Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Grosse Pointe Woods’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Grosse Pointe Woods is more historic than 21% of U.S. towns, #640 of 701 in Michigan. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Grosse Pointe Woods’ overall grade.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Grosse Pointe Woods’ 0.0 sits below most of its state (32% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share (±1.9 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1927.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Grosse Pointe Woods’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Grosse Pointe Woods. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1905Grosse Pointe sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Grosse Pointe Woods.
While initially settled over a century ago, much of the city in its current form was built in the middle of the 20th century, particularly around and just after World War II, distinguishing Grosse Pointe Woods from older portions of Grosse Pointe.
The city was originally incorporated as the Village of Lochmoor in 1927 from the last unincorporated portion of Grosse Pointe Township. The village annexed the Stanhope-Allard strip of land from what was then Gratiot Township in 1931. The village changed its name from Lochmoor to Grosse Pointe Woods in 1939, but didn't incorporate as a city until 1950.
In 1927, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1930 counted 961 people here.
How does Grosse Pointe Woods rank for history?
Grosse Pointe Woods is more historic than 21% of U.S. towns, #640 of 701 in Michigan. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Grosse Pointe Woods?
12% of Grosse Pointe Woods’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.9 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1953.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2021
2021
2005