Things You Need To Know About Lapeer MI

Are you new to the Lapeer area or just would like to find out more about the city? This article will give you a brief history of Lapeer, the place, and the people to help you with your information gathering. Enjoy the read! Learn more about Lapeer.

Formed in 1837, Lapeer is a city in the United States with a total land area of 7,318 square miles, 0.25 sq. miles being water. Lapeer sits within the County of Lapeer and has a population of 8,748 based off the 2016 census. The name of the city, folklore says, comes from French “La Pierre”, which is the word for stone. There is a possibility, that the first settlers named it Lapeer based off a similarly named city from their home state of New York.

The first settler, Alvin N. Hart, platted the Village of Lapeer in 1833, four years before Michigan became a state and Lapeer became a county. IN 1833, the second setller, Enoch J. White, came to Lapeer. Both started new communities. Hart formed Lapeer and White formed western Lapeer, then known as Whitesville. The largest industry at that time was lumber.

Today, Lapeer’s main industry is manufacturing for the high-tech automotive industry, providing iron casting, molding, stamping, and electrical harnessing.

According to Niche.com, Lapeer is ranked #408 out of 2,112 cities for the best places to live in Michigan and was given an overall grade of a B. The public schools graded the lowest, overall, with a C+. The median home value in Lapeer is hovering around $85,000, about half of the value nationally. It’s an even split between those that own and rent. Crime and safety for Lapeer was given a B-, based on violent and property crime rates.

Many people report that they enjoy living in Lapeer because it is a family-friendly place and a great place to raise children. Some of the other attributes they like are the small town & country-like atmosphere, that has all the bigger city amenities, nice parks and other activities. One of the main things Lapeer is known for is the yearly Lapeer Days festival, which began in 1902, and is a highlight of the Summer. The festival includes a parade, stages of free entertainment, a craft show, classic car show, and a dance competition.

Some notable people that have lived in Lapeer are:

Marguerite de Angeli – writer and illustrator of children’s books, including the 1950 Newbery Award winning book The Door in the Wall
Roger Kish – wrestler and coach
Terry Knight – producer of music groups Grand Funk Railroad and Bloodrock
Jake Long – University of Michigan offensive lineman and 2008 first overall NFL draft pick
Victor Prather – set an altitude record for manned balloon flight in 1960 (held until 2012); helped develop the space suit
Kirk Gibson – formerly of the Detroit Tigers
Rob Rubick – football player, Detroit Lions tight end
Jim Slater – professional hockey player Winnipeg Jets
Kris Tamulis – professional golfer

We hope this article gave you some new insights and information about Lapeer and what the city has to offer you, your family and friends. Even if you are not planning to move to Lapeer, stop by and take in the sights and breath in the fresh air.