St. Clair, Michigan
Encyclopedia
St. Clair is a city in St. Clair County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 5,802 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the St. Clair River
near the southeast corner of St. Clair Township
.
, the city's name is taken from the river, which in turn was named for Lake Saint Clair
. An expedition led by the French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle named it Lac Sainte-Claire, because they entered the lake on August 12, 1679, the feast day
of Saint Clare of Assisi
. The lake is named on English maps as early as 1710 as Saint Clare. But as early as the Mitchell Map
in 1755, the lake was spelled as present with the current spelling as St. Clair. The name is sometimes attributed as honoring the American Revolutionary War
General and Governor of the Northwest Territory
Arthur St. Clair
, but the name was in use with the current spelling long before St. Clair was a notable figure. However, it is possible that earlier name of the lake was conflated with that of the general in naming some of the political entities near the lake and the river, such as St. Clair County
, St. Clair Township
, and the cities of St. Clair and St. Clair Shores
.
Some have thought that the name was in honor of Patrick Sinclair
, a British officer who purchased land on the St. Clair River
at the outlet of the Pine River
. There in 1764 he built Fort Sinclair, which was in use for nearly twenty years before being abandoned.
of 2000, there were 5,802 people, 2,322 households, and 1,613 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,093.7 per square mile (808.7/km²). There were 2,432 housing units at an average density of 877.6 per square mile (339.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.4% White, 0.12% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 1.00% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races
, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 2,322 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples
living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,957, and the median income for a family was $61,743. Males had a median income of $50,509 versus $28,224 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $25,180. About 3.3% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
Most notably, the boys' cross country team has dominated its conference for a number of years. Recently Saint Clair became home to a cross-country state champion, Addis Habetwold (12), a child who was adopted by a local family. Habetwold won with a time of 15:10 in the fall 2007 season. The 2007-08 team won their regional for the first time in seven years. The team has also made it to the State Finals the past nine years, with their best finish being 2nd place.
The St. Clair Marching Saints received a division 1 at the MSBOA marching band festival in 2010 receiving straight A's in all categories.
Also the varsity baseball team in 2011 became the division 2 champions
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....
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 5,802 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the St. Clair River
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
near the southeast corner of St. Clair Township
St. Clair Township, Michigan
St. Clair Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,423 at the 2000 census with a projection of 6,842 in 2006. The city of St. Clair is located near the southeast corner of the township.-Naming:...
.
Geography
- According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census BureauThe 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 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²), of which, 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (19.01%) is water. The city is located along the St. Clair River. - It lies in the ThumbThe ThumbThe Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
of MichiganMichiganMichigan 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"....
.- Saint Clair can also be considered as in the Blue Water area, a subregion of the Thumb.
- The City of St. Clair has much upscale housing along the St. Clair RiverSt. Clair RiverThe St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
. The Saint Clair area attracts many tourists from Metro DetroitMetro DetroitThe Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
. The city has a small town feeling with a downtown, parks, and a marina. The city also boasts the longest freshwater boardwalk in the world.
Naming
Located on the western banks of the St. Clair RiverSt. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
, the city's name is taken from the river, which in turn was named for Lake Saint Clair
Lake 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...
. An expedition led by the French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle named it Lac Sainte-Claire, because they entered the lake on August 12, 1679, the feast day
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
of Saint Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
. The lake is named on English maps as early as 1710 as Saint Clare. But as early as the Mitchell Map
Mitchell Map
The Mitchell Map is a map made by John Mitchell , which was reprinted several times during the second half of the 18th century. The Mitchell Map was used as a primary map source during the Treaty of Paris for defining the boundaries of the newly independent United States...
in 1755, the lake was spelled as present with the current spelling as St. Clair. The name is sometimes attributed as honoring the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
General and Governor of the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
, but the name was in use with the current spelling long before St. Clair was a notable figure. However, it is possible that earlier name of the lake was conflated with that of the general in naming some of the political entities near the lake and the river, such as St. Clair County
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....
, St. Clair Township
St. Clair Township, Michigan
St. Clair Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,423 at the 2000 census with a projection of 6,842 in 2006. The city of St. Clair is located near the southeast corner of the township.-Naming:...
, and the cities of St. Clair and St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores, Michigan
St. Clair Shores is a suburban city bordering Lake St. Clair in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms a part of the Metro Detroit area, and is located approximately northeast of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,715. The current mayor is...
.
Some have thought that the name was in honor of Patrick Sinclair
Patrick Sinclair
Lieutenant-General Patrick Sinclair was a British Army officer and governor in North America. He is best remembered for overseeing the construction of Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island in what was to become the U.S. state of Michigan.-Biography:Sinclair was born in Lybster, Scotland, and enlisted...
, a British officer who purchased land on the St. Clair River
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River is a river in central North America which drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the international boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan...
at the outlet of the Pine River
Pine River (Michigan)
Pine River may refer to any of the following streams in the U.S. state of Michigan:# Pine River . The main branch forms with the confluence of the East and West Branches of the Pine River at in Alcona County...
. There in 1764 he built Fort Sinclair, which was in use for nearly twenty years before being abandoned.
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 5,802 people, 2,322 households, and 1,613 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 2,093.7 per square mile (808.7/km²). There were 2,432 housing units at an average density of 877.6 per square mile (339.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.4% White, 0.12% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 1.00% Pacific Islander, 0.14% 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 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 2,322 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% 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, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,957, and the median income for a family was $61,743. Males had a median income of $50,509 versus $28,224 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 $25,180. About 3.3% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
Athletics
The St. Clair High School athletic teams are known as the Saints. The teams compete in the following MHSAA sponsored sports: cross country (men/women), soccer (men/women), football, golf (men), volleyball, track and field (men/women), baseball, softball, tennis (men/women), competitive cheer, basketball (men/women), swimming (men/women), and marching band (co-ed). The cross country teams (men/women), hockey team, tennis teams (men/women) have all in recent years begun to perform well in the state playoff tournaments. The girls' tennis team placed 8th at the MHSAA Division 3 state finals with 8 points, led by coach Dave Clutts. The boys' tennis team recently won their 8th regional title in the last 10 years. The girls' basketball team recently had a four-year stretch where they went to the Class B state finals three times, although they have not won a state title.Most notably, the boys' cross country team has dominated its conference for a number of years. Recently Saint Clair became home to a cross-country state champion, Addis Habetwold (12), a child who was adopted by a local family. Habetwold won with a time of 15:10 in the fall 2007 season. The 2007-08 team won their regional for the first time in seven years. The team has also made it to the State Finals the past nine years, with their best finish being 2nd place.
The St. Clair Marching Saints received a division 1 at the MSBOA marching band festival in 2010 receiving straight A's in all categories.
Also the varsity baseball team in 2011 became the division 2 champions
Recurring local events
- Blue Water Ramble (St. Clair, MichiganMichiganMichigan 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"....
) Annual International Bicycling Event, first weekend in October. - Annual St. Clair Art Fair is a two day event in the last weekend in June.
- Saint Clair Boat Races and River Fest Happen Every Year in Downtown Saint Clair on the last weekend of July.
- Will on the Water Shakespeare Festival, second weekend in August.
Industry
- CargillCargillCargill, Incorporated is a privately held, multinational corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in 1865, it is now the largest privately held corporation in the United States in terms of revenue. If it were a public company, it would rank, as of 2011, number 13 on the Fortune 500,...
Salt (formerly Diamond Crystal) operates a large solution salt mine and evaporation facility in St. Clair. This is the only plant in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. that produces Alberger salt, which is especially prized in the fast food industry because of its higher volume (due to its unique shape) and lower sodium content (for a given volume, not weight). This is part of MichiganMichiganMichigan 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"....
's large salt-mining industry. - The St. Clair Power Plant and Belle River Power PlantBelle River Power PlantBelle River Power Plant is a major coal- and natural gas-fired power plant owned by Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of DTE Energy. It is located in St. Clair County, Michigan, on the peninsula formed by the St. Clair and Belle rivers. The plant was built across M-29 from the St. Clair Power Plant in...
are important industries to the area, although they are not within the city limits. Both plants are located a few miles south along the St. Clair River.