Editing Independence Township, Michigan (section)

== History ==
The first settlers arrived in Independence Township in the mid-1820s and early 1830s, primarily from [[New Jersey]] and [[New York (state)|New York]].  The first settler to purchase and settle land in the township was John W. Beardslee (b. 1799, d. 1883), from [[Sussex County, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twp.independence.mi.us/residents/township_history/index.php#gdEEQjzjma3ZJTOz.99|title=Township History|website=www.twp.independence.mi.us}}</ref>

Independence Township was named by one of its earliest settlers, Joseph Van Sycle, who came to the area in 1834 from [[Independence Township, New Jersey]].<ref>[http://interactive.ancestry.com/1246/RHUSA2007B_MI0220-00493/862215? Independence Township, Michigan, Land Patent of Joseph Van Syckle of (Independence Township,) Warren County, New Jersey (Ancestry.com subscription access retrieved 17 July 2015)]</ref><ref>[http://interactive.ancestry.com/8057/4410710_00300/2240542? 1840 U.S. Federal Census Schedule of the whole number of persons in the division, Michigan, Oakland County, Independence Township (Ancestry.com subscription access retrieved 17 July 2015)]</ref>

While initially the township was primarily agricultural, the many lakes in the area were beginning to draw vacationers out of [[Detroit]] and other cities.  In 1851, the [[railroad]] came through Clarkston, which prompted hotels to be built in the township to accommodate the resort vacationers coming to the area. 
 
The invention of the [[automobile]] had a tremendous effect on Independence Township. Roads that were once Native American trails were paved and widened for this new mode of transportation. The old [[Saginaw Trail]], now known as [[Dixie Highway]], was paved as early as 1920, and Main Street [[M-15 (Michigan highway)|(M-15)]] in Clarkston was paved around 1922.

The expanding national highway system brought [[Interstate 75|I-75]] through Independence Township in 1962, spurring both business and residential development.  Many farms gave way to subdivisions and strip malls as Independence Township continued evolving into part of [[Metro Detroit|Metropolitan]] Detroit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clarkstonhistorical.org/|title=Home|website=www.clarkstonhistorical.org}}</ref>