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Metro Detroit Oakland County Charter township

Commerce Township

Lakes, the Huron River and the Proud Lake woods: metro Detroit's western water playground

People (2025 estimate)
45,067
Land area
27.5 sq mi · 71.2 km²
From downtown
28.4 miles · 46 km · northwest
Incorporated
1834

3 events this week

Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ) · CC0

01 / Why it matters

Why Commerce Township matters

Commerce Township started out as a resort area, and water still defines it: the Huron River runs roughly north to south through it, and the township is full of lakes. The first settler, Abram Walrod, arrived in May 1824, and the township was organized on March 7, 1834, out of Novi Township.

The lakes even stopped the highway builders: M-5 ends here in Commerce because plans to continue it to I-75 were dropped over the difficulty of building around so many lakes and the high cost of the land. The township also contains the village of Wolverine Lake, whose lake was created in 1923 by damming several streams and named after the wolverine.

You come here for the outdoors: the roughly 3,000-acre Proud Lake Recreation Area along the Huron River has a campground, canoe and kayak rentals and wooded trails, and this stretch of the river is managed as trout water. Hop on the Michigan Air Line Trail to ride through Walled Lake to Wixom.

Where Commerce Township sits on the Metro Detroit map, with its neighbors. Walled LakeWixomWest Bloomfield Charter TownshipMilfordCommerce Township
28.4 miles northwest of downtown Detroit The three counties Imagery: EOxCloudless 2016, CC BY 4.0 · boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau

02 / Known for

What Commerce Township is known for

  1. Proud Lake Recreation Area, about 3,000 acres along the Huron River

  2. The northern end of M-5, whose extension was dropped because of all the lakes

  3. The village of Wolverine Lake, whose lake was created by damming streams in 1923

  4. Hometown of Connor Hellebuyck, the starting goalie for the U.S. hockey team that won Olympic gold in 2026

03 / What’s on

What’s on in Commerce Township

All in the event finder ↗

05 / What to do

If you’re in Commerce Township

  • Proud Lake Recreation Area

    A state park on the Huron River with a campground, two mini cabins, canoe and kayak rentals (Memorial Day to Labor Day) and trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking.

    Official site ↗
  • Michigan Air Line Trail

    A rail-trail of more than seven miles linking Commerce, Walled Lake and Wixom, completed in 2023.

    Official site ↗
  • Silo Ranch

    An equestrian center on Wixom Road offering trail rides, riding lessons, summer camps and a community garden.

    Official site ↗

06 / History

Commerce Township through the years

  1. 1824

    The first settler, Abram Walrod, arrives in May.

  2. 1834

    On March 7 Commerce and Lyon townships are organized out of Novi Township.

  3. 1836

    Commerce Village is platted at Commerce and Sleeth roads.

  4. 1923

    In March the damming project that creates Wolverine Lake is finished.

  5. 2023

    Construction of the Michigan Air Line Trail is completed.

07 / Born here

1 people in our lexicon were born here

08 / People

Famous names from here

  • Connor Hellebuyck NHL goaltender born in Commerce Township in 1993, who started in goal as the U.S. won Olympic gold in 2026

Sources

Population and area are Census Bureau figures (Commerce charter township).

Change since 2020, per the Census Bureau estimate: +4.7 percent.

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