Mount Clemens, Michigan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Mount Clemens, Michigan

City

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s):

Bath City

Location within Macomb County

Mount Clemens, Michigan

Location in Michigan

Country

United States

Government

• Type

Council–manager

Area

• Total

4.21 sq mi (10.89 km²)

• Land

4.09 sq mi (10.60 km²)

• Water

0.11 sq mi (0.29 km²)

Elevation

604 ft (184 m)

Population

(2010)

• Total

16,314

• Estimate

(2019)

16,163

• Density

3,948.94/sq mi (1,524.83/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP code(s)

48043, 48046

Area code(s)

586

FIPS code

26-55820

GNIS feature ID

0632785

City Hall, 1900

Mt. Clemens Bath House, circa 1910

Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 16,314 at the 2010 census. It is the seat of government of Macomb County.

History
Art and culture
Culture
Geography
Demographics
- 2010 census
Transportation
Photo gallery
Education
Notable people
See also

History

Mount Clemens was first surveyed in 1795 by Christian Clemens, who settled there four years later. Clemens and his friend, John Brooks, built a distillery, which helped settle the area. Brooks and Clemens platted the land, and the town was named after Clemens in 1818. It received a post office in 1821, with John Stockton as the first postmaster. It filed for incorporation as a village in 1837, but it was not acted upon until 1851. It was later incorporated as a city in 1879. Christian Clemens is buried at Clemens Park, located just north of downtown. It became the seat of Macomb County on March 11, 1818.

The Mount Clemens Public Library opened in 1865.

Historically, Mount Clemens' largest industry was the mineral baths that were scattered throughout the city from 1873 until 1974. The city once encompassed 11 bathhouses and several hotels at its peak. The first bathhouse was built in 1873 and was known as “The Original” and was located on the corner of Jones and Water Street. The bathhouse remained until 1883 when the building burned, yet was rebuilt in 1884 and accommodated larger crowds. Over the years, noted visitors such as film actors Clark Gable and Mae West, athletes Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey, news magnate William Randolph Hearst, and the Vanderbilt family vacationed in the city for the bath industry.

The only remaining bathhouse from the bath era of Mount Clemens is St. Joseph's Sanitarium and Bath House, which has been recently renamed Select Specialty Hospital and owned by Select Medical Corporation. This last bath house is in danger of being demolished while the Friends of Historic Preservation [1] are working with the city to preserve it.

The Olympia Salon & Spa, located in the Martha Washington Sanitarium on Cass Ave, are rejuvenating the bath era by offering mineral baths once again.

Throughout the late 20th Century, the suburban expansion of Metropolitan Detroit and its exuburbia encompassed the city of Mt. Clemens as well as its surrounding townships.

Art and culture

The Anton Art Center is a community gallery offering exhibitions of artwork by local, national and international artists. It is housed in a building that was financed by industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie in 1904.

Culture

The "Mock Turtle Press" as well as "American Road Magazine" are centered in Mount Clemens.
In recent years "The Clem", as it is familiarly nicknamed, has become a center of nightlife for Macomb County, including many bars such as The Emerald Theatre (designed by C. Howard Crane who also designed Radio City Music Hall in New York, Orchestra Hall Detroit and Fox Theatre Detroit), Johnny G's, Cush, Madisons Pub, Orleans Billiards, Montes Martini Lounge, RecBowl, Fritts' Pub, Your Mother's, Little Lorraines, Three Blind Mice and Fast Eddie's.
Rap/rock artist Kid Rock, who hails from nearby Romeo, began his professional stage career as a DJ/rapper in Mt. Clemens, and it was here that he earned his nickname (from club patrons saying "look at that white kid rock").

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.20 square miles (10.88 km²), of which 4.07 square miles (10.54 km²) is land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km²) is water. The Clinton River runs through the city. The city is almost completely surrounded by Clinton Township, except for the far east side which borders Harrison Township.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	1,302	—
1870	1,768	—
1880	3,057	72.9%
1890	4,748	55.3%
1900	6,576	38.5%
1910	7,707	17.2%
1920	9,488	23.1%
1930	13,497	42.3%
1940	14,389	6.6%
1950	17,027	18.3%
1960	21,016	23.4%
1970	20,476	−2.6%
1980	18,991	−7.3%
1990	18,405	−3.1%
2000	17,312	−5.9%
2010	16,314	−5.8%
2020	15,697	−3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,314 people, 6,714 households, and 3,542 families living in the city. The population density was 4,008.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,547.7/km²). There were 7,582 housing units at an average density of 1,862.9 per square mile (719.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.0% White, 24.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 2.9% of the population.

There were 6,714 households, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.6% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.2% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.5% male and 48.5% female.

Transportation

I-94 provides a connection northeast to Port Huron and to Detroit, which is to the southwest.
M-3 (Gratiot Ave)
M-59 (Hall Rd)
M-97 (Groesbeck Hwy)

Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) Bus Route *560/565 Gratiot.

Canadian National provides Class 1 Freight service to Mt Clemens with the old Grand Trunk Western Detroit to Port Huron line.

Photo gallery

Mount Clemens has a wide variety of architectural styles in its residential areas. It features many historic homes, also. The most popular styles are craftsman homes, Tudors, and bungalows.

Italianate architecture in Mount Clemens.
Typical east-side home.
Former farmhouse-style home in Northeast Mount Clemens.
American Foursquare style home.
Craftsman home in Southwest Mount Clemens
Victorian home just outside Downtown.
First United Methodist Church at the corner of Cass and SB Gratiot in Mt. Clemens is designated as a Michigan Historic Landmark