Genesee County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 425,790, making it the fifth-most populous county in Michigan. The county seat and population center is Flint (birthplace of General Motors). Genesee County is considered to be a part of the greater Mid Michigan area.
Genesee County comprises the Flint, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI Combined Statistical Area. Many local place names in the county, including the county itself, are also from New York and Pennsylvania, reflecting the pattern of settlement. A major attraction for visitors is Crossroads Village, a living history village north of Flint.
Genesee is noted for having had the fossil of an ancient whale known as Balaenoptera Lacepede unearthed in Thetford Township during quarry work and estimated at 11,000 years old.
History
Genesee County was created on March 28, 1835 from territory taken from Lapeer, Shiawassee and Saginaw counties. The county was attached to Oakland County for judicial purposes. It was named after Genesee County, New York. The only township organized at the time was Grand Blanc in 1833 consisting of additional township areas of the present Fenton, Mundy, Flint, Mount Morris, Genesee, Burton, Atlas and Davison townships. (Atlas and Davision township survey areas were then in Lapeer County.) Flint township followed in formation by the legislature on March 2, 1836 splitting away from Grand Blanc with the township areas of Burton, Genesee and Mount Morris plus additional township areas of the present day Clayton, Montrose, Flushing, Thetford and Vienna. On April 4, 1836, the county was fully organized. Organized on July 26, 1836, Argentine Township included two township survey areas taking Fenton away from Grand Blanc Township plus the current Argentine area west of Fenton.
In the organizing act of March 11, 1837, two townships (Mundy and Vienna) were organized in the county. Mundy had an additional township area to the west. Vienna consisted of the northern tier of three township areas in the county at the time taking two areas from Flint Township. With this act just week after Michigan admission as a state, the county was fully cover with 5 township governments.
In July 2010, the County Board voted to merge the clerk and register of deeds offices, effective January 1, 2013. On October 26, 2010, Genesee County became a founding member of the Karegnondi Water Authority.
On May 30, 2012, it was reported Genesee County has had 45 confirmed tornadoes since 1950 (most notably the 1953 Flintâ€"Beecher tornado), more than any other county in Michigan in that time period.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 650 square miles (1,700Â km2), of which 637 square miles (1,650Â km2) is land and 13 square miles (34Â km2) (1.9%) is water.
Most of the land in the county is very flat, but the southern end is hilly and covered by several lakes.
The county is mostly drained by the Flint River, which is dammed into Mott Lake and the Holloway Reservoir in the northeast corner of the county. The southeast corner and southern end are drained by the Shiawassee River.
Adjacent counties
- Tuscola County (northeast)
- Lapeer County (east)
- Oakland County (southeast)
- Livingston County (southwest)
- Shiawassee County (west)
- Saginaw County (northwest)
Transportation
- Bishop International Airport is served by several major airlines.
- The inter-modal Flint Amtrak station offers daily service on the Blue Water route west to Chicago and east to Port Huron. It doubles as a bus station for Greyhound Lines, Indian Trails and Flint Mass Transportation Authority.
- Flint Mass Transportation Authority, Greyhound Lines and Indian Trails (all co-located at Flint Amtrak station).
Major highways
- I-75 - runs north and south through central Genesee County, merges with US 23 in Mundy Township
- USÂ 23 - runs north and south through central Genesee County, merges with I-75 in Mundy Township
- I-475 - alternate route of I-75/US23, runs north and south through central Genesee County
- M-54 - runs north and south through central Genesee County
- M-13 - runs north and south through western Genesee County, along the borders with Shiawassee County and Saginaw County and north of I-69
- M-15 - runs north and south through eastern Genesee County
- I-69 - runs east and west through central Genesee County
- M-21 - runs east and west through central Genesee County, west of I-475
- M-57 - runs east and west through northern Genesee County, west of M-15
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census indicates Genesee County had a 2010 population of 425,790. This is a decrease of -10,351 people from the 2000 United States Census. Overall, the county had a -2.4% growth rate during this ten-year period. In 2010 there were 169,202 households and 111,620 families in the county. The population density was 668.5 per square mile (258.1 square kilometers). There were 192,180 housing units at an average density of 301.7 per square mile (116.5 square kilometers). 74.5% of the population were White, 20.7% Black or African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.7% of some other race and 2.6% of two or more races. 3.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 18.0% were of German, 11.0% Irish, 10.6% English, 5.5% Polish 5.4% American and 4.8% French ancestry. , There were 169,202 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were husband and wife families, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.0% were non-families, and 28.4% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.0% under age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The 2010 American Community Survey 1-year estimate indicates the median income for a household in the county was $38,819 and the median income for a family was $48,979. Males had a median income of $27,269 versus $18,082 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,860. About 16.9% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.0% of those under the age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations and safeguards public health, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions â€" police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. â€" are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
The Genesee County Road Commission, an independent county government unit, is head by a five member Road Commission. Road Commissioners are appointed by the County Board of Commissioners with the daily management is handled by a manager-director.
Genesee County is a founding member of the Karegnondi Water Authority with Board of Commission Chair Jamie W. Curtis representing the County on the Authority Board. The "outcounty" area (all but the city of Flint) receives library services from the Genesee District Library, which taxes for operations .998 mills total from two separate levies.
Elected officials
Communities
Cities
Villages
- Gaines
- Goodrich
- Lennon (partially)
- Otisville
- Otter Lake (partially)
Townships
- Charter townships
- General law townships
Census-designated places
- Argentine
- Beecher
- Lake Fenton
Unincorporated communities
See also
- Back to the Bricks
- List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Genesee County, Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Genesee County, Michigan
References
External links
- Genesee County Michigan
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Genesee County