Gibraltar

Water is a way of life in the City of Gibraltar, Michigan, where inlets and the Detroit River are intertwined with the residential streets. Hundreds of waterfront homes and the city’s expansive marina make it a great area for boaters and anglers. In the early 20th century, Gibraltar, then known as Fish Creek, became an active fishing and logging village that slowly became a summer vacation destination, with bath houses, organized group hikes and sailing regattas adding to the resort-like atmosphere.

Today, Gibraltar is home to 5,000 residents and is a 30-minute drive from downtown Detroit, and locals continue to reap the benefits of the waterfront. “I like to say that it’s down river's hidden gem,” says Carolena Reed, a local resident and Realtor with Premiere Realty Group LLC. “We are a boating and fishing community, as well as a golf cart community. People can drive their golf carts along the residential and central streets.” The average listing price here is around $260,000, making it a bit more expensive than the Michigan state average. Price tags are highest on the water, with 3,000 square-foot, recently remodeled homes with private river access reaching up to $550,000. For less than $200,000, you can snag a two-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow with 1,100 square feet. While most houses here were built between the 1950s and ‘90s, many that hit the market have been renovated within the past five years.

“We’re a small community with a hometown feel,” Reed says. “Everybody helps each other here, whether it be fixing things after a big storm, or looking for lost pets. We also have a lot of community events that bring people together, like weekly live music in the park during the summer, our holiday boat parade and our annual Independence Day celebration.

Parsons Elementary School serves 400 of the area's young learners, has a student-to-teacher ratio of 16-1 and earns a B overall grade from Niche. The elementary school is named for Cleo Parsons, the town’s only teacher for 35 years after the opening of the first schoolhouse. Also with a B overall grade from Niche is Shumate Middle School, where students have a wide variety of elective courses to choose from each year, including poetry and songwriting, science and disease, and journalism. To finish out their k-12 career, locals will head next door to Carleson High School, home of the Marauders, which has a B overall rating and a B-plus rating on clubs and activities from Niche. High Schoolers have the option to participate in the Gibraltar Middle College Program, where they take an extra year of courses and graduate with either an associate degree, an apprenticeship or a professional certification.

Those who don’t live right on the water can store and launch their boats from the Gibraltar Boat Yard or Humbug Marina, allowing for easy access to Lake Erie and the surrounding waterways. Just north of the marinas is the Humbug Marsh unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, where you can walk along the three miles of wooded trails, cast a line from the fishing pier or kayak through the marsh. For more on-land recreation, visit Gibraltar Community Park, which features a playground, baseball diamond, picnic pavilion and skate park.

JP’s Waterfront is a popular local spot where you can savor classic American pub fare while enjoying views of the river. If you’re not in the mood for a sit-down meal out, pick up a pizza or grinder from Jim’s Galley. Heading west along Gibraltar Road will take you to the local Kroger, where you can stock up on groceries and other household essentials. When it's time to head into the city, folks can hop on Interstate 75 and travel 27 miles north to downtown Detroit.

Written By

Jillian Pillow

Photography Contributed By

Hayley McCormick

Video By

Syd Silberman