Tawas City, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tawas City, Michigan
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| City of Tawas City | |
US 23 through Tawas City
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Location within Iosco County
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 Tawas City, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Tawas City, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Iosco |
| Settled | 1854 |
| Incorporated | 1885 (village) 1895 (city) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.13 sq mi (5.51 km2) |
| • Land | 1.70 sq mi (4.40 km2) |
| • Water | 0.43 sq mi (1.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 591 ft (180 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,834 |
| • Density | 1,079.46/sq mi (416.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48763, 48764
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| Area code(s) | 989 |
| FIPS code | 26-78140 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1614605 |
Tawas City is a city located in Iosco County, in the state of Michigan, USA. It is also the county seat, which means it is the main city where the county government is located. In 2020, about 1,834 people lived there. Tawas City is mostly surrounded by Tawas Township, but each area has its own separate government.
Contents
A Look Back at Tawas City's History
Tawas City was started in 1854. It was the first city built on the shores of Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron north of Bay City, Michigan. Tawas City was chosen as the main city for Iosco County. The first post office opened on January 6, 1856. James O. Whittemore was the first postmaster.
The city's economy has always been shaped by its natural resources. The area has many forests, Lake Huron, and wildlife. The calm waters of Tawas Bay also helped the city grow. These resources supported a big lumber industry. The city grew along the bay shore, focusing on the area where land meets water. Tawas Bay is still a safe place for large ships to hide from big storms on Lake Huron.
The name "Tawas" comes from a local Native American leader. His name was Chief O-ta-was. His camp was on the bay, so it was called O-ta-was's Bay. Over time, the spelling and pronunciation changed to "Tawas." The point that separates the bay from Lake Huron was known as Ottawa Point.
The Whittemore family named the community Tawas City. Eight years later, another lumber company built a mill nearby. A new community grew around this mill. People called it East Tawas. For many years, people called Tawas City "old town" and East Tawas "east town."
Where is Tawas City?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Tawas City covers about 2.13 square miles (5.51 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 1.70 square miles (4.40 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.43 square miles (1.11 square kilometers), is water.
People Living in Tawas City
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 712 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,544 | 116.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,228 | −20.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,061 | −13.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,018 | −4.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,034 | 1.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,075 | 4.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,441 | 34.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,810 | 25.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,666 | −8.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,967 | 18.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,009 | 2.1% | |
| 2000 | 2,005 | −0.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,827 | −8.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,834 | 0.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 1,827 people living in Tawas City. There were 723 households, and 441 families. The city had about 1,062 people per square mile. Most residents, about 96.9%, were White. About 1.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Tawas City was 47.4 years. About 17.9% of residents were under 18 years old. About 24.6% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (52.9%) than males (47.1%).
Getting Around Tawas City
Main Roads
- US 23 is a major highway that runs along the Lake Huron shoreline. It is also called the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway.
- M-55 is another state highway. It starts in Tawas City at US 23.
Bus Services
- Indian Trails has a bus stop in Tawas City. This bus route connects Owosso to St. Ignace. It follows U.S. Highway 23 through Tawas City.
Fun Things to Do in Tawas City
Tawas City is located on Tawas Bay. Tawas Point State Park is very close by in Baldwin Township. Both places are great for birdwatching. They are even listed as Important bird areas. Many people say Tawas Point is the most important "migrant trap" in the Saginaw Bay area. This means many birds stop there during their long journeys. In recent years, Tawas Point has also become a popular spot for kiteboarding.
Learning in Tawas City
The city is part of the Tawas Area Schools district. This district serves students in the area.
Emanuel Lutheran School is a private elementary school in Tawas City. It teaches about 70 students from kindergarten to 8th grade. This school is connected with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
News and Media
Newspapers
- The Iosco County News-Herald is the official newspaper for Iosco County. It has an office in Oscoda.
- The Oscoda Press is a weekly newspaper. It serves the areas around Tawas City.
Radio Stations
- WIOS (1480 AM) plays adult standards music.
- WQLB (103.3 FM) plays classic hits.
- WKJC (104.7 FM) plays country music.
- WTZM (106.1 FM) plays hot adult contemporary music.
Television
Tawas City is part of the Flint-Saginaw-Bay City television market. This means you can watch most major TV channels from that area. The local cable company, Charter Communications, also offers Alpena's CBS channel, WBKB-TV. You can also watch CBC Television shows from CBMT in Montreal, Canada.
See also
In Spanish: Tawas City para niños
