Web Design in Ortonville, MI

Ortonville, Michigan

Ortonville is in Oakland County.

About Ortonville, Michigan

Ortonville is a village in Brandon Township, in northern Oakland County, with a 2021 census estimate of 1,291. It sits roughly halfway between Pontiac and Flint, about 41 miles north of downtown Detroit, on the rural northern edge of Metro Detroit. The village grew up around Amos Orton's water-powered mills on Kearsley Creek, and the 1856 mill building still stands as a museum.

History of Ortonville

• Amos Orton was born in 1809 in Hadley, New York. He arrived in Oakland County about 1848 and built a sawmill near the site of the present mill. The village is named for him.
• Orton added a gristmill in 1852 to make the location more attractive to potential settlers, then replaced it in 1856 with the structure that still stands. He worked as miller, blacksmith and storekeeper while the community grew up around the milling center.
• The town was platted in 1866 and incorporated as a village in 1902.

Landmarks and Places in Ortonville

• The Ortonville Mill, a former gristmill at 366 Mill Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1971. It is a two and a half story Greek Revival structure with a hand-hewn timber frame; the original section measures 36 by 48 feet, extended by a later addition to 108 feet.
• Kearsley Creek, which Amos Orton dammed for water power.
• Ortonville State Recreation Area, about 5,400 acres in Brandon Township in Oakland County and Hadley Township in Lapeer County, with a beach house, boat launch, campground including equestrian sites and a cabin, picnic areas, a playground, a shooting range and about 2.5 miles of cross-country ski trail.

The Ortonville Economy

• The village began as a water-powered milling center, with Amos Orton damming Kearsley Creek to furnish power for his mill.
• Ortonville lies on the northern edge of Metro Detroit, roughly halfway between Pontiac and Flint and about 41 miles north of downtown Detroit, which places it within commuting range of both cities.
• Development associated with the village extends into adjacent Groveland Township in Oakland County and Hadley Township in Lapeer County.

Community Life in Ortonville

• Ortonville's primary public schools are the Brandon School District, based in Brandon Township, which also serves students from Groveland and Hadley townships and parts of northern Clarkston and western Oxford.
• Brandon High School is home of the Blackhawks, and its athletic teams compete in the Flint Metro League.
• The Ortonville Community Historical Society owns and maintains the Old Mill as a museum and gathering place.

Local reference: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org