New Baltimore, Michigan
Encyclopedia
New Baltimore is a city and coastal resort community in Macomb County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 7,405 at the 2000 census
. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 11,346. New Baltimore is in Metropolitan Detroit.
, along the boundary line of Macomb
and St. Clair
Counties. The town sits on the waterfront along Lake St. Clair's Anchor Bay, and offers a public park, beach, and downtown-shopping district.
In 1796 French hunters and fur trappers were the first inhabitants of that portion of Macomb County that later became New Baltimore. The French settlers of this era took residence along the waterfront and rivers and later developed farms that had narrow frontage of 400 of 900 feet and extended inland from the water. Generally, the depth of the parcel was determined by how far a man could plow or cultivate in a day.
The first evidence of a settled community came in the 1845, when a Mount Clemens businessman, Alfred Ashley, platted 60 acres (24.3 ha) of land lying on both sides of Washington Street. This would become known as the village of Ashley. On September 20, 1851, a post office called Ashleyville was established with Ashley as postmaster. Ashley also opened businesses in lumbering, shipping, and real estate. The original village of Ashley occupied what is now the center part of downtown New Baltimore, extending northwest along Clay, Base and Maria Streets from Anchor Bay. The land was subdivided in the typical gridiron fashion used in most American communities at that time. Over the years, irregularities developed in the gridiron subdivision pattern because of the lack of local controls, conflicts with French claims, and changing land uses, particularly along the waterfront area. This created problems in both subdivision patterns in general and waterfront use in particular that remain today. This original settlement bore Ashley’s name until 1867, when the village name was changed to New Baltimore.
Throughout its history, New Baltimore has been linked to the regional economy by virtue of the city’s access to the waterfront and the region’s transportation network. In its early years, New Baltimore took advantage of its waterfront location to operate port facilities exporting agriculture and manufacturing products to other communities. The area was known for the manufacturing of barrels, brooms, bricks, coffins, corsets, and creamery products. Lumber products and building materials were shipped by boat from the local mills. Development was heavily oriented to the waterfront, where shipping piers extended a hundred or more feet into the lake.
As automobile transportation increased in importance and travel patterns changed, so did the development of the city. Goods were no longer shipped by water and the waterfront slowly changed. Between 1860 and 1880, New Baltimore changed from a strong manufacturing and exporting community to a thriving community in Macomb County
with many resort activities and well-known commercial establishments. The community was thriving and boasted an opera house, hotels, salt baths (which nearby city of Mount Clemens was famous for in the late 19th and early 20th centuries), summer and winter recreational activities, saloons, a brewery and numerous resort and commercial establishments. The city was in the path of a steam locomotive line that ran between Detroit and Port Huron
in the late 19th century. As technology changed, the city constructed an electricity plant to accommodate inter-urban passenger trains, which lasted until the mid-1920s. Today, access to the city is provided via Interstate 94
.
, the city has a total area of 6.7 mi2, of which, 4.6 mi2 is land and 2.1 mi2 (31.5%) is water.
of 2000, there were 7,405 people, 2,942 households, and 1,994 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1604.5 PD/sqmi. There were 3,218 housing units at an average density of 697.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.89% White, 0.53% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 2,942 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,699, and the median income for a family was $72,046. Males had a median income of $49,648 versus $33,083 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $26,921. About 1.0% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
.
New Baltimore is represented on the Macomb County Commission
by Kathy Vosburg. In the state legislature
, New Baltimore is represented in the House by Andrea LaFontaine and in the Senate
by Jack Brandenburg.
The city of New Baltimore is within the boundaries of the Anchor Bay School District
.
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The population was 7,405 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 11,346. New Baltimore is in Metropolitan Detroit.
History
New Baltimore incorporated as a village in 1867 and as a city in 1931. It is located on the north coastline of Lake St. ClairLake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
, along the boundary line of Macomb
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
and St. Clair
St. Clair County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
Counties. The town sits on the waterfront along Lake St. Clair's Anchor Bay, and offers a public park, beach, and downtown-shopping district.
In 1796 French hunters and fur trappers were the first inhabitants of that portion of Macomb County that later became New Baltimore. The French settlers of this era took residence along the waterfront and rivers and later developed farms that had narrow frontage of 400 of 900 feet and extended inland from the water. Generally, the depth of the parcel was determined by how far a man could plow or cultivate in a day.
The first evidence of a settled community came in the 1845, when a Mount Clemens businessman, Alfred Ashley, platted 60 acres (24.3 ha) of land lying on both sides of Washington Street. This would become known as the village of Ashley. On September 20, 1851, a post office called Ashleyville was established with Ashley as postmaster. Ashley also opened businesses in lumbering, shipping, and real estate. The original village of Ashley occupied what is now the center part of downtown New Baltimore, extending northwest along Clay, Base and Maria Streets from Anchor Bay. The land was subdivided in the typical gridiron fashion used in most American communities at that time. Over the years, irregularities developed in the gridiron subdivision pattern because of the lack of local controls, conflicts with French claims, and changing land uses, particularly along the waterfront area. This created problems in both subdivision patterns in general and waterfront use in particular that remain today. This original settlement bore Ashley’s name until 1867, when the village name was changed to New Baltimore.
Throughout its history, New Baltimore has been linked to the regional economy by virtue of the city’s access to the waterfront and the region’s transportation network. In its early years, New Baltimore took advantage of its waterfront location to operate port facilities exporting agriculture and manufacturing products to other communities. The area was known for the manufacturing of barrels, brooms, bricks, coffins, corsets, and creamery products. Lumber products and building materials were shipped by boat from the local mills. Development was heavily oriented to the waterfront, where shipping piers extended a hundred or more feet into the lake.
As automobile transportation increased in importance and travel patterns changed, so did the development of the city. Goods were no longer shipped by water and the waterfront slowly changed. Between 1860 and 1880, New Baltimore changed from a strong manufacturing and exporting community to a thriving community in Macomb County
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
with many resort activities and well-known commercial establishments. The community was thriving and boasted an opera house, hotels, salt baths (which nearby city of Mount Clemens was famous for in the late 19th and early 20th centuries), summer and winter recreational activities, saloons, a brewery and numerous resort and commercial establishments. The city was in the path of a steam locomotive line that ran between Detroit and Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
in the late 19th century. As technology changed, the city constructed an electricity plant to accommodate inter-urban passenger trains, which lasted until the mid-1920s. Today, access to the city is provided via Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 6.7 mi2, of which, 4.6 mi2 is land and 2.1 mi2 (31.5%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,405 people, 2,942 households, and 1,994 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1604.5 PD/sqmi. There were 3,218 housing units at an average density of 697.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.89% White, 0.53% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 2,942 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,699, and the median income for a family was $72,046. Males had a median income of $49,648 versus $33,083 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $26,921. About 1.0% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Government
On November 3, 2009, Larry Smith was elected Mayor. Marcia Shinska was reelected as City Clerk and Jeanne Bade was elected City TreasurerCity Treasurer
The City Treasurer is a position of responsibility for a city according to the prevailing laws in that city.The treasurer of a public agency is elected by the voting public or is appointed by the city council or city manager...
.
New Baltimore is represented on the Macomb County Commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
by Kathy Vosburg. In the state legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
, New Baltimore is represented in the House by Andrea LaFontaine and in the Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
by Jack Brandenburg.
The city of New Baltimore is within the boundaries of the Anchor Bay School District
Anchor Bay School District
Anchor Bay School District is a school district in Michigan, serving portions of southern St. Clair and eastern Macomb Counties. Mr. Leonard A. Woodside is the current superintendent of schools.District headquarters are located in Casco Township Anchor Bay School District is a school district in...
.