Modern Southfield History

In the 1950's, a group of Southfield Township residents, including Emanuel Christensen, Clarence Durbin, Hugh Dohany, Eugene Swem and Fred Leonhard, formed the 'Save Our Southfield Committee' and lent their own cash to the group's treasury. This group promoted the incorporation of Southfield as a city and provided $500 (which was later reimbursed) to finance filing for incorporation.

On December 14, 1950, two petitions were filed at the Oakland County Courthouse in Pontiac. Mr. Kelly, of Lathrup Village, filed to incorporate his community and, minutes later, Emanuel Christensen filed to incorporate the entire township. By a margin of 85 votes, Lathrup Village voted to incorporate on May 12, 1953 and adopted a charter in December of 1953.

In September of that same year, Oak Park attempted to annex an area containing Northland. Southfield voters, however, defeated that proposal. Beverly Hills voted to become a village in 1957.

That year, Emanuel Christensen had petitions ready for circulation as soon as the most recent map could be attached. The incorporation vote came in August of 1957 and local voters approved a City Charter on April 21, 1958. At the time of incorporation, Southfield had approximately 29,000 residents.