Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 26-70520 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 1627020[3] | |
Website | www |
Saginaw (/ˈsæɡɪnɔː/) is a city in and the seat of Saginaw County, Michigan, United States.[4] The city proper had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 census.[5] Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater Tri-Cities region of Central Michigan. The Saginaw metropolitan area had a population of 190,124 in 2020. The city is also the largest municipality in the Greater Tri-Cities, with a combined population of 377,474 in the combined statistical area in 2020.
Established as a fort following the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw, Saginaw was a thriving lumber town in the 19th century. It was an important industrial city and manufacturing center throughout much of the 20th century due to its automobile and automotive parts production led by General Motors.[6] As part of the Rust Belt, its industry and strong manufacturing presence declined, leading to increased unemployment, crime, and a population decline.[7] Modern economic development is focused on comparative advantages in innovation, clean energy, and continued manufacturing exports. However, the city continues to have a higher proportion of manufacturing jobs than the U.S. average.[8]
Etymology
The name Saginaw is widely believed to mean "where the Sauk were" in Ojibwe, from Sace-nong or Sak-e-nong (Sauk Town), due to the belief that the Sauk once lived there. But it is more likely that the name means "place of the outlet", from the Ojibwe sag (opening) and ong (place of).[9][10]
When Natives told Samuel de Champlain that the Sauk nation was on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Champlain mistakenly placed them on the western shore of Lake Huron. This mistake was copied on subsequent maps, and future references identified this as the place of the Sauks. Champlain himself never visited what is now Michigan.[11]
History
19th century
Early history
The site of what later became the city of Saginaw was originally inhabited by the Anishnabeg. French missionaries and traders first appeared in the area during the late 17th century and encountered the Ojibwe (Chippewa) living in the area. The first permanent settlement by those other than Native Americans was in 1816 when Louis Campau established a trading post on the west bank of the Saginaw River.[12] Shortly thereafter the United States established Fort Saginaw. Campau's trading post was also inhabited by Metis.
During Michigan's territorial period, a county and township government were organized at Saginaw. Growth of the settlement was fueled rapidly during the 19th century by the lumber industry. Saginaw was the site of numerous sawmills and served as a port for Great Lakes vessels. What is now the city of Saginaw resulted from the consolidation of the cities of East Saginaw and Saginaw City (West Side) in 1889.
Fort Saginaw
In 1819,
By the late 1820s, the American Fur Company was operating a post at Saginaw.
Few plots were sold and after the U.S. Army pulled out, the town languished for most of the following decade. The town was re-platted in December 1830, comprising riverfront from Cass Street, on the south, to Harrison Street, and north to Jefferson. These plots sold slowly. By 1835, only 24 plots had been sold and the remainder were transferred to a new owner, who made another plat in February 1837. However, the financial crisis of the Panic of 1837 dampened interest in purchasing properties. After selling only 58 of the 407 plots, the remainder was sold again in 1841.[13]
Native Americans
Saginaw was the location of the annual government payment to the Ojibwe and Ottawa of the area, starting in the 1830s. This also attracted many French-Canadian and Euro-American merchants, primarily involved in selling watered down whiskey.[14]
Lumber boom
The main cause for the founding and subsequent development of Saginaw was the large demand for lumber as the United States expanded westward. A virgin growth forest principally consisting of white pine trees covered most of Michigan. The convenient access to transportation provided by the Saginaw River and its numerous tributaries fueled a massive expansion in population and economic activity. As the trees were being cut down in the region, logs were floated down the rivers to sawmills located in Saginaw, destined to be loaded onto ships and later railroad cars.
Multiple settlements comprise present-day Saginaw. On the west side of the river the first settlement around what had been Fort Saginaw developed into Saginaw, which was incorporated as a city in 1857, containing the seat of the Saginaw County government. On the east side of the river a parallel settlement, East Saginaw, developed which was incorporated first as a village in 1855, and then as a city in 1859. Also south of East Saginaw, on the east bank of the river, the village of Salina formed. Salina's name relates to the brine that led to a growing industry of salt production in the area. Both Saginaw and East Saginaw quickly became a hub for railroad transportation in addition to ships on the Saginaw River. Lumber production peaked by the early 1870s, but had virtually disappeared by the end of the 19th century. In addition to salt production, which experienced an eventual decline as well, growing industries, such as those supporting the area's agriculture and manufacturing, developed.
Consolidation
On June 28, 1889, the Michigan state legislature passed Act 455 to consolidate the cities of Saginaw and East Saginaw into a single city.[15][16] Prior to this consolidation, the nearby village of Salina had already become part of East Saginaw. The consolidation of Saginaw became effective with the election of officers on March 12, 1890.[16]
The provisions of the
20th century
Industrialization
In the early 20th century,
Before the United States entered
Migration from across the country, particularly from the
Governance
In 1908, a new
The 1913 city charter was followed for little more than two decades when the voters of the city again adopted another new city charter in 1935 following the
In contrast to the previous government structures, the 1935 charter, having taken effect in 1936, provided for all administration of city government to be headed directly by a single officer, the city manager, who was appointed by, and accountable to a city council of nine members elected as a group by the entire city at-large. The system was designed to address two principal issues with Saginaw's history of municipal government, the inefficiency and politics associated with having executive and administrative authority spread among many different officers and boards, and political rivalries and friction between various geographic areas of the city, mainly the east side and the west side.
Post World War II
In the years following World War II, the Michigan state legislature enacted laws making it increasingly difficult for incorporated cities to expand by annexing territory from neighboring townships. Townships, which had historically served an agrarian, smaller population than that of larger cities, were given the ability to provide nearly all the same services an incorporated city could. Although Midland pursued (and continues to pursue) a policy of "No annexation, no water,"[25] Saginaw chose to sell water to neighboring communities under long-term contracts. This allowed the townships to further develop at the expense of the city, the limits of which changed little after consolidation in 1889–90. The unintended consequence of this choice was that Saginaw's population stopped growing, new housing development focused on the suburban townships, and businesses eventually followed.
21st century
Population decline
Manufacturing in Saginaw declined in the latter half of the 20th century, leading to high unemployment in the city. As a result, the city's population diminished dramatically. From 2000 to 2010, the population of Saginaw proper decreased by nearly 10,000. Michigan's population during that period decreased by 0.6% percent, the only U.S. state to lose population during the decade of the 2000s. In addition, Saginaw has faced increasing social problems relating to poverty as a result of its high rate of unemployment. The crime rate has been a major area of concern for the community.[26]
Unemployment and crime
Saginaw's economic conditions, compounded by the
Saginaw consistently ranks as having one of the highest crime rates in both Michigan and the United States at large.[27][28][29][30][31] In 2020, Saginaw had a homicide rate of 50.2 per 100,000 people, narrowly surpassing Detroit's rate (49.7) and dwarfing the State and National Rates (7.6 and 6.5, respectively).[28][32]
Combating blight
Unemployment and population loss in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has led to urban decay, specifically a rise in abandoned homes that provided locations for criminal activity. In recent years, city officials, law enforcement, and neighborhood watch associations have made progress in preventing this activity by heavily patrolling target areas and offering rewards for reporting illegal or suspicious activities.
Efforts to reduce blight in Saginaw increased greatly in 2013, with the United States Department of the Treasury approving a grant to demolish vacant and abandoned properties via the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. The $100 million grant contained $11.2 million set aside for Saginaw, with Detroit receiving $52.3 million, Flint $20.1 million, Pontiac $3.7 million, and the final $2.5 million going to Grand Rapids.[33] After the grant's approval, Saginaw city officials announced a program to purchase unwanted, abandoned structures from their owners, which would be then added to a list of homes to tear down. Officials estimate that there were nearly 1,200 homes within the city limits worthy of demolition.[34]
Efforts to revitalize downtown increased in 2013. CBS television executive and Saginaw native David Strouse announced an investment plan in late 2013 that would save nearly an entire block of buildings slated for demolition at the intersection of Washington and Genesee, the core of downtown Saginaw. The plan called for the renovation and redevelopment of four buildings, creating market-rate apartments on the upper floors and retail space at ground level. In 2012 a similar deal was made for the Bancroft and Eddy apartments at the same intersection. Once Section 8 housing, these buildings are being transformed into market-rate apartments and retail space.[35]
Economic development in the region is focused on comparative advantages in innovation, clean energy, and continued manufacturing exports. Compared to other mid-sized communities, Saginaw has a high number of patent applications per job, and more than 81 times the average US share of jobs in photovoltaic technology research and production. The city continues to have a higher proportion of manufacturing jobs than the US average.[36]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.10 square miles (46.88 km2), of which, 17.34 square miles (44.91 km2) is land and 0.76 square miles (1.97 km2) is water.[37] Saginaw lies on the Saginaw River, 15 miles (24 km) inland from the Saginaw Bay, an arm of Lake Huron. The city sits in the middle of the Saginaw Bay watershed, the largest in the state of Michigan. It includes the largest contiguous fresh-water coastal wetland in the United States.[38]
Neighborhoods
The City of Saginaw consists of many diverse neighborhoods,[39] including:
- Downtown
- Old Town[40][41]
- Southwest Village[39]
- Northmoor[42]
- Heritage Square[43]
- Cathedral District[44]
- Houghton Jones Neighborhood[45]
- South East Side[39]
- Triangle Parks[39]
- St. Stephen's Area[39]
- Brockway-Carmen Park[39]
- Butman-Fish Neighborhood[39]
- Redeemer Area[39]
- Saginaw High Neighborhood[39]
- Northeast Side[46]
- Covenant Neighborhood[47]
- Northwest Neighborhood[39]
- Sheridan Park[48]
- The Woods[49]
- Adams Boulevard Area [50]
Climate
Saginaw has a humid continental climate influenced by its inland position not on the shore of one of the Great Lakes of Michigan.[51]
Climate data for Saginaw, Michigan (MBS International Airport), 1991–2020 normals,[52] extremes 1898–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
74 (23) |
87 (31) |
88 (31) |
95 (35) |
104 (40) |
111 (44) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
91 (33) |
80 (27) |
67 (19) |
111 (44) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 49.0 (9.4) |
49.5 (9.7) |
65.9 (18.8) |
78.4 (25.8) |
86.6 (30.3) |
92.7 (33.7) |
92.6 (33.7) |
90.5 (32.5) |
88.1 (31.2) |
79.7 (26.5) |
64.7 (18.2) |
52.8 (11.6) |
95.0 (35.0) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 29.5 (−1.4) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
42.3 (5.7) |
55.8 (13.2) |
68.6 (20.3) |
78.5 (25.8) |
82.2 (27.9) |
80.0 (26.7) |
73.3 (22.9) |
60.2 (15.7) |
46.2 (7.9) |
34.7 (1.5) |
56.9 (13.8) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.0 (−5.0) |
24.5 (−4.2) |
34.0 (1.1) |
45.9 (7.7) |
58.2 (14.6) |
68.1 (20.1) |
71.7 (22.1) |
69.7 (20.9) |
62.5 (16.9) |
50.8 (10.4) |
39.0 (3.9) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
48.0 (8.9) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.4 (−8.7) |
17.3 (−8.2) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
36.1 (2.3) |
47.7 (8.7) |
57.7 (14.3) |
61.2 (16.2) |
59.4 (15.2) |
51.6 (10.9) |
41.4 (5.2) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
23.1 (−4.9) |
39.1 (3.9) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −2.5 (−19.2) |
−1.4 (−18.6) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
23.1 (−4.9) |
34.0 (1.1) |
43.6 (6.4) |
49.9 (9.9) |
48.1 (8.9) |
37.5 (3.1) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
16.9 (−8.4) |
6.4 (−14.2) |
−6 (−21) |
Record low °F (°C) | −22 (−30) |
−23 (−31) |
−12 (−24) |
8 (−13) |
24 (−4) |
33 (1) |
39 (4) |
37 (3) |
27 (−3) |
19 (−7) |
−3 (−19) |
−12 (−24) |
−23 (−31) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.92 (49) |
1.77 (45) |
2.02 (51) |
3.19 (81) |
3.41 (87) |
3.28 (83) |
2.83 (72) |
3.85 (98) |
2.81 (71) |
2.91 (74) |
2.28 (58) |
1.85 (47) |
32.12 (816) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 13.9 (35) |
11.4 (29) |
6.0 (15) |
2.4 (6.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
3.3 (8.4) |
11.8 (30) |
49.0 (124) |
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 8.5 (22) |
7.9 (20) |
6.0 (15) |
1.2 (3.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.8 (4.6) |
5.0 (13) |
11.7 (30) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.6 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 10.2 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 9.7 | 12.0 | 11.5 | 12.2 | 132.6 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 10.9 | 8.4 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 8.8 | 38.2 |
Source: |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 1,699 | — | |
1870 | 7,460 | 339.1% | |
1880 | 10,525 | 41.1% | |
1890 | 46,322 | 340.1% | |
1900 | 42,345 | −8.6% | |
1910 | 50,510 | 19.3% | |
1920 | 61,903 | 22.6% | |
1930 | 80,715 | 30.4% | |
1940 | 82,794 | 2.6% | |
1950 | 92,918 | 12.2% | |
1960 | 98,265 | 5.8% | |
1970 | 91,849 | −6.5% | |
1980 | 77,508 | −15.6% | |
1990 | 69,512 | −10.3% | |
2000 | 61,799 | −11.1% | |
2010 | 51,508 | −16.7% | |
2020 | 44,202 | −14.2% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[55] 2010[56] 2020[57] |
Saginaw is the largest principal city of the
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2000[60] | Pop 2010[56] | Pop 2020[57] | % 2010 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
26,372 | 19,310 | 15,227 | 42.67% | 37.49% | 34.45% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
26,440 | 23,127 | 19,176 | 42.78% | 44.90% | 43.38% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
224 | 180 | 120 | 0.36% | 0.35% | 0.27% |
Asian alone (NH) | 197 | 145 | 184 | 0.32% | 0.28% | 0.42% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 6 | 10 | 17 | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.04% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 116 | 72 | 271 | 0.19% | 0.14% | 0.61% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,185 | 1,320 | 2,219 | 1.92% | 2.56% | 5.02% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,259 | 7,344 | 6,988 | 11.75% | 14.26% | 15.81% |
Total | 61,799 | 51,508 | 44,202 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the
There were 19,799 households, of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.9% were married couples living together, 28.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.19.
The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 28.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 10.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.
2000 census
As of the
There were 23,182 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples living together, 27.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,485, and the median income for a family was $29,945. Males had a median income of $31,614 versus $22,714 for females. The
Economy
During much of the 20th century, Saginaw's economy was dominated by manufacturing related to the automotive industry; most notably, manual transmission assemblies, steering gear boxes and power steering pumps. At the height of manufacturing in the 1960s and 1970s, the city and neighboring Buena Vista Township hosted 12 General Motors plants, an Eaton Manufacturing plant (demolished 2008) where 5,000 people produced auto parts,[62] and numerous smaller concerns.
The General Motors plants in the county were:
- The original Jackson-Wilcox factory on Saginaw's North Hamilton (ca. 1906), later Saginaw Steering Gear Plant 1, closed 1984,[63] sold by GM in 1987 to Thomson Industries, still operating as of 2009.[21]
- Chevrolet Saginaw Parts at Sixth and Washington on Saginaw's East Side, built in 1906 as the assembly plant of the Rainier Motor Car Company, acquired by GM in 1907. Closed 1983, demolished 1984.[64]
- Saginaw Malleable Iron on the Southwest Side (1917). Contracted to build gear housings for GM's Jacox division (the former Jackson Wilcox company, later Saginaw Steering Gear), sold to GM in 1919, later part of Saginaw Products Division, reorganized into a new Central Foundry Division in 1946.[23] Closed May 2007,[65] razed in 2010 and for sale as of May 2013 by the RACER Trust, charged with disposing of abandoned GM properties.
- Chevrolet Grey Iron, on the North Side of Saginaw, opened as Central Foundry in 1918, operated by Chevrolet Division 1927–1983, thereafter by GM Powertrain Division. Operating today as Saginaw Metal Casting Operations,[24] the only GM manufacturing division still operating in Saginaw County.
- Chevrolet Saginaw Transmission on East Genesee in Saginaw, built 1919–20 for the Michigan Crankshaft Company, acquired by GM in 1921 and placed under Saginaw Products. Transferred to Chevrolet upon the dissolution of the Crankshaft Division (ca. 1927). Home of the Saginaw 3-speed and 4-speed manual transmissions. Transferred to the Delphi Automotive in 1995. After 2007, leased and later purchased outright by TRW Automotive, operating as TRW Braking and Suspension[66] until closing in February 2014.[67]
- Saginaw Steering Gear Plant 2, the "Gun Plant" (see below) adjacent to Malleable Iron; opened March 1941, closed July 2001, razed 2002.[68] For sale by RACER Trust as of May 2013.
- The 400-acre Saginaw Steering Gear complex in Buena Vista Township. Plant 3 opened 1953 next to the then-new US-23 bypass, adding Plants 4, 5 and 6 by 1966 and a seventh shortly thereafter. Later known as Saginaw Division, then part of Delphi, sold in 2010 to Nexteer Corporation,[62] is supplying GM, Ford and Chrysler as of 2013.[69]
- Chevrolet Nodular Iron in Buena Vista Township, built 1964–1965, entered production 1967, announced for closure 1986, closed 1988; since demolished.[63][70] Property for sale by RACER Trust as of May 2013.
The Saginaw metropolitan area's main shopping district is located in neighboring Saginaw Township along Bay Road and Tittabawassee Road north of town, where several big box stores and regional restaurant chains can be found. Also in the same area is Fashion Square Mall, a regional shopping mall anchored by JCPenney and Macy's. Primary areas within the city of Saginaw for consumer shopping include Old Town and downtown.
Arts and culture
Saginaw's entertainment hub can be found in the downtown area, where venues such as
Downtown Saginaw has undergone a resurgence with locally-owned restaurants and coffee shops dotting the area. The downtown Saginaw area contains several office buildings from the late 19th century and early 20th century. They are located near the Saginaw Club, a social club founded in 1889. In December 2016 "The Gallery: Art For Saginaw" opened in the newly redeveloped downtown. At roughly 5,000 square feet it is one of the largest public art galleries in Michigan. The Downtown Farmer's Market offers Michigan produce, flowers, and baked goods from local bakeries and will be moving to an indoor permanent location in 2017. Downtown is not to be confused with the Old Town/West Side City area located on the other side of the river and about one mile (1.6 km) southwest. Old Town has many popular bars, locally owned restaurants, and businesses. The city's roster of local arts organizations includes Pit and Balcony, one of the oldest continuously operating community theaters in the United States, founded in 1932.[71]
Parks and museums
The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History is an important and prominent museum in downtown Saginaw. The museum is housed in a former post office which was built to resemble a castle, and pays homage to the historical French heritage of the area. With more than 100,000 artifacts in its collection, the Historical Society of Saginaw County displays items from their collection as well as those of traveling exhibits.[72]
The Andersen Enrichment Center and Lucille E. Andersen Memorial Rose Garden are part of Saginaw's park system. The facility is used to host private and public events throughout the year. These events include Hollyday Art Fair, Art & Garden Festival, the SAWA Fall Watercolor Exhibition, Jazz in the Rose Garden and Art @ the Andersen[73] and a World AIDS Day service[74] The garden includes a fountain with a sculpture by Marshall Fredericks.
The Saginaw Art Museum hosts temporary exhibitions and permanent collections. The museum also houses The John and Michele Bueker Research Library and Archives of Michigan Art. The museum originated as the home of C.L. Ring who commissioned Charles A. Platt to design the house and gardens. The museum opened to the public in 1948. The museum is a Smithsonian Institution affiliate.[75]
Saginaw is home to a Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House and Garden, as a result of its 52-year Sister-City relationship with Tokushima, Japan. The Garden was completed in 1971. The Tea House, known as Saginaw Awa An, completed in 1986, is considered to be one of the ten most authentic Tea Houses outside the country of Japan. The site is open from April through October and offers traditional tea ceremonies by appointment, and on the second Saturday of each month. Each year in September a Japan Festival is held in the garden, featuring authentic Japanese singers, dancers, and performers, and offering demonstrations of Japanese Culture to those in attendance, including flower arranging, calligraphy, origami, and authentic Japanese cuisine, such as sushi and other dishes.[citation needed]
The city is also home to the Theodore Roethke Home Museum, a National Literary Landmark. The museum honors one of America's greatest 20th-century poets, who was born and raised in Saginaw.[citation needed]
Ojibway Island in the Saginaw River is home to Rust Park and the Ojibway Island City Park Amphitheater.
Sports
The Saginaw area is home to two professional sports teams and one
Team | Sport | League | Year founded | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
Saginaw Spirit | Ice hockey | Ontario Hockey League | 2002 | Dow Event Center |
Saginaw Valley State University | Various | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 1963 | SVSU Campus |
Government
Saginaw is classified as a Home Rule City under the Michigan
Education
Primary and secondary schools
The city of Saginaw is served by the Saginaw Public School District, also known as SPSD. The Saginaw Public School District operates twelve elementary schools, two combined elementary/middle schools, two middle schools, one combined middle/high school, and two high schools. The district is governed by a seven-member elected board of education. The board selects a superintendent for the district. The current superintendent is Mr. Nathan Mcclain.[80] The three public high schools in Saginaw are Arthur Hill High School, Saginaw High School, and the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy. Michigan Lutheran Seminary is the lone private high school in the city. Charter schools in the city are Saginaw Learn to Earn Academy, North Saginaw Charter Academy, Francis Reh Academy, Saginaw Prep schools, and the International Academy of Saginaw.
Higher education
Saginaw is served by Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University, which are located in nearby University Center, Michigan. Central Michigan University maintains an off-campus center inside the city that offers numerous degree programs. Delta College built a downtown satellite facility that opened in the fall of 2019.
Media
Television stations
Saginaw is part of
Television stations in the Saginaw, Michigan area (Ascending order) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Channel | Call letters | Description | Comments | ||
5 | WNEM-TV | CBS affiliate | Licensed to Bay City; studios in Saginaw | ||
12 | WJRT-TV | ABC affiliate | Based and licensed in Flint | ||
19 | WDCQ-TV | PBS member station |
Licensed to Bad Axe; studios at Delta College in University Center | ||
24 | W24DL-D |
3ABN affiliate |
Based and licensed in Saginaw; programmed via satellite | ||
25 | WEYI-TV | NBC affiliate | Licensed to Saginaw; studios in Clio | ||
46 | WBSF | CW affiliate |
Licensed to Bay City; studios in Clio | ||
49 | WAQP | TCT O&O affiliate | Based and licensed in Saginaw | ||
66 | WSMH | Fox affiliate | Based and licensed in Flint |
Radio stations
Saginaw and Saginaw Township are home to the three major radio station clusters serving the Greater Tri Cities. Those include family owned and Saginaw-headquartered MacDonald Broadcasting, and corporate broadcasters Alpha Media and Cumulus Media. Radio stations licensed within the immediate Saginaw area are listed. Many locations in the City of Saginaw also receive stations from Bay City, Midland, Flint, and Lansing.
AM radio stations
| |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | City |
790 AM | WSGW | Newsradio 790 | News/Talk |
Alpha Media | Saginaw |
1250 AM | WJMK | MeTV FM | Oldies |
Northern States Broadcasting Corporation | Bridgeport |
1400 AM | WSAM | The Bay 1400 AM and 104FM | Adult Contemporary |
MacDonald Broadcasting | Saginaw |
FM radio stations
| |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner | City |
90.9 FM | WTRK |
Air 1 |
Contemporary Christian |
Educational Media Foundation | Freeland |
93.3 FM | WKQZ | The Rock Station, Z93 | Modern rock | Cumulus Media | Midland; studios in Saginaw |
93.7 FM | WRCL | Club 93.7 | Rhythmic contemporary | Townsquare Media | Frankenmuth; studios in Burton |
94.5 FM | WCEN-FM | 94.5 The Moose | Country music | Alpha Media | Hemlock; studios in Saginaw |
96.1 FM | WHNN | My 96.1 | Adult Contemporary |
Cumulus Media | Bay City; studios in Saginaw |
98.1 FM | WKCQ | 98.1 KCQ | Country music | MacDonald Broadcasting | Saginaw |
100.5 FM | WSGW-FM | FM Talk 100.5 | News/Talk |
Alpha Media | Carrollton ; studios in Saginaw
|
102.5 FM | WIOG | The Hit Music Channel | Contemporary hits |
Cumulus Media | Bay City; studios in Saginaw |
104.5 FM | WILZ | Wheelz 104.5 | Classic rock | Cumulus Media | Saginaw |
106.3 FM | WGER | 106.3 The Core | Modern rock | Alpha Media | Saginaw |
107.1 FM | WTLZ | KISS 107.1 | Urban adult contemporary | Alpha Media | Saginaw |
Newspapers
- The Saginaw News—Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
- Review Magazine—[86] biweekly
- The Saginaw Press—weekly
- The Township Times[87]—weekly
- The Township View—weekly
Infrastructure
Transportation
Historically, ships were able to move along the length of the river inside the city, but fixed bridges built over the river closed access south of the northern docks.
Saginaw was a railroad hub to the
Saginaw is served primarily by two airports: MBS International Airport, located in nearby Freeland, and Bishop International Airport, located in Flint. Saginaw is also served by three smaller airports: Harry W. Browne Airport in adjacent Buena Vista Township, James Clements Municipal Airport in Bay City, and Jack Barstow Municipal Airport in Midland.
Interstate 75 (I-75) serves as the main arterial route for the Saginaw area while I-675 provides direct access to the center of the city from I-75. I-69 is a nearby east–west corridor providing access to the rest of the Midwestern United States and Canada. The Saginaw River runs through the middle of the city and provides access to Saginaw Bay and the rest of the Great Lakes via docks on the northern side of the city.
In the city and surrounding areas,
Intercity Bus Service is Provided by Indian Trails, which operates a bus station on the east side of the river.[citation needed]
Major highways
- I-75 passes along the eastern side of the city through Buena Vista Charter Township.
- I-675 provides a short freeway loop through downtown Saginaw and back to I-75 through Saginaw Charter Township.
- M-13 runs from I-69 through downtown Saginaw and north to Standish.
- M-46 is a cross-peninsular road, running across the mitten and the thumb—from Port Sanilac on the Lake Huron shore, through Saginaw, and then on to Muskegon on the Lake Michigan shore.[95] This east–west surface route nearly bisects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan latitudinally.
- M-47 passes through the western suburbs and provides a direct connection to MBS International Airport.
- M-52 runs from the Ohio border through Adrian and Owosso before ending at M-46, in the western suburbs of Saginaw. M-52 also provides an alternate connection to Lansing, Michigan's state capitol.
- M-58 runs from M-47 to I-675.
- M-81 runs east from M-13 to Caro and Cass City and ends at M-53 in Sanilac County.
- M-84 runs from downtown Bay City to M-58 in Saginaw.
Utilities
The City of Saginaw gets its electricity and natural gas from Consumers Energy.
In 1929, the city opened its consolidated water works plant which replaced two separate plants that were on each side of the Saginaw river. This plant treated water brought in from the Saginaw river and piped it out to the residents as well as corner pumps for people that did not have direct connections to the system.
Healthcare
Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, located at 1500 Weiss, is a hospital serving America's Veterans overseen by the Veterans Health Administration. It has 100 staffed beds and sees 292,000 patients a year.[98]
Covenant Medical Center, located at 1447 North Harrison, is a 623-bed hospital with
Ascension Saint Mary's of Michigan, located at 800 South Washington, is a hospital with approximately 225 staffed beds and sees 168,000 patients a year.[98] St. Mary's treats trauma, heart disease, and cancer among other ailments, and opened its Ambulatory Care Center in Saginaw Township in 2000 featuring the county's first suburban emergency room.
In popular culture
- Saginaw is referred to in the Brian D'Arcy James song: "Michigan Christmas". Brian grew up in Saginaw, Michigan.[101]
- Bill Anderson and Don Wayne wrote a song entitled "Saginaw, Michigan" which has been covered by a dozen artists.[102] Cowboy singer Lefty Frizzell was the first to perform it, with his version reaching number one on the country charts.[103][104] Also popularly, it was performed by George Jones.[A]
- Saginaw served as the destination point for the episode where the pair hatched a scheme to transport bottles and cans via a United States Postal Service mail truck from New York to Michigan to earn 10¢ per recycled item, as opposed to New York's 5¢.[105]
- In an episode of
- "The Saginaw Song" is the title of a poem by Theodore Roethke, a poet who was born in Saginaw in 1908.[107]
- Saginaw and the Saginaw Valley was a center for songwriting. The well-known tunes "All of Me" "Toot Toot Tootsie" "It Had to Be You" "After the Ball" "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" "Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus" and many others were either written or co-written by songwriters from Saginaw. More modern examples include "Only Women Bleed" and the catalog of Saginaw native Stevland Morris, aka
- The 1966 Michigan Live, Simon wrote the song when he was in the city[109]
Notable people
Sister cities
- Akuapim North District, Ghana
- Anambra, Nigeria
- Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
- Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
- Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
See also
Notes
- ^ The song mis-situates the city on Saginaw Bay, about 15 miles to the north.
References
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- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Saginaw, Michigan
- ^ "About Saginaw County, MI". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
- ^ "Saginaw city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ "The Saginaw Lumber Boom (1850–1894)". Michigan State University.
- ^ "A Brief History of Lumbering in Michigan". Michigan Center for History Studies. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
- ^ Michigan Economics Condition Assessment: Flint, Kalamazoo, Holland, And Saginaw (PDF) (Report). Brookings Institution. 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
- ^ "Clarke Home—entral Michigan University". cmich.edu.
- ^ Michigan Counties. DNR. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
- ^ Saginaw's Changeable Past, by Jeremy W. Kilar, G. Bradley, St. Louis, MO, 1994, p. 15
- ^ a b Manning, Nancy Sajdak. "West Side, East Side". Great Lakes Bay Magazine. No. June 2014. Great Lakes Publishing. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
- ^ Leeson, Michael A. (2005) [1881]. History of Saginaw county, Michigan. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. pp. 596+. Retrieved April 11, 2007.
- ^ History of Saginaw County, Michigan (Chicago: Charles A. Chapman, 1881) p. 122–123
- ^ "Minutes of City Council Meeting—June 27, 2005". Retrieved November 29, 2007.
- ^ a b "City Charter Preface". Retrieved November 29, 2007.
- ^ Thompson, Mike (June 2007). "Saginaw Celebrates its 150th Birthday!". Review Magazine. 29 (641). Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
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- ^ Gus Burns, "Saginaw remains most violent city in America, despite overall crime drop," MLive, Updated January 21, 2019.
- ^ a b Samuel Stebbins, "Saginaw, MI Reported One of the Highest Murder Rates in the US," 24/7 Wall Street
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- ^ Samuel Stebbins, "How the Murder Rate in Michigan Compares to the Rest of the Country," 24/7 Wall Street
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- ^ "Saginaw Bay Watershed". www.conservationgateway.org.
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- ^ "Attendance was robust at Saginaw's Covenant Neighborhood Association winter meeting". MLive.com. January 17, 2009.
- ^ "Verdict in Saginaw firebombing case delays murder hearing in related pre-prom homicide case". MLive.com. December 7, 2013.
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- ^ "Climate summary for Saginaw". Weatherbase. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
- ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
- ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Saginaw MBS INTL AP, MI". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
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- ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Saginaw city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Saginaw city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Components Archived May 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Office of Management and Budget, May 11, 2007. Accessed 2008-08-01.
- ^ Combined Statistical Areas and Component Core Based Statistical Areas Archived January 17, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Office of Management and Budget, May 11, 2007. Accessed 2012-09-25.
- ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Saginaw city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
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- ^ a b "GM TO CLOSE FOUNDRY IN MICHIGAN, CUT MOST JOBS AT NEW YORK FOUNDRY PRECEDE SAGINAW". Associated Press. August 6, 1986. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
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Bibliography
- Smith, R. Grant, (1998) From Saginaw Valley to Tin Pan Alley. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press
External links
- Media related to Saginaw, Michigan at Wikimedia Commons
- Saginaw travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Official website