Macomb County, Michigan
Healthy Home Assessments in Washington Township
Washington Township holds 36.9 square miles of northwestern Macomb County, roughly 28 to 34 miles north of downtown Detroit, where subdivisions run out into apple and peach country. One visit, one written plan, no upsell to a project.
What Washington Township is built of
Washington Township was organized in 1827, named in honor of George Washington, and grew as a farming community whose orchard tradition continues today at Westview Orchards and Verellen Orchards. One local marker: The Loren Andrus Octagon House at 57500 Van Dyke Avenue was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1971. 9,554 households, 26,829 residents. The Mount Vernon settlement, named for George Washington's estate, received a post office in 1832 with inventor and surveyor William Austin Burt as its first postmaster. Burt held the post until 1856.
The building stock
Of units counted in 2023, 69.0% are detached single-family homes and 81.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied. Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher come to 35.3%. The record of building starts around 1850, so the assessment reads an older envelope. Also on the ground: Stony Creek Metropark, 4,461 acres across Macomb and Oakland counties, mostly in Washington and Oakland townships with a small piece in Shelby Township, built around the 500-acre artificial Stony Creek Lake.
Water at Forrest Stony Creek changes what humidity does, so moisture and condensation get the longest look. With owner-occupancy at 81.5%, the report can follow moisture from the roofline down to the slab without stopping at a lease boundary.
What stands in Washington Township:
- Loren Andrus Octagon House. Two story eight sided brick house built in 1858 on Van Dyke Avenue and owned since 1987 by the Friends of the Loren Andrus Octagon House.
- Westview Orchards and Winery. Farm founded in 1813 whose cider press operates in a dairy barn built in 1850.
- Glacier Club. Public 18 hole par 72 golf course that opened in 1993 with a Bill Newcomb design and a 2008 renovation by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest.
- Stony Creek Metropark. Huron Clinton metropark of 4,461 acres that lies predominantly in Washington and Oakland townships and offers trails, beaches, and an 18 hole golf course.
- Macomb Orchard Trail. Paved trail of almost 24 miles with trailhead access in Washington Township and u-pick orchards and cider mills along the route.
Where the addresses are
Within Washington Township are 3 smaller settlements: Romeo, Washington and Mount Vernon. Romeo: Village mostly in Bruce Township with a portion extending south into Washington Township. Washington: Unincorporated community within the township that shares its name. The 48065, 48094, 48095, 48096 and 48306 ZIP codes cover these addresses. Romeo got its name because a merchant's wife suggested it, calling it short, musical, classical and uncommon.