Owosso, Michigan

Owosso is the largest city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,194 at the 2010 census.[6] The city is mostly surrounded by Owosso Township on its west, but the two are administered autonomously. The city was named after Chief Wosso, an Ojibwe leader of the Shiawassee area.[7]

Not to be confused with Owasso, Oklahoma.
Owosso, Michigan
City
City of Owosso
Location within Shiawassee County
Owosso
Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 42°59′46″N 84°10′28″W
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountyShiawassee
Incorporated1859
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • MayorChristopher T. Eveleth
 • ManagerNathan Henne
Area
 • Total5.39 sq mi (13.96 km2)
 • Land5.25 sq mi (13.59 km2)
 • Water0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2)
Elevation
728 ft (222 m)
Population
 • Total15,194
 • Estimate 
(2019)[3]
14,441
 • Density2,751.71/sq mi (1,062.39/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
48867
Area code(s)989
FIPS code26-61940[4]
GNIS feature ID0634254[5]
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Alfred L. and Benjamin O. Williams were early European-American settlers in the area. They were joined by Elias Comstock, who built the first permanent home in the settlement. Owosso was incorporated as a city in 1859, at which time it had 1000 people.[8] The city's first mayor was Amos Gould, a judge originally from New York. Many other settlers also migrated across the Northern Tier from New York and New England. In 1876, the city organized its fire department.[9]

The pattern of settlement and migration resulted in a majority-white city. In the 1950s, Owosso was reported by a major Montgomery, Alabama, newspaper to be a sundown town, where African Americans were not allowed to live or stay overnight.[10] It was reacting to increased civil rights activism and Northern criticism of Southern racial segregation, following the United States Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that segregated public schools were unconstitutional.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.39 square miles (13.96 km2), of which 5.25 square miles (13.60 km2) is land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km2) (2.60%) is water.[6]

Climate

Owosso experiences frigid winters, with the last snow usually falling in April, typically Northern Midwestern spring thaws, balmy to hot summers, and colorful falls, with the first snows usually occurring in October. Each year Owosso averages eleven days with temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C), and nine days with temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C). Owosso averages twenty-nine inches of rain per year, and forty-one inches of snow. The average growing season in Owosso is 144 days.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18601,160—
18702,06578.0%
18802,50121.1%
18906,564162.5%
19008,69632.5%
19109,63910.8%
192012,57530.5%
193014,49615.3%
194014,424−0.5%
195015,94810.6%
196017,0066.6%
197017,1791.0%
198016,455−4.2%
199016,322−0.8%
200015,713−3.7%
201015,194−3.3%
Est. 201914,441[3]−5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 15,713 people, 6,340 households, and 4,076 families. The population density was 3,174.5 per square mile (1,225.6/km2). There were 6,724 housing units at an average density of 1,358.4 per square mile (524.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97% White, 0.20% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.80% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3% of the population.

There were 6,340 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,576, and the median income for a family was $40,355. Males had a median income of $32,285 versus $22,534 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,764. About 10.0% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 15,194 people, 6,161 households, and 3,779 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,905.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,121.7/km2). There were 6,823 housing units at an average density of 1,304.6 per square mile (503.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% White, 0.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population.

There were 6,161 households, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.7% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 34.8 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.[7]

Arts and culture
Curwood Castle, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The George Perrigo House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • The Curwood Festival, to honor the author and books, is held annually and includes a street fair, parades, contests including raft races, carnival rides, concerts, a medieval reenactment encampment, and more.[12]

Government

The city has a council–manager form of government. Owosso is served by the Shiawassee District Library branch.

Education

Education is provided by the Owosso Public Schools, which owns the historic Lincoln School on Michigan Avenue south of M-21. Owosso High School is the sole high school in the city.

Salem Lutheran School is a grade school (Pre-K-8) of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Owosso.[13]

Transportation

Roads
  • M-21 runs east and west through the city
  • M-52 runs north and south through the city
  • M-71 runs diagonally, southeast and northwest, terminating at M-21

City Bus Service

The Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency (SATA) provides city bus service. The majority of buses are lift-equipped, and the service operates from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays.[14] The service also provides a single daily bus run to and from Perry, Michigan, and another to and from Durand, Michigan.

Intercity Bus Service

Owosso is the headquarters of Indian Trails Bus Lines, which provides regularly scheduled intercity bus service from Owosso to connect with points throughout Michigan and the U. S. Indian Trails also provides chartered bus service to and from points throughout the U. S.

Air

Owosso Community Airport provides a 4,300-foot (1,300 m) long lighted runway for private planes and air taxi services.

Rail

Owosso is the headquarters of the Great Lakes Central Railroad, which provides freight service to Northern and Southern Michigan. It also provides chartered passenger rail service and tours through its association with Lake Central Rail Tours.

Notable people
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See also

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "Michigan: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. September 2012. p. 42 Michigan. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  7. "Owosso, Michigan". City Data. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  8. "Shiawassee History".
  9. HISTORY OF SHIAWASSEE AND CLINTON COUNTIES, MICHIGAN; 1880.
  10. Ward, Clifford B. The News-Sentinel (editorial). Fort Wayne, Indiana. Missing or empty |title= (help) Reprinted in "The South Is Fair Game Up North". Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, Alabama. July 20, 1956. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. The Advertiser has delighted in finding Northern Cities where Negroes are not allowed to live or even to stay overnight, among them Owosso, Mich., birthplace of Thomas Dewey.
  11. "Book Excerpts | The Kevorkian Verdict | FRONTLINE". PBS. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  12. The Argus-Press (2005-04-01). "New Lothrop stops Corunna in baseball opener". The Argus-Press. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  13. "Salem Lutheran School".
  14. "MDOT - Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency". Michigan.gov. 2013-08-19. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  15. "Book Review of Essays and Aphorisms on the Higher Man (9780578075259) — Foreword Reviews". Foreword Reviews. 7 March 2011.
  16. "Essays and Aphorisms on the Higher Man: Emile Benoit: 9780578075259: Amazon.com: Books".
  17. "Amazon.com: Emile Benoit: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle".
  18. "BENTLEY, Alvin Morell - Biographical Information". Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  19. Lawrence Kestenbaum. "The Political Graveyard: Politicians Who Survived Assassination Attempts".
  20. Langer, Emily. "Leann Birch, scientist who came to the aid of picky eaters and their parents, dies at 72". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
  21. "Michigan State Announces 2000 Athletics Hall of Fame Class - Michigan State Official Athletic Site".
  22. "Sanford Green".
  23. "Alfred D. Hershey - Biographical". Nobel Media AB.
  24. "MDOT - Taylor, Cora V. (1884-1971)".
  25. All About Jazz. "All About Jazz".
  26. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Bill_Graham_1884
  27. http://www.rainfall.com/posters/baseballcards/18422.htm
  28. "Bradlee Van pelt, QB, Colorado State". USA Today. May 18, 2005.
  29. "Alice Fisher".
  30. "SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System".
  31. "USC - Viterbi School of Engineering - National Academy of Engineering".
  32. "American Scientist Online". americanscientist.org. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
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