_D3.aspx?tmplt=D3&type=93&loc=2622000093004. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
- ^ "Post Office Location - BRIGHTMOOR." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ "Elementary School Boundary Map." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on October 20, 2009.
- ^ "Middle School Boundary Map." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on October 20, 2009.
- ^ "High School Boundary Map." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on October 20, 2009.
