Caro, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Caro, Michigan
City
Tuscola County Courthouse
Location of Caro, Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Tuscola
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	2.95 sq mi (7.65 km2)
• Land	2.94 sq mi (7.62 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	725 ft (221 m)
Population  (2023)
• Total	4,272
• Density	1,470.11/sq mi (567.61/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	48723-1426
Area code(s)	989
FIPS code	26-13420
GNIS feature ID	622746
Website	http://www.carocity.net/

Caro is a city in Michigan, USA. It's also the main town, or county seat, of Tuscola County. In 2020, about 4,328 people lived there.

You can find Caro in Michigan's "Thumb" region, northeast of Flint and east of Saginaw.

History of Caro

Trinity Episcopal Church

Hotel Montague

Caro started on a ridge above an old Chippewa village. This village was near a horseshoe-shaped bend in the Cass River. Native Americans called this bend "Pe-See-Kop-To-Qua-Yone." Today, the Caro Dam stands there.

In 1848, a logging camp was set up by Curtis Emerson. This camp started the logging "boom" along the Cass River. Around the same time, Paschel Richardson bought land for logging where Caro would later be built. The Johnson brothers also bought land here in 1849 to cut timber for building the city of Zilwaukee, Michigan.

Early Settlers and Growth

Around the 1830s and 1840s, Gardener and Ephraim Williams worked for the American Fur Company. They had a trading post on the Cass River at a very short, horseshoe-shaped bend. This bend was likely the same "Oxbow" area.

In 1852, Samuel P. Sherman bought land in the area. His son, William E. Sherman, had worked in the lumber business nearby. William's good reports convinced his father to buy more land.

Becoming a Community

In 1856, the Michigan Legislature approved building a road through what is now Caro. This road helped businesses start to move into the area. In 1858, Melvin Gibbs opened a new hotel called the Gibbs House.

In 1859, William E. Sherman built another hotel, naming it the Centerville House. He chose this name because the spot was near the center of the county. Soon, the growing community became known as Centerville.

Choosing the Name Caro

In 1865, Centerville was chosen as the county seat. A post office was opened in 1866, but it was called Tuscola Center. To avoid confusion, community leaders met in 1868. William E. Sherman suggested the name Caro, which is a different spelling of the Egyptian city of Cairo.

On July 23, 2007, Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm announced that Caro was chosen for a special program. This program helped the city develop its downtown area. The goal was to create economic growth and new jobs.

In 2009, Caro residents voted to change their status from a village to a city. Tom Striffler became the first mayor.

Geography of Caro

Caro covers about 2.80 square miles (7.25 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Caro is located in the middle of Tuscola County. It is surrounded by Indianfields Township on its west, south, and east sides. Almer Township is to the north. The Caro post office serves not only the city but also large parts of these surrounding townships.

Getting Around Caro

Caro is connected by two main state roads:

• M-24
• M-81

The city also has the Tuscola Area Airport, sometimes called the Caro Municipal Airport. It's about three miles southwest of the city. The airport was founded in 1930. Over the years, it has been improved with longer runways, taxiways, and new buildings.

People of Caro

Population in 2010

In 2010, Caro had 4,229 people living in 1,777 households. About 28.6% of these households had children under 18. The average household had 2.22 people.

The average age in Caro was 39.6 years. About 21.8% of residents were under 18. Most people in Caro were White (95.5%). About 5.3% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Industries in Caro

Caro is home to a Michigan Sugar facility. This plant processes sugarbeets grown by local farmers. The farmers actually own part of the plant.

In 2003, a corn ethanol production facility opened in Caro. It is run by Michigan Ethanol, a partner of Poet Biorefining.

The Caro Center is a mental health facility run by the state of Michigan. It first opened to help people with epilepsy. It used to be a self-supporting community, growing its own food and raising animals. Now, it helps adults with mental health needs.

Media in Caro

Caro has local radio stations and access to several newspapers and television channels.

Radio Stations

Local radio stations licensed to serve Caro include WKYO AM and WIDL FM.

Newspapers

You can find daily newspapers like the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. Local papers include the "Tuscola County Advertiser" and Vassar Pioneer Times.

Television Channels

Tuscola County is part of the Flint/Tri-Cities Television Market. Here are some channels available in the Caro area:

• WNEM 5 (CBS/MyNetworkTV)
• WJRT 12 (ABC)
• WDCQ 19 (PBS)
• WEYI 25 (NBC)
• WBSF 46 (The CW)
• WAQP 49 (TCT)
• WSMH 66 (Fox)

Climate in Caro

Caro has a humid continental climate. This means it has big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold.

In July, the average temperature is about 71°F (21°C). High temperatures can reach 90°F (32°C) about 17 days a year. In January, the average temperature is about 23°F (-5°C).

See also

In Spanish: Caro (Míchigan) para niños