Gwinn, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gwinn, Michigan
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Street scene in downtown Gwinn
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Location within Marquette County
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 Gwinn, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Gwinn, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Marquette |
| Township | Forsyth |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.92 sq mi (7.57 km2) |
| • Land | 2.81 sq mi (7.28 km2) |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,099 ft (335 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,784 |
| • Density | 634.42/sq mi (244.91/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
49841
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| FIPS code | 26-35760 |
| GNIS feature ID | 627559 |
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Gwinn Model Town Historic District
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| Location | Including most of the original plat of Gwinn and surrounding greenbelt, Forsyth Township, Michigan |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Warren Manning, D. Fred Charlton |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman, Cleveland-Cliff Iron Co. dup |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000286 |
| Added to NRHP | June 24, 2002 |
Gwinn is a small community in Marquette County, Michigan. It's not an official city, but it's recognized for counting people. In 2020, about 1,784 people lived there. Gwinn is part of Forsyth Township.
The community includes smaller areas like Austin and New Swanzy. It's located along M-35, near where two branches of the Escanaba River meet. The Gwinn ZIP Code covers a much larger area than just the community itself.
Contents
History of Gwinn
Gwinn's story began in 1902 when the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company (CCI) bought the land. They opened the Gwinn Mine in 1905. In 1906, the company's president, William Gwinn Mather, decided to build a special town for the miners.
He hired a famous landscape designer, Warren H. Manning, to plan the community. Mather named the town Gwinn after his mother, Elizabeth Lucy Gwinn. Building started in 1907, with most homes finished by 1915. Manning made sure to keep many of the original trees and plant new ones. This helped connect the town to nature.
Gwinn became known as a "Model Town" because it was so well-planned. Even today, the local high school sports teams are called the "Modeltowners." A post office opened in 1908.
Over time, the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company became less involved in running the town. By the time of the Great Depression, the company no longer managed Gwinn. They started selling off their properties, and by 1946, they had sold all the houses they owned.
Other nearby communities, like Austin and New Swanzy, also grew from mining operations. Austin was developed by Cleveland-Cliffs in 1911. New Swanzy was named after the Swanzy Iron Company, which started in 1883.
In 2002, Gwinn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was recognized as the "Gwinn Model Town Historic District." This means the original parts of Gwinn are protected because of their historical importance. Even though the full plan for the town was never completed, the parts that were built still follow the original design.
In 2015, a magazine called Business Insider said Gwinn was the most affordable town in Michigan.
Geography
Gwinn is located in the southeastern part of Marquette County. It is about 20 miles (32 km) south of Marquette, which is the county seat. It is also about 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Negaunee.
The community covers about 2.92 square miles (7.57 km2) in total. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Community Improvements
Recently, Gwinn has seen many improvements in its downtown area. With help from government funds, the city has been made more beautiful. Also, money from the community helped to restore the outside of the Community Clubhouse.
Population Information
In 2020, the population of Gwinn was 1,784 people. In 2000, there were 1,965 people living in Gwinn. About 29% of households had children under 18. Most households were married couples living together. The average age of people in Gwinn was 42 years old.
Transportation
- Indian Trails bus lines offers daily bus service. You can catch a bus in Gwinn to travel between Hancock and Milwaukee.
Notable People
Some well-known people have connections to Gwinn:
- Shadi Petosky, a television writer.
- Bonita Pietila, a casting director for The Simpsons.
- Mike Shaw, a professional wrestler known as Norman the Lunatic.
Images for kids
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Houses near downtown Gwinn
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Police station in downtown Gwinn
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Building near river in downtown Gwinn
See also
In Spanish: Gwinn (Míchigan) para niños
