By an ordinance of the Congress of the United States passed on July 13, 1787, the area lying northwest of the Ohio River, though still occupied by the British, was organized as the Northwest Territory.

French and Indian traders frequently passed over this section of the county and through the river, ultimately naming the city for the stone that lay at the river bottom.

In French, stone is called "la pierre";[7] the English pronunciation of these words gives Lapeer.

A third supposition is that French missionaries named the city Le Pere, meaning The Father.

[6] The most prominent of the three, Alvin N. Hart, was born in Cornwall, Connecticut, on February 11, 1804.

Alvin N. Hart became a State Senator in 1843, representing Lapeer, Oakland, Genesee, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Saginaw Counties and the entire Upper Peninsula.

He was instrumental in having the State Capitol relocated from Detroit to Lansing.

[8] Other distinguished natives include John T. Rich, former governor of the state of Michigan; Louis C. Cramton, special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1931 and 1932.

Senator; William Reed, Big Ten Football Commissioner; and Marguerite deAngeli, internationally known writer of children's books.

The White family erected one at the present site of the Old Lapeer High School at Main and Genesee Streets, while the Hart family erected one at Nepessing and Court Streets.

[8] Over time, it became evident that the business district would be near the Courthouse, so the city's founders moved the Opera House piece-by-piece to its present location at the southeast corner of Court and Nepessing Streets in 1879.

Industries today supply the automotive industry with gray iron casting, molded plastics, plastic fabrics, electrical harnesses and stamping.

[8] On October 26, 2010,[9] Lapeer became a founding member of the Karegnondi Water Authority.

[10] On August 15, 2012, the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot was won from a ticket sold at a Sunoco station in Lapeer.

42.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

39.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

36.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

[19] Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Lapeer, operating its Blue Water daily in both directions between Chicago and Port Huron.

Local radio in Lapeer includes WLCO AM, WQUS FM, and WMPC AM.