The fledgling suburb faced the usual problems confronting new cities: schools, streets, sidewalks, water systems, drains, etc.

In 1956, Harper Woods was the subject of a community service study by the Bureau of Government, Institute of Public Administration, at the University of Michigan.

In 1955, Interstate 94 (I-94) (which bisects the eastern part of the suburb) was approved, and construction on the Eastland Shopping Center began soon after.

In September 2007, the City of Harper Woods Employees’ Retirement Scheme filed suit against British-based defense contractor BAE Systems.

[5] The suit alleges that BAE Systems executives funneled approximately $2 billion to Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar.

[6] The suit, which made news around the world,[7] seeks governance changes to the BAE Systems board, and efforts to redress the losses due to this alleged corruption.

The vote took place shortly after Rheker had returned from active duty with the Navy Reserve, but Mayor Valerie Kindle said that the council's decision was unrelated to his military service.

[9] The council later offered the vacant city manager position to Monique Owens, who was mayor of Eastpointe at the time.

[15] The Hideout (located at 20542 Harper Avenue, at Beaufait Street) was a popular teen dance club in the mid-1960s.

Among them were Bob Seger, Mitch Ryder, Ted Nugent, Glenn Frey (later of the Eagles), and Suzi Quatro.

A 2001 compact disc, Friday at the Hideout: Boss Detroit Garage Bands 1964-1967, documents the scene.

Among the local performers of note who played dances and concerts at the school were The Amboy Dukes (featuring Ted Nugent), Bob Seger and the Last Heard, Frijid Pink, The Frost, Salem Witchcraft, Toby Redd, The Almighty Strut, and other acts.

[19] Similarly, in 1986, the critically acclaimed crime fiction writer Loren D. Estleman unflatteringly portrayed the city in his Amos Walker novel Every Brilliant Eye.

Among other works, the Detroit-area crime fiction writer Elmore Leonard mentions the city in his 2000 novel, Pagan Babies.

Jeffrey Eugenides' bestselling 1993 novel The Virgin Suicides as well as his Pulitzer Prize-winning Middlesex also mention Harper Woods.

Betty Bahr, an early local television personality,[20] Leonard H. Bahr, a fine press printer and publisher (Adagio Press), Helen Filarski, professional baseball player from 1945 to 1950, Laura Joh Rowland, author of historical mystery fiction, and Angela Ruggiero,[21] 2006 Olympics bronze medal winner (ice hockey), have been among its better known residents.

Dave Coulier, a popular television and voice actor, graduated from Notre Dame High School.

[34] In 2005 the archdiocese announced that Trinity and Notre Dame, an all-boys parochial school in Harper Woods, would close.

[33] The all-girls Regina High School, once located in Harper Woods, moved to the nearby suburb of Warren in the fall of 2007.

[citation needed] The Wayne County Community College University Square campus is located within the boundaries of Harper Woods.