SOUTH LYON, MI

South Lyon is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 11,746 at the 2020 census, up from 11,327 at the 2010 census.

As a western suburb of Metro Detroit, South Lyon is about northwest of the city of Detroit and the same distance northeast of the city of Ann Arbor.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.27%) is water.

History

South Lyon was founded in 1832 and was called Thompson's Corners. In the same year, the surrounding township was named Lyon for Lucius Lyon, a member of the state legislature. The village was given a name for its location within the township. South Lyon was incorporated as a village in 1873 and as a city in 1930

Three rail lines once passed through South Lyon. In the summer of 1871, the Detroit, Lansing and Northern was built west from Plymouth on the way to Lansing and Ionia. In 1880, the predecessor to the Ann Arbor Railroad built a line into town from Ann Arbor. The goal of this line was to continue on towards Pontiac but that did not occur under the original owners. The line was pulled up around 1890. In 1883 the Grand Trunk built their Jackson Branch from Pontiac to Jackson, which crossed the Pere Marquette at South Lyon. The GTW branch line continued to serve South Lyon until the early 1980s. The branch line is now a paved bicycle trail through town and Reynold Sweet Parkway follows the original route. Today, South Lyon hosts the CSX main line from Detroit to Grand Rapids, and a passing track is located there.

Law enforcement services for the city are provided by the South Lyon Police Department.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 11,746 people residing in 4,963 households within the city. There are an average of 2.36 people per household in South Lyon. 88% of South Lyon residents have been living in their house for over a year, excluding those younger than 1 year old. 93.7% of South Lyon households own a computer, and 89% have a broadband Internet subscription.

54.8% of South Lyon residents are female, and 45.2% are male. The racial makeup of the city was 94.4% White, 1.9% Asian, 2.5% multiracial, and .9% Black. 4.1% of residents of any race were Hispanic or Latino. 5.9% of residents are foreign-born and 6.1% of residents older than 5 speak a language other than English at home. 21.9% of South Lyon residents are under 18 years old, and 16.6% are 65 years old and above. 7.2% of South Lyon residents under 65 years old have a disability.

69.4% of South Lyon residents 16 years and older are part of the labor force, and the median commute time for South Lyon workers is 29.9 minutes. The median household income in South Lyon is $73,200 and the median per capita income is $39,016 (in 2019 dollars). 5.6% of South Lyon residents are in poverty. As of 2012, there were 1,106 businesses with over $1,000 of receipts located in South Lyon.

The median value of homes in South Lyon is $192,100 and the median gross rent is $1,042.

Education

93% of South Lyon residents older than 25 have graduated high school, and 42% have graduated college with a Bachelor's degree or higher.

South Lyon Community Schools

South Lyon is served by South Lyon Community Schools, a public school district that "includes three counties, three townships, and covers 83 square miles." It includes an Early Childhood Center, 8 elementary schools (Bartlett Elementary, Brummer Elementary, Dolsen Elementary, Hardy Elementary, Kent Lake Elementary, Pearson Elementary, Salem Elementary, and Sayre Elementary), 2 middle schools (Millennium Middle School and Centennial Middle School), and 2 high schools (South Lyon High School and South Lyon East High School). Both high schools are members of the Lakes Valley Conference and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

Government

South Lyon has a council-manager style of governance. The current mayor is Daniel L. Pelchat, an information technology specialist for South Lyon Community Schools. The current city manager is Paul C. Zelenak, who has been serving since 2018, when he was hired from Linden, Michigan. The city council convenes bimonthly at City Hall, and is currently composed of Lisa Dilg, Alex Hansen, Stephen Kennedy (Mayor Pro-Tem), Glenn Kivell, Margaret Kurtzweil, and Lori Moiser.

Parks

McHattie Park

South Lyon's McHattie Park (on the west side of Pontiac Trail between 9 Mile and 10 Mile Roads) is a nearly 15 acre park which includes "playground equipment, little league ball diamonds, sand volleyball courts, sledding hill, along with plenty of open spaces for picnics and outdoor fun." It is also the location of the Witch's Hat Depot Museum and Historic Village. The historic village consists of six buildings: Washburn School (built 1907), Queen Anne Depot (aka the Witch's Hat, built 1909), the Caboose (circa 1926), the Little Village Chapel (built 1930), the Freight House (built 1984), and the Gazebo (1990). With the exceptions of the Freight House and the Gazebo, which were constructed on site, the historic buildings were moved to the park from their original sites starting with the Witch's Hat in 1976. All of these buildings are open to the public at various times, and the Little Village Chapel is available for wedding rentals of 75 guests or less. The South Lyon Historical Society is attempting to add a 100-year old barn, currently located in Salem Township, to the site, with an estimated cost of $200,000.

McHattie Park and the Museum and Historic Village host public events. Concerts in the Park are held most weeks in the summertime, and the annual Depot Days festival is held in early autumn.

McHattie Park is also connected to a portion of the Huron Valley Rail Trail, a public pedestrian and bicycle trail that was once a rail line. The trail is managed by the Western Oakland County Trailway Management Council.

Volunteer Park

Volunteer Park is a 130 acre park located on Dixboro Road between 8 Mile and 9 Mile roads. It features a variety of sports fields, baseball diamonds, and a volleyball court, along with a picnic structure. It too is connected to the Huron Valley Rail Trail.

Paul Baker Memorial Park

Paul Baker Memorial Park is a small park that consists of a fountain, small gazebo, and a few benches. It is located at the intersection of Lake Street and Reynold Sweet Parkway, besides the railroad tracks.

Pumpkinfest

Pumpkinfest is the largest annual festival in the South Lyon community, traditionally held during the last weekend of September. Events include the children's outdoor activity venue with several large inflatable rides, games, a 5k run which goes through the town, carnival food, the Kid's Creation Station with Monster Mural, a parade through the downtown area, live entertainment, a dog show, the Great Pumpkin & Fun Veggies Contest, arts & crafts show, and home arts contests & exhibits. As of 2010, this festival has been moved to the main street, at the center being a large pyramid of hay bales and pumpkins. Concessions include doughnuts with different toppings, shish-kabobs, funnel cakes, and homemade popcorn. Down the streets branching off are a beer tent, many game tents, sponsored by different organizations, and on the last side, bouncy castles and inflatables. Tickets usually cost one dollar.

Notable people