Waterford, MI: Waterford: Lake Community with Industrial Heritage - Commercial & Residential in Brighton, Michigan

Waterford Township encompasses 34 named lakes within its borders—more than any other Michigan municipality—creating a landscape where water comprises nearly 20% of the total area. The township's Drayton Plains State Fish Hatchery operated as Michigan's primary game fish propagation facility for nearly a century, now preserved as an ecological education center. Waterford's Oakland County International Airport serves as the nation's 16th busiest general aviation facility, handling more corporate and private flights than facilities in many larger cities. The township's Waterford Historic Village preserves seven relocated structures creating a timeline of local development from wilderness outpost to streetcar suburb. Waterford's position at the headwaters of the Clinton, Huron, and Shiawassee rivers gives it the unusual distinction of containing the source waters for three of Michigan's major watersheds, with rain falling in different parts of the township ultimately reaching three different Great Lakes.