St. Clair County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Interstates
I-69Interstate 69Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water BridgeBlue Water BridgeThe Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, USA and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada...
in Port Huron.
I-94Interstate 94Interstate 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...
enters St. Clair County from the southwest, having traversed the entire Metro Detroit region, and, along with I-69, terminates at the approach to the Blue Water BridgeBlue Water BridgeThe Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, USA and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada...
in Port Huron. On the CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
side of the border, in Sarnia, OntarioSarnia, OntarioSarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
, the route heads easterly designated as
Highway 402.
I-69 Business Loop.
I-94 Business Loop.
Michigan State Trunklines
-
M-19M-19 (Michigan highway)M-19 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. It begins northeast of Detroit at a junction with I-94 and runs northward to a junction with M-142 just east of Bad Axe in the thumb.-Route description:... -
M-25M-25 (Michigan highway)M-25 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The route follows an arc-like shape closely along the Lake Huron shore of the Thumb in the eastern Lower Peninsula between Port Huron and Bay City. It serves the lakeshore resorts along Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay and generally lies...
follows the Lake Huron/Saginaw Bay shoreline, beginning in Bay CityBay City, MichiganBay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
and ending at junction I-94Interstate 94Interstate 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...
/I-69Interstate 69Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
, and BL I-94/BL I-69 on the north side of Port Huron. -
M-29M-29 (Michigan highway)M-29 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs in a south–north direction from Chesterfield Township to Marysville. It generally runs along the shore of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River.... -
M-136M-136 (Michigan highway)M-136 is a state highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from Brockway to north of Port Huron in the lower Thumb area of the Lower Peninsula. The route serves as a connector between M-19 and the coastal route, M-25.-Route description:... -
M-154M-154 (Michigan highway)M-154 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is entirely on Harsens Island at the mouth of the St. Clair River. It is one of only three trunklines in Michigan on islands. The other two are M-134 on Drummond Island and M-185 on Mackinac Island...
serves Harsen's Island, in Lake St. Clair.
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 164,235 people, 62,072 households, and 44,629 families residing in the county. 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 227 people per square mile (88/km²). There were 67,107 housing units at an average density of 93 per square mile (36/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.96% White
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...
, 2.10% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 0.50% Native American
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...
, 0.40% Asian
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...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.64% 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 1.38% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race. 25.8% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 10.1% Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, 9.9% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 8.8% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 7.6% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 5.7% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and 5.2% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.3% spoke only English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at home, while 1.4% spoke Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
There were 62,072 households out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% 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, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $46,313, and the median income for a family was $54,450. Males had a median income of $42,572 versus $25,880 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 county was $21,582. About 5.80% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 8.30% of those age 65 or over.
By 2006 the population had risen to 171,725. The 2005 estimates showed that 93.3% of the county's population were non-Hispanic whites; African-Americans formed 2.2%; and Asians and Native Americans each formed 0.5%. Hispanic people, of any race, were 2.6% of the population.
Government
The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers
public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and
other social services. The county board of commissioners
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...
controls the
budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local
government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street
maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
St.Clair County elected officials
- Prosecuting AttorneyProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
: Michael D. Wendling - SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
: Tim Donnellon - County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Marilyn Dunn
- County TreasurerTreasurerA treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
: Kelly M. Roberts-Burnett - Drain CommissionerDrain commissionerA drain commissioner is an elected official in counties of the U.S. state of Michigan with a population over 12,000. In counties with a population under 12,000, the statutory duties and responsibilities of the drain commissioner are performed by the county's board of road commissioners.The office...
: Robert Wiley - County SurveyorCounty surveyor1. A county surveyor is a public official in many counties of the USA. At the bottom of this page are working "External Links" as at 4 November 2011 to websites of a selection of such County Surveyor's departments. Most of these officials are elected on the partisan ballot to four-year terms...
: Steve Bruen
(information as of September 2005)
Cities, villages, and townships
Cities- AlgonacAlgonac, MichiganAlgonac is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,613 at the 2000 census.Algonac is located at the southern end of the St. Clair River, just before it splits into a large delta region known as the St. Clair Flats. The St. Clair River drains Lake Huron into...
- Marine CityMarine City, MichiganMarine City is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the west bank of the St. Clair River, it is one of the cities in the River District north of Detroit and south of Lake Huron. The population was 4,652 at the 2000 census...
- MarysvilleMarysville, MichiganMarysville is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,684 at the 2000 census.-Geography:* According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.* It is considered to be part of the Thumb of...
- MemphisMemphis, MichiganMemphis is a city on the line between Macomb and St. Clair counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,129 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
Also Macomb Co. - Port HuronPort Huron, MichiganPort 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,...
- RichmondRichmond, MichiganRichmond is a city on the border between Macomb and St. Clair counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,897 at the 2000 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 5,606. Most of the city is located in Macomb County, though there is a small portion in St....
Also Macomb Co. - St. ClairSt. Clair, MichiganSt. 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.-Geography:...
- YaleYale, MichiganYale is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,063 at the 2000 census. Yale is considered unofficially as the Bologna Capital of the world, in part due to its . Yale bologna is sold in grocery stores throughout the area. Yale is also home to the Yale...
Villages
- CapacCapac, MichiganCapac is a village in Mussey Township, St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,775 at the 2000 census.-History:Capac was founded and platted by a group of men from Romeo headed by George R. Funstan and Judge DeWitt C. Walker in 1857. The judge named it after Huayna...
- EmmettEmmett, MichiganEmmett is a village in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 251 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Emmett Township.-Geography:...
Unincorporated communities
- Adair
- Allenton
- Anchorville
- Avoca
- Goodells
- Pearl BeachPearl Beach, MichiganPearl Beach is an unincorporated community in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a Census-designated place used for statistical purposes. The population was 3,224 at the 2000 census....
- Smiths Creek
- Sparlingville
Townships
- Berlin TownshipBerlin Township, St. Clair County, MichiganBerlin Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census, the township population was 3,162.-Communities:...
- Brockway TownshipBrockway Township, MichiganBrockway Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,900.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all land....
- Burtchville TownshipBurtchville Township, MichiganBurtchville Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,956.Lumberman Jonathon Burtch settled here in 1840...
- Casco TownshipCasco Township, St. Clair County, MichiganCasco Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 4,747.-Communities:...
- China Charter TownshipChina Township, MichiganChina Charter Township is a charter township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,340 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Clay TownshipClay Township, MichiganClay Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 9,822. The township includes the inhabited Harsens Island.- Communities :...
- Clyde TownshipClyde Township, St. Clair County, MichiganClyde Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,523 at the 2000 census.The township is named for the River Clyde in Scotland. In 1825, a Scotsman Robert Smart, with the backing of Detroit interests, built a mill on the Black River. Smart...
- Columbus TownshipColumbus Township, St. Clair County, MichiganColumbus Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,615 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
- Cottrellville TownshipCottrellville Township, MichiganCottrellville Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,814 at the 2000 census.Cottrellville was established in 1822.-Geography:...
- East China Charter TownshipEast China Township, MichiganEast China Charter Township is a charter township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,630 at the 2000 census. East China Township is home to the St. Clair and Belle River Power Plants...
- Emmett TownshipEmmett Township, St. Clair County, MichiganEmmett Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,506 at the 2000 census. The village of Emmett is located within the township. Emmett Township was set off from Clyde Township in 1850...
- Fort Gratiot Charter TownshipFort Gratiot Township, MichiganFort Gratiot Charter Township is a charter township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,691 at the 2000 census. It is named for Fort Gratiot an American fort located there off and on between 1814 and 1879.-Communities:...
- Grant TownshipGrant Township, St. Clair County, MichiganGrant Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,667.- Communities :...
- Greenwood TownshipGreenwood Township, St. Clair County, MichiganGreenwood Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,373 at the 2000 census.- Communities:...
- Ira TownshipIra Township, MichiganIra Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,966 at the 2000 census. The township was created in 1837 and was named for Ira Marks, an early settler. A post office named Ira was established at a settlement on the north shore of Lake St...
- Kenockee TownshipKenockee Township, MichiganKenockee Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,423 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Avoca is an unincorporated community situated on M-136 about 15 miles northwest of Port Huron at...
- Kimball TownshipKimball Township, MichiganKimball Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 8,628.-Communities:...
- Lynn TownshipLynn Township, MichiganLynn Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,187 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
- Mussey TownshipMussey Township, MichiganMussey Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,740 at the 2000 census.The village of Capac is located within the township....
- Port Huron Charter TownshipPort Huron Township, MichiganPort Huron Charter Township is a charter township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,615 at the 2000 census...
- Riley TownshipRiley Township, St. Clair County, MichiganRiley Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,046 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
- St. Clair TownshipSt. Clair Township, MichiganSt. 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:...
- Wales TownshipWales Township, MichiganWales Township is a civil township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,986 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...