Bay City, Michigan facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Bay City, Michigan
City
Bay City from across the Saginaw River Downtown Midland Street Lafayette Avenue Bridge Veterans Memorial Park
Location within Bay County
Bay City, Michigan Location in Michigan Show map of Michigan Bay City, Michigan Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Bay
Settled	1831
Incorporated	1865
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• City	11.20 sq mi (29.01 km²)
• Land	10.17 sq mi (26.33 km²)
• Water	1.03 sq mi (2.68 km²)
Elevation	585 ft (178.3 m)
Population (2020)
• City	32,661
• Density	3,212.77/sq mi (1,240.51/km²)
• Urban	70,585 (US: 390th)
• Metro	107,110 (US: 335th)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	48706–48708
Area code(s)	989
FIPS code	26-06020
GNIS feature ID	0620777

Bay City is a city in Bay County, Michigan, United States. It is the main city of Bay County. The city is located on the Saginaw River, close to Saginaw Bay. In 2020, about 32,661 people lived there.

Bay City is part of a larger area called the Greater Tri-Cities region. Several important bridges cross the Saginaw River in Bay City. These include the Liberty Bridge and the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Bay City's History

Bay City Street Map, 1898 from 1898

Third Street Bridge, with Sage Mill in background, 1918. The bridge collapsed in 1976 after being hit by a freighter.

Bay City was first settled in 1831 by Leon Tromblé. He built a log cabin on the east side of the Saginaw River. In 1834, John B. Trudell also built a cabin nearby. He is considered the first permanent resident of what became Bay County.

The community was first known as "Lower Saginaw." It was part of Saginaw County at that time. In 1857, Bay County was formed, and the name changed to Bay City. The Post Office officially changed its name in 1858.

Bay City grew quickly because its deeper waters were better for large ships. This helped industries that relied on shipping. By 1860, about 2,000 people lived in Lower Saginaw. It had many mills and small businesses. In 1865, the village of Bay City became an official city.

The city saw fast economic growth. Lumbering, milling, and shipbuilding created many jobs. Rich business owners used the Saginaw River to transport lumber. Many large homes built during this time are now historical landmarks.

In 1873, Charles C. Fitzhugh, Jr., a Bay City pioneer, and his wife, Jane, bought land. They built a home where City Hall is now located. In 1891, they sold the land to the city for $8,500. The city bought it to build a new City Hall.

Until 1905, Bay City was only on the east side of the Saginaw River. Then, West Bay City joined Bay City.

In the late 1800s, Bay City had many sawmills and shipyards. The Defoe Shipbuilding Company built ships for the United States Navy. To remember this history, the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum brought the USS Edson (DD-946) to Bay City. It is now a museum ship.

During World War I, Bay City had a large German neighborhood called Salzburg. People of German background faced challenges during this time. They wanted to be seen as Americans first. Many young men from Michigan even joined the Canadian army before the U.S. entered the war.

Important Events in Bay City

Bay City has seen several notable events over the years.

On December 23, 1906, the Fraser House, a major hotel, burned down.

The Third Street Bridge was damaged by a freighter on June 17, 1976. The next morning, part of the bridge fell into the Saginaw River. This blocked all river traffic. A new bridge was never built in that spot.

On December 10, 1977, a fire at the Wenonah Hotel (now Wenonah Park Apartments) caused 10 deaths. This hotel was built where the Fraser House had burned down. The fire was the deadliest in Bay County history.

On Christmas Eve, 1979, a large department store called Oppenheim's was destroyed by fire.

In September 1990, a tankship called MV Jupiter was unloading gasoline. Another ship, MV Buffalo, passed by too fast. Its wake caused Jupiter to break free. A fire and explosion happened. This led to a large legal case. The court decided that Buffalo was partly responsible for going too fast.

On October 12, 2010, the historic City Hall caught fire in its attic. The sprinkler system ran for almost two hours. Most of the damage was from water. The fire started during a roofing project. Sparks from a worker's grinder caused the blaze.

Bay City's Geography

Bay City covers about 11.21 square miles (29.01 km²). About 10.17 square miles (26.33 km²) is land, and 1.04 square miles (2.68 km²) is water. Bay City is the largest U.S. city by population near Lake Huron.

Bay City is part of the Tri-Cities Area, along with Saginaw and Midland. This area is also sometimes called the "Thumb of Michigan Area."

City Areas

West Bay City is a part of the city on the west side of the Saginaw River. It used to be a separate city.
The Center Avenue Historic District has over 250 buildings listed on the National Historic Register. Many are old homes from the lumber boom era.

Shopping and Business Areas

Banks Business District: Along Marquette Avenue.
Broadway Avenue Business District: From Lafayette Avenue south.
Columbus Avenue Business District: From Washington Avenue to Bay Medical Center Hospital.
Downtown Bay City: Between Madison Avenue and the Saginaw River.
Johnson Street Business District: From Center Avenue to Woodside Street.
Lafayette/Salzburg/Kosciuszko Business District: Extends along Salzburg.
The Midland Street Historic District: On the west side of the city, near the river. It has many popular bars.
Industrial Districts: Areas like Morton Street and Harrison Street. Home to companies like General Motors Powertrain and SC Johnson & Son.
Bay City Town Center area: Located just outside the city limits in Bangor Township.
Water Street: Known for having Michigan's largest antique district.
Uptown Bay City: Along the Saginaw River, south of Veteran's Bridge.

Climate in Bay City

Bay City has a climate with big temperature changes between seasons. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold. This is known as a humid continental climate.

Bay City's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	1,583	—
1870	7,064	346.2%
1880	20,693	192.9%
1890	27,839	34.5%
1900	27,628	−0.8%
1910	45,166	63.5%
1920	47,554	5.3%
1930	47,355	−0.4%
1940	47,956	1.3%
1950	52,523	9.5%
1960	53,604	2.1%
1970	49,449	−7.8%
1980	41,593	−15.9%
1990	38,936	−6.4%
2000	36,817	−5.4%
2010	34,932	−5.1%
2020	32,661	−6.5%
2023 (est.)	32,082	−8.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 2018 Estimate

Population in 2020

In 2020, Bay City had 32,661 people living in 14,417 households. The population density was about 3,213 people per square mile.

Most residents (89.6%) were White. About 2.7% were Black, and 0.2% were Native American. About 10.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 21.6% of residents were under 18 years old. About 14.6% were 65 years or older. More than half (52.3%) of residents were female.

The average household income was $41,959. About 23.6% of people lived in poverty.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Bay City had 34,932 people living in 14,436 households. The population density was about 3,435 people per square mile.

About 89.7% of residents were White. About 3.5% were Black, and 0.6% were Native American. About 8.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 31.7% of households had children under 18. The average household size was 2.38 people.

The average age in the city was 35.8 years. About 24.9% of residents were under 18.

Bay City's Economy

Bay City has many different types of jobs. Here are the top employers in the city from 2022:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	McLaren Bay Region	1,880
2	Bay City Public Schools	792
3	Bay County	589
4	S. C. Johnson & Son	450
5	General Motors Powertrain	432
6	City of Bay City	291
7	Go-To Transport	250
8	Dow Bay Area Family YMCA	239
9	Bay Arenac Behavioral Health	229
10	Mersen USA	170

Michigan Sugar also has its main office in Bay City.

Arts and Culture in Bay City

Bay City's Firework Festival – 2005

Bay City is famous for its many festivals and celebrations in the summer. These include the River Roar, St. Stan's Polish Festival, and the Bay City Fireworks Festival. Many events happen along the Saginaw River, often in Wenonah Park or Veterans Memorial Park.

The Bay County Historical Museum is on Washington Avenue. It keeps records and displays about local history. The museum has grown a lot and is in the old armory building.

The Bay City Players is a community theater run by volunteers. It is the oldest continuously running community theater in Michigan.

The Bay County Library System has two public libraries in Bay City: the Alice & Jack Wirt Public Library and Sage Public Library.

The official Bay City flag is blue and has the city logo on it.

The Hell's Half Mile Film and Music Festival happens every September. It shows independent films and features live indie music.

Fun Places to Visit

Appledore Tall Ships
Studio 23/The Arts Center
State Theatre
Delta College Planetarium & Learning Center
Bay County Civic Arena
The Bay County Historical Museum
Bay City State Recreation Area
Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum (US Navy)

Sports in Bay City

Bay City is home to the Tri-City Ice Hawks, a hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League.

The Bay City Billikens and Bay City Wolves were minor league baseball teams from Bay City. The Wolves won league championships in 1923 and 1924. They played their home games at Clarkston Park.

Education in Bay City

The Sage library

Schools for Kids

Bay City Public Schools runs seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools:

Bay City Central High School
Bay City Western High School
Bay City Eastern High School
T. L. Handy Middle School
Bay City Western Middle School
McAlear-Sawden Elementary School
Auburn Elementary School
Hampton Elementary School
Kolb Elementary School
MacGregor Elementary School
Mackensen Elementary School
Washington Elementary School

Bangor Township Schools operates one high school, one middle school, three elementary schools, one preschool, and one virtual school:

John Glenn High School
Christa McAuliffe Middle School
Central Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School
West Elementary School
North Preschool
Bangor Township Virtual School

Essexville Hampton Public Schools operates one high school, one middle school, and two elementary schools:

Garber High School
Cramer Junior High School
Verellen Elementary School
Bush Elementary School

Bay Area Catholic Schools operates four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school:

All Saints Central High School

Bay-Arenac Community High School is a charter school for older students.

Bay-Arenac Community High School

Mosaica Education Inc. runs a charter school called Bay County Public School Academy for grades K-8.

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has three grade schools in Bay City: Bethel Lutheran School, St. John's Lutheran School, and Trinity Lutheran School.

The Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District also has a career center for students.

Colleges in the Area

Delta College: Located nearby in University Center, with a branch in downtown Bay City.
Saginaw Valley State University: Also located nearby in University Center.

Media in Bay City

The city's main newspaper is The Bay City Times.

Bay City is also part of the TV and radio markets for Flint, Saginaw, and Midland.

Transportation in Bay City

Main Roads

I-75
BS I-75
US 10
US 23
M-13
Conn. M‑13: This short highway connects I-75 and M-13.
M-15
M-25
M-84
M-247

Liberty Bridge

Bridges Across the River

Four modern bascule bridges cross the Saginaw River, connecting the east and west sides of Bay City.

Lafayette Avenue Bridge: Opened in 1938, it carries M-13 and M-84.
Veterans Memorial Bridge: Opened in 1957, it carries M-25.
Independence Bridge: Opened in 1976, it carries Truman Parkway. It replaced an older bridge.
Liberty Bridge: Opened in 1990, it connects Vermont Street and Woodside Avenue.

In 2019, the city approved a plan for a private company, United Bridge Partners, to manage the Independence and Liberty bridges. This was done to help pay for repairs. Construction started in 2021, and Liberty Bridge reopened in 2022. Tolling for Liberty Bridge began in June 2023. Some residents have expressed concerns about the changes.

Famous People from Bay City

Robert Armstrong (1890–1973): Actor, known for King Kong.
Warren Avis: Started Avis Rent A Car.
Betsy Brandt: Actress from Breaking Bad.
William L. Clements: Businessman and book collector.
Marie Dressler: (1868–1934) Academy Award-winning actress who lived in Bay City as a child.
Eric Esch: "Butterbean," a famous boxer.
Bill Hewitt: Football player, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Alex Izykowski: Olympic bronze medalist in speed skating.
George Kid Lavigne: Boxer, world lightweight champion.
Madonna (born 1958): Famous singer and actress, born in Bay City.
Terry McDermott: Olympic gold medalist in speed skating.
Trenton Robinson: Football player.
Doug Sharp: Olympic bronze medalist.
Robert Rechsteiner and Scott Rechsteiner: Professional wrestlers.
Annie Edson Taylor: First person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive.