kids encyclopedia robot

St. Louis, Michigan facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
St. Louis, Michigan
Motto(s): 
Middle of the Mitten
Location of St. Louis, Michigan
Location of St. Louis, Michigan
Country United States
State Michigan
County Gratiot
Area
 • Total 3.50 sq mi (9.06 km2)
 • Land 3.31 sq mi (8.59 km2)
 • Water 0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2)
Elevation
732 ft (223 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,010
 • Density 2,114.63/sq mi (816.52/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
48880
Area code(s) 989
FIPS code 26-71000
GNIS feature ID 0636831

St. Louis is a friendly city located in Gratiot County, in the state of Michigan. It's a place with interesting history and a special spot in the state. In 2010, about 7,482 people lived here.

Geography of St. Louis

St. Louis covers a total area of about 3.53 square miles (9.14 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The Middle of the Mitten

St. Louis is known for being very close to the exact center of Michigan's lower peninsula. This part of Michigan looks like a mitten! In the 1950s, a local newspaper owner and his wife, Clarence and Odessa Smazel, worked to make this official.

Now, a sign in Clapp Park on Highway M-46 proudly shows St. Louis as the "Middle of the Mitten." It's a fun fact about the city!

St louis middle
A sign in central St. Louis marks the "Middle of the Mitten."

History of St. Louis

Long before European settlers arrived, Indigenous people lived in this area for thousands of years. The French were among the first Europeans to explore Michigan. They traded furs with the local First Nations and Native American groups.

By the 1700s, the Ojibwe tribe was the main group in what is now Michigan. After a big war called the Seven Years' War, France gave its land to the English. Later, after the American Revolutionary War, the land became part of the new United States.

Early Settlements and Missions

European-American settlers didn't arrive in large numbers until the mid-1800s. In 1848, missionaries started the Bethany Lutheran Mission. This mission was created to help the local American Indians, who were mostly Ojibwe people.

In 1853, Joseph W. Clapp followed a Native American path to the mission. He built the first house in what would become St. Louis. Today, over 150 years later, the Mission building still stands near the Main Street Bridge over the Pine River.

Mineral Springs and Health Spas

In the late 1800s, people discovered special mineral springs in St. Louis. The water from these springs was believed to have health benefits. It was even said to make steel magnetic!

Many famous guests visited, hoping the water would help them. These included detective Allan Pinkerton and Civil War general "Fighting Joe" Hooker. The Park Hotel became a famous health spa and was also known for its delicious duck dinners.

St louis dwntown
Downtown St. Louis, Michigan

Chemical Plant and Environmental Cleanup

St. Louis was once home to the Michigan Chemical Corporation plant. This plant helped make and sell DDT, a widely used product. Later, the plant was bought by Velsicol Chemical Corporation.

In the 1970s, a serious mistake happened at the plant. Cattle feed was accidentally mixed with PBB, a chemical used to stop fires. This contaminated feed was sent to farms all over Michigan and the Midwest. The mistake happened because of several problems at once.

For many years, work has been done to clean up the Pine River. The river runs next to where the plant used to be, and it was affected by the contamination. Even though the plant was taken apart years ago, the land is still empty today.

To create new jobs, St. Louis invited the State of Michigan to build a prison here. The Pine River Correctional Facility is a minimum-security prison located between Union and Croswell Roads.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 888
1880 1,975 122.4%
1890 2,246 13.7%
1900 1,989 −11.4%
1910 1,940 −2.5%
1920 3,036 56.5%
1930 2,494 −17.9%
1940 3,039 21.9%
1950 3,347 10.1%
1960 3,808 13.8%
1970 4,101 7.7%
1980 4,107 0.1%
1990 3,828 −6.8%
2000 4,494 17.4%
2010 7,482 66.5%
2020 7,010 −6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 Census Information

In 2010, the city had 7,482 people living in it. This number included about 3,823 people living in institutions, mostly at the Pine River Correctional Facility. There were 1,491 households and 937 families.

The population density was about 2,240 people per square mile (865 per square kilometer). Most residents (67.7%) were White, and 29.1% were African American. About 5.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 34.6% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.45 people, and the average family had 3.04 people. The median age in the city was 36.1 years old.

Getting Around St. Louis

Here are some of the main roads that help people travel in and out of St. Louis:

  • US 127

  • Bus. US 127
  • M-46

Famous People from St. Louis

Many interesting people have connections to St. Louis:

  • Archibald Bard Darragh (1840–1927) was a Member of Congress from 1901 to 1909. He lived in St. Louis for many years, was a banker, and was elected mayor in 1893.
  • Edward Hartwick (1871–1918) was a United States Army officer and businessman. Michigan's Hartwick Pines State Park is named after him. He was born and grew up here.
  • Jim Northrup (1939–2011) was a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers. He played a big part in their 1968 World Championship team. He was born nearby but graduated from high school in St. Louis.
  • Bradbury Robinson (1884–1949) is famous for throwing the first forward pass in football history! He lived in St. Louis from 1926 until his death. Dr. Robinson started the Robinson Clinic in 1935 and was elected mayor twice.
  • Lester "Tug" Wilson (1885–1969) played baseball briefly for the Boston Red Sox in 1911. He was born in St. Louis.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: St. Louis (Míchigan) para niños

kids search engine
St. Louis, Michigan Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.