Brief History
West Bloomfield was founded in 1833 when Bloomfield Township was divided in two, with the western portion becoming what is known today as West Bloomfield. What was once primarily a farming community dotted with apple orchards is now one of the most diverse, affluent, and greatest places to live in the state of Michigan.
A Prime Location
Located in South-East Michigan, is sometimes referred to as the “lake township of Oakland County”, being heavily dotted with small and medium-sized lakes. Cass Lake, the largest lake in the county, is in part of West Bloomfield, and Pine Lake, which has a private country club on its shore, is only a few miles away from Cass and lies completely within West Bloomfield. In addition, directly west of Pine Lake is Orchard Lake, which also has a private country club on its shore. Orchard Lake is surrounded by the city of Orchard Lake Village. Several smaller lakes are scattered around these larger ones.
Orchard Lake Road runs north-south through the middle of the township and is the main artery of West Bloomfield’s economy, flanked on each side by long strip malls and shopping complexes. The township has had most of its population growth from the 1960s through the early 2000s, many residents moving northwest from the inner ring Detroit suburbs of Southfield and Oak Park. West Bloomfield is known to have a very diverse population, with a wealth of ethnic groups.
West Bloomfield is located in southcentral Oakland County about 10 miles (20 km) to the northwest from the Detroit city limits and has borders with: Bloomfield Township to its east, Farmington Hills to its south, Commerce Township to its west, and four communities to its north: Waterford Township, Orchard Lake Village, Keego Harbor, and Sylvan Lake.
Key Assets
The primary school district serving the township is the West Bloomfield School District, which was recognized as one of the top public school districts in the country. A total of seven school districts serve various portions of West Bloomfield (West Bloomfield, Farmington, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Walled Lake, Pontiac and Waterford).
West Bloomfield High School and Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit are the two high schools located within the township.
If you would like to find out more about the Township of West Bloomfield, please visit the West Bloomfield web site or take a look at the entry for West Bloomfield Township at Wikipedia.com. For historical information please visit the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society.