CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF HIGHLAND
Oakland County, Michigan

Highland Township is a semi-rural community in northwest Oakland County, struggling to maintain the open space and natural resources that make it a jewel along the M-59 corridor. The Township has a rich heritage as an agricultural and lumbering community, founded in 1835 by pioneer families whose descendents still influence local politics and business. The railroad was a shaping influence on the community, providing cheap transportation for abundant lumber, and providing a means for the pickling factories to ship their products to market. But the main attraction of the community was, and still is, the beautiful rolling hills, woodlands and many recreational lakes that make for a pleasant surrounding for vacation cottages. Modern roadways eventually opened the area to year round homes for commuters.

M-59 is a major east/west trunkline, providing a route from I-96 and US-23 to the west, through much of northern Oakland and southern Macomb Counties. The Township is traversed north/south by Milford Road and Hickory Ridge Road, two minor regional collector routes, serving traffic from the Village of Milford and I-96 to the south. The State of Michigan owns nearly one-quarter of the land area as part of the Highland Recreation Area, attracting a wide variety of sports enthusiasts each year from throughout the region.