Open Book Theatre Company1621 West Rd, Trenton, MI 48183
Metro Detroit Wayne County City
Trenton
Michigan's first county park and the Detroit River's last wild shoreline, in one town
- People (2025 estimate)
- 17,849
- Land area
- 7.2 sq mi · 18.8 km²
- From downtown
- 15.2 miles · 24 km · southwest
- Incorporated
- 1957
Nothing on our calendar here this week yet.
01 / Why it matters
Why Trenton matters
Trenton is the riverside small town of southern Downriver. Abram Caleb Truax bought land here in 1816 and put up a sawmill, a church and a store, and the oak forests fed the shipyards. It became a village in 1855 and a city in 1957.
The 20th century belonged to heavy industry. The Trenton Channel coal plant opened in 1924, Chrysler's engine plant in 1952, and in 1954 McLouth Steel fired up the first successful basic oxygen furnaces in North America here. McLouth went bankrupt in 1996, the power plant was retired in 2022, and its striped stacks, locally called the Candy Canes, were imploded on March 15, 2024.
Now it's the green stuff that steals the show. Elizabeth Park, founded in 1919, was Michigan's first county park, and down south Humbug Marsh, the last undeveloped mile of U.S. mainland shoreline on the Detroit River, became Michigan's first Wetland of International Importance in 2010. In fall the lower Detroit River is one of the best hawk-watching spots in North America.
02 / Known for
What Trenton is known for
Elizabeth Park, gifted to Wayne County in 1919 by Elizabeth Slocum's children, Michigan's first county park, with a 1,300-foot riverwalk
Humbug Marsh and the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the only international wildlife refuge in North America
The first painted center line on a road, on River Road in 1911, Edward N. Hines's idea
McLouth Steel ran North America's first successful basic oxygen furnaces here from 1954
The Trenton Channel Power Plant, 1924 to 2022; its striped stacks were imploded in 2024
03 / What’s on
What’s on in Trenton
Nothing on our calendar in Trenton right now. Try the neighbors:
04 / Places
5 places on our site in Trenton
Open Book Theatre Company1621 West Rd, Trenton, MI 4818305 / What to do
If you’re in Trenton
Elizabeth Park
A 162-acre county park mostly on a man-made island: riverwalk, fishing spots, footbridges, bike paths and a marina. Jazz on the River plays here in summer.
Official site ↗Refuge Gateway and Humbug Marsh (Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge)
The John D. Dingell Jr. Visitor Center on West Jefferson with boardwalk and woodland trails, a 700-foot fishing pier and fall hawk watching.
Official site ↗
06 / History
Trenton through the years
- 1816
Abram Caleb Truax buys land and builds a sawmill, church and store.
- 1847
The post office changes its name from Truago to Trenton.
- 1911
The first painted center line appears on River Road.
- 1919
Elizabeth Park becomes Michigan's first county park.
- 1957
Trenton, a village since 1855, becomes a city.
- 2010
Humbug Marsh becomes Michigan's first Wetland of International Importance.
08 / People
Famous names from here
- Mary Lynn Rajskub Chloe O'Brian from 24 was born in Detroit and grew up in Trenton
- Abram Caleb Truax the town's founder and Monguagon Township's first supervisor
Sources
Population and area are Census Bureau figures (Trenton city).
- 2020 Census, Michigan (PL 94-171)
- Census Bureau population estimates: cities and towns
- trentonmi.org/222/History-of-Trenton
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenton,_Michigan
- waynecountymi.gov/Parks-Recreation/Explore/Elizabeth-Park
- fws.gov/refuge/detroit-river/visit-us
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_River_International_Wildlife_Refuge
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_N._Hines
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLouth_Steel
- clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/03/15/live-stream-dte-energy-to-demolish-smokestacks-at-trenton-power-plant
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Park_(Michigan)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Lynn_Rajskub
- trentonmi.org
Change since 2020, per the Census Bureau estimate: −3.7 percent.
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