Washtenaw County, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washtenaw County
U.S. county
Washtenaw County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	1822 (created) 1826 (organized)
Named for	O-wash-ta-nong ("far away water"), Ojibwe name for the Grand River
Seat	Ann Arbor
Largest city	Ann Arbor
Area
• Total	722 sq mi (1,870 km2)
• Land	706 sq mi (1,830 km2)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km2)  2.3%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	372,258
• Density	527/sq mi (203/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	6th

Washtenaw County (/ˈwɔːʃtənɔː/ wawsh-TƏ-naw) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 372,258. The county seat and largest city is Ann Arbor. The county was authorized by legislation in 1822 and organized as a county in 1826. Washtenaw County comprises the Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is home to the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, and Concordia University Ann Arbor.

History

Native American territories

The first peoples occupying the central portion of what is now Michigan included: "the Pottawattamies, the Chippewas, the Ottawas, the Wyandottes and the Hurons". Native Americans whose territories included land within the Washtenaw County boundaries are shown to have included: Myaamia (Miami), Bodéwadmiké (Potawatomi), Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Peoria, Meškwahki·aša·hina (Meskwaki), and the Mississauga nation.

Etymology of Washtenaw

In the Ojibwe language, "Wash-ten-ong" or "Owashtanong" literally translates as "far away waters", and was then used by the Ojibwe as the name for the Grand River due to its great length. At the time of the official naming of the county in 1822, the headwaters of the Grand River fell within the original boundaries of Washtenaw County, which encompassed a much larger area than the present county.

Early colonization

The earliest histories mention French trappers and traders conducting trade in the area at the Potawatomi Trail and Pontiac Trail crossings of the Huron River, and later English then American settlers. The first successful settlement was established at the present site of Ypsilanti about 1809 by French traders.

In 1822, the Legislative Council of Michigan Territory government defined the name and boundaries of the county, but attached it to Wayne County for revenue, taxation and judicial affairs. Four years after the first platting out of the county, Washtenaw was established as a separate self-administered county by an act of the Michigan Territorial Legislature, in 1826. It was attached for administrative purposes to Wayne County until (before 1829) when county government was seated. Ingham and other counties were formed from portions of territorial Washtenaw County.

Swamps were drained to lower the water table. The swamp northwest of the I-94 and US-23 intersection, and areas within Waterloo Recreation Area still appear as they did to early settlers. As productive farms became established, the local deer herds grew. In the 1820s and 1830s, the events surrounding the independence of Greece from Turkey inspired construction of Greek Revival buildings, and the names of townships, towns, and children.

The "frostbitten convention" was held at Ann Arbor, the county seat, in 1835. Statehood was delayed because Michigan claimed the Toledo Strip, which was also claimed by Ohio. Following resolution of the Toledo War (1835–1836), in which Michigan Territory ceded its claim to Toledo in exchange for most of the Upper Peninsula (from the Porcupine Mountains eastward), Ohio withdrew its objection and Michigan became a state on January 26, 1837.

The convention also decided to move the capital from Detroit to a point further away from the Canadian border. After considering many existing communities, the delegates decided to build an entirely new capital city, which became Lansing. The University of Michigan, founded at Detroit in 1817, was moved to Ann Arbor in 1839 as a consolation for the city not being named the new state capital, as it had sought. The university subsequently became and remains Washtenaw County's largest employer.

In 1849, the Michigan State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University) was established in Washtenaw's oldest settlement, Ypsilanti. It was elevated to collegiate status c. 1891 as Michigan State Normal College. The name was changed in 1956 to Eastern Michigan College, which was elevated to university status in 1959.

Geography

Business Loop Interstate 94/Business US Highway 23 (BL I-94/Bus. US 23, Washtenaw Avenue) in Ann Arbor

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 722 square miles (1,870 km²), of which 706 square miles (1,830 km²) is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) (2.3%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 372,258 people living in the county. 69.2% were White, 11.5% Black or African American, 9.03% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 1.9% of some other race and 7.8% of two or more races. 5% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 17.4% were of German, 10.5% English, 10% Irish and 7.1% Polish ancestry.

83.4% spoke only English at home; 3.7% spoke Spanish and 12.9% spoke another language.

There were 149,379 households, out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 29.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families.

In the county, 23.77% of the population was under the age of 19, 12.71% was from 19 to 25, 25.74% from 25 to 44, 22.58% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $83,754 and the median income for a family was $116,562. 15.3% of people were under the poverty line.

Economy

A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building at the University of Michigan's medical school

The largest employers in Washtenaw County, as of July 2020, are:

Communities

U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Washtenaw County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.

Cities

• Ann Arbor (county seat)
• Chelsea
• Dexter
• Manchester
• Milan (partial)
• Saline
• Ypsilanti

Village

• Barton Hills

Charter townships

• Ann Arbor Charter Township
• Augusta Charter Township
• Pittsfield Charter Township
• Superior Charter Township
• York Charter Township
• Ypsilanti Charter Township

Civil townships

Census-designated place

• Whitmore Lake (partial)

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost town

• Rawsonville (partial)

Education

School districts include:

Former school districts:

• Ypsilanti Public Schools
• Willow Run Community Schools

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Washtenaw para niños