Madison Heights resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. Evidence of a Native presence on and near the land that makes up Madison Heights includes the existence of the Red Run, which flowed through the area and was an important waterway, a burial site discovered along the banks of that river, and reports of nearby cultivated areas with irrigation ditches which existed before White settlement in the area.
Early land purchases included those of George Dawson, Archibald Lamphere, and a widow, Elizabeth McBride, who came to the area from Ireland with her five children. The Red Run, a river with several tributaries, ran through the land when these farmers made their purchases beginning in the 1830s. However, the river can no longer be seen because it is now underground. Because of flooding and other issues, its south branch was buried in the mid-1930s and the north branch in the later 1960s, becoming part of a storm and sanitary drain system for the fast-growing northern suburbs.
In 1833, the Township of Royal Oak was founded, which parallels the development of Detroit and Oakland County. As the area's economy changed from an agricultural base in the 1800s and early 1900s to one dependent on the transportation industry (railroads, carriages, streetcars, trolleys and support industries), so also did the economy of Royal Oak Township.
With the launching of the auto industry in Detroit in 1903, the scene began to change even though, at that time, nearly 80% of Oakland County was still being used for farming. The economy saw the greatest fluctuations with the occurrence and aftermath of World War I and World War II. It was thereafter that the economic situation dramatically changed to an industrial base, which in turn was followed by a period of severe depression. The citizens of Royal Oak Township played an active part in the war production but also suffered tremendous hardship during this period.
Royal Oak Township was originally a 36-mile section of Oakland County but gradually diminished in size between 1921 and 1950 as cities broke off and became incorporated.
On January 17, 1955, the residents of the east side of Royal Oak township voted for the incorporation of the City of Madison Heights and elected nine commissioners to draft a charter for the new city. The Charter Commission drafted its first charter within six months of incorporation. The draft charter was presented to the citizens at a June 6th election and was defeated. A Revised Charter was again presented to the citizens on December 6, 1955 and it was approved, becoming the tenth city government in South Oakland County. At that time, the 7 1/4 square mile City was the second largest in South Oakland County. Madison Heights ranked as fifth highest populated City in South Oakland County. The first City Hall was located at 26305 John R Road, the former township offices. On April 5, 1963, a new municipal building was constructed which is on the present location at 300 West Thirteen Mile Road. Currently, there are approximately 30,000 residents of Madison Heights. The City lies in the I-696 and I-75 corridor and is served by two primary school districts, Lamphere and Madison, as well as a full-service municipal government.
