Flint, Michigan
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Template:Infobox City Flint, Michigan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located along the Flint River about 60 miles (96 km) northwest of Detroit. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 124,943, making it the fourth largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County6.
Flint Charter Township is adjacent to the city on the west, but is politically independent.
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History
Some scholars consider the Saginaw Valley, particularly in the vicinity of Flint, to be the oldest continually inhabited part of Michigan. Regardless of the validity of this claim, the region was home to several Ojibwa tribes at the top of the 19th century, with a particularly significant community established near present-day Montrose. The Flint River had several convenient fording points which became a point of contention among rival tribes, as attested by the presence of arrowheads and burial mounds near Flushing.
Jacob Smith, a fur trader on cordial terms with both the local Ojibwas and the territorial government founded a trading post in Flint itself in 1819. On several occasions, Smith negotiated land exchanged with the Ojibwas on behalf of the U.S. government, and was highly regarded on both sides. Smith apportioned many of his holdings to his children. As the ideal stopover on the overland route between Detroit and Saginaw, Flint grew into a small but prosperous village. It was incorporated in 1855. The 1860 U.S. census indicated that Genesee County had a population of 22,498 of Michigan's 750,000.
In the latter half of the 1800s, Flint became a lumber center, and at the turn of the 20th century the revenue and infrastructure from lumbering funded the establishment of the local carriage making industry. As horse-drawn carriages gave way to the automobiles, Flint became a major player in the nascent auto industry.
In 1904, local entrepreneur William C. Durant bought the Buick Motor Company, which became the largest manufacturer of automobiles by 1908. In 1908, Durant founded General Motors, filing incorporation papers in New Jersey, with headquarters in Flint. Eventually GM moved to Detroit.[1]
Durant lost control of GM twice during his lifetime. On the first occasion, he befriended Louis Chevrolet and founded Chevrolet, which was a runaway success. He used the capital from this success to buy back share control. He later lost decisive control again, permanently. Durant experienced financial ruin in the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequently ran a bowling alley in Flint until the time of his death in 1947.
For the last century, Flint's history has been dominated by both the auto industry and car culture. During the sit down strike of 1936-1937, the fledgling United Automobile Workers triumphed over General Motors, inaugurating the era of labor unions.
The city was a major contributor of tanks and other war material during World War II due to extensive manufacturing facilities.
The eighth deadliest tornado on record in the United States struck Beecher, just north of Flint, on June 8, 1953, killing 115 people, injuring 844. Known as the "Beecher Tornado," after the North Side community, the tornado devastated the area. On the next day the same weather system spawned the worst tornado in New England in Worcester, Massachusetts, killing another 94 people.
For decades, Flint remained politically important as a major population center as well as for its importance to the automotive industry. The city's population peaked in 1960 at almost 200,000. These decades are seen as the height of Flint's prosperity and influence, and culminated with the establishment of many local institutions, most notably including the Flint Cultural Center, which remains one of the city's chief commercial and artistic draws to this day. Image:Buickcityflint.JPG
Since the late 1960s, Flint has suffered from disinvestment, deindustrialization, and depopulation. Initially, this took the form of the "white flight" that afflicted many American towns, but the decline was exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis and subsequent collapse of the U.S. auto industry. In the 1980s, the rate of deindustrialization accelerated with local GM employment falling from a 1978 high of 80,000 to under 23,000 by the late 1990s. Many factors have been blamed, including Reaganomics, outsourcing and exporting jobs abroad and to non-union facilities, unionization and exorbitant overhead, globalization, and most recently, a dramatic decline in General Motors sales. These rationales are often strictly applied along lines of political orientation, and labor remains the most divisive and polarizing local issue.
The recent decline was highlighted in the film Roger and Me by Michael Moore (the title refers to Roger B. Smith, the CEO of General Motors during the 1980s). Also highlighted in Moore's documentary was the failure of city officials to reverse the trends with entertainment options (e.g. Six Flags' AutoWorld) during the 1980s.
Today, the auto industry continues its exodus from Flint as does the population and sources of revenue. The massive Buick City factory was closed in 1999 and demolished three years later. Unable to pay its debts, the city was placed into receivership by the state of Michigan in 2002, with a financial manager effectively replacing the mayor. In 2004, local control was resumed.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 88.2 km² (34.1 mi²). 87.1 km² (33.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.26% water. Flint lies just to the northeast of the Flint hills. The terrain is low and rolling along the south and east sides, and flatter to the northwest.
For a city of its size, Flint has many neighborhoods, grouped around the center of the city on the four cardinal "sides." The downtown business district is centered on Saginaw Street south of the Flint River. Just west, on opposite sides of the river, are Carriage Town (north) and the Grand Traverse Street District (south). These neighborhoods were the center of manufacturing for and profits from the nation's carriage industry until the 1920s, and to this day are the site of many well-preserved Victorian homes and the setting of Atwood Stadium. Just north of downtown is River Village, a successful example of mixed-income public housing. To the east of I-475 is Central Park, a small neighborhood defined by cul-de-sacs.
The North Side and Near South Side are predominantly African American, with such historic districts as Buick City and Civic Park on the north, and Sugar Hill, Floral Park, and Kent and Elm Parks on the south. Many of these neighborhoods were the original centers of early Michigan blues. The South Side in particular was also a center for multiracial migration from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and deep south since World War II. These neighborhoods are most often lower income, but have maintained some level of economic stratification. The East Side is the site of the Applewood Mott Estate, and Mott Community College, the Cultural Center, and East Village, one of Flint's more prosperous areas. Just north is Eastside Proper, also known as the "State Streets," a low-income rental area that has rapidly diversified and is the center of Flint's Hispanic community. Eastside has had trouble with prostitution, particularly in districts centered on Dort Highway and Olive Avenue. The West Side includes the main site of the 1937 sitdown strike and the historic Woodcroft neighborhood, home in the past to influential engineers and automotive executives, and Mott Park, site of Kettering University.
Facilities associated with General Motors in the past and present are scattered throughout the city, including GM Truck and Bus, the Flint Metal Center, Powertrain North, Delphi East and West, among others. The largest plant, Buick City and adjacent facilities, has been demolished.
Half of Flint's fourteen tallest buildings were built during the 1920s. The city's tallest building, the 19-story Genesee Towers, was completed in 1968.Template:Ref
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 124,943 people, 48,744 households, and 30,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,434.5/km² (3,714.9/mi²). There were 55,464 housing units at an average density of 636.8/km² (1,649.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 41.39% White, 53.27% Black or African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 3.14% from two or more races. 2.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 48,744 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.0% were married couples living together, 27.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,015, and the median income for a family was $31,424. Males had a median income of $34,009 versus $24,237 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,733. 26.4% of the population and 22.9% of families were below the poverty line. 37.4% of those under the age of 18 and 13.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Crime
According to the FBI, Flint has one of the highest crime rates in Michigan (5538 incidents/100,000 residents), and in 2004 the second highest violent crime rate in the United States. Flint was recently named as the fourth most dangerous city in the United States in an evaluation by Morgan Quitno Press.
Education
The University of Michigan-Flint is a regional satellite campus of the University of Michigan located in Ann Arbor. Other universities include: Kettering University formerly known as GMI (General Motors Institute), which is a highly-rated engineering university, and Baker College which is a private business institute. Mott Community College is a community college in Flint with satellite campuses in nearby Fenton and Lapeer.
Public K-12 education is provided under the umbrella of the Flint Community Schools. Students attend 25 elementary schools, one K-8 school facility (named McKinley), four middle schools (three of which are named after a well-known American poet: Holmes, Longfellow and Whittier), and six high schools. The city's two oldest schools, Flint Central High School (formerly Flint City High School) and Flint Northern High School have relocated from their original locations, but have remained local institutions since 1875 and 1929 respectively. Flint Central's current building is in East Village near Mott Community College and the Cultural Center, and was finished in 1923. Designed by Malcolmson, Higginbotham, and Palmer, it is one of the city's architectural treasures. There is also Mott Middle College, Flint Southwestern Academy, Flint Northwestern Preparatory Academy, and Schools of Choice, all of which are 7-12 institutions.
Declining enrollment and costly maintenance, however, have threatened the future of many of Flint's schools. While the district has come under fire for high truancy and dropout rates as well as low test scores, it has also been lauded for its ground-breaking magnet program, particuarly programs in math, science, and fine arts. Moreover, the district was the testing ground for Frank Manley's community schools ideas. A local elementary school has been named in his honor.
The state-run Michigan School for the Blind and Deaf is also located in the City of Flint.
Flint also hosts a number of private schools, including Luke M. Powers Catholic High School and the The Valley School.
Westwood Heights, Carman-Ainsworth, Beecher, Atherton, Bendle, Bentley, Davison, and Kearsley are adjacent districts based in the City of Burton, Flint Township, Mount Morris Township, and Genesee Township, and do not belong to the Flint Community Schools.
Culture
Image:FIAFront.jpg Flint hosts a large cultural center that was built with revenue from the auto industry in the 1950s. Set on a 30 acre (120,000 m²) site near downtown, it boasts:
- The Flint Public Library.
- Bower Theater, home of Flint Youth Theatre.
- Flint Institute of Arts, an art museum with an extensive collection and learning facility.
- Flint Institute of Music, home of the Flint Symphony Orchestra and Flint Youth Symphony Orchestra, among other organizations.
- Longway Planetarium, the largest and best-equipped planetarium in Michigan.
- Sloan Museum, with a large portion dedicated to rare automobiles.
- Whiting Auditorium, a 2100-seat auditorium which hosts fine arts performances, including symphonic concerts and touring theatrical performances.
The local paper is the Flint Journal, dating back to 1876.
Noteworthy annual events include the Flint Jazz Festival, the Michigan Storytellers Festival, the Buick Open PGA Tour golf tournament (in nearby suburb Grand Blanc), and the Crim Festival of Races.
Sports
The Flint Generals pro hockey team plays in Perani Arena (formerly known as the IMA Sports Arena), a 4,021+ seat arena which is mostly home to hockey, but has also hosted basketball, indoor football, wrestling, boxing, and many other events. The Flint Generals are in their 13th year in the United Hockey League since returning after leaving Flint for 8 years. The Generals won the IHL's Turner Cup in 1984, and won the UHL's Colonial Cup in 1996 and 2000.
There is also semi-pro football at Atwood Stadium with the Flint Fury. Atwood is an 11,000+ seat stadium in downtown Flint which has hosted many events, including baseball. When artificial turf was installed, it was no longer able to host baseball games. The Flint Fury are heading into their fourth season and second in the Mid-Continental Football League. The team was founded by two of its players: Charles Lawler and Prince Goodson, who both played for the defunct Flint Falcons semi-pro team.
A second semi-pro football team in Flint is the Michigan Admirals. They play at Russ Reynolds Field, a 1,500 seat stadium with a grass surface. The stadium is also home to the Flint Beecher Buccaneers High School Football team. In 2005, the Admirals won the NAFL2 Northern Conference Championship, and were one win away from going to the Championship in Orlando. The Admirals are heading into their fifth season in the North American Football League.
The Genesee County Patriots semi-pro football team is based in nearby Clio. The Patriots were founded in 2003 and originally played at Atwood Stadium in Flint with the Flint Fury. At the time, both teams were in the Ohio Valley Football League and shared the stadium. After the 2003 season, the Patriots jumped to the North American Football League and moved to Clio's Pride Stadium, which is also home to Clio Mustangs High School Football.
Pro sports teams once based in Flint included baseball teams; Flint Flyers, Flint Halligans, Flint Vehicles, Flint Gems, Flint Indians, and Flint Arrows, basketball teams; Flint Fuze, and Michigan Stones, hockey teams Flint Spirits, and Flint Bulldogs, and football teams; Flint Blue Devils, Flint Pros, Flint Wildcats, Flint Sabres, Flint Falcons, and Flint Flames.
Transportation
The city of Flint is served by Bishop International Airport and various bus lines. Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service on the Blue Water line from Chicago to Port Huron at the border to Canada. For travel within and around the city, the Flint Mass Transportation Authority provides local bus services. Greyhound Lines also runs inter-city bus services north to Bay City and south to Detroit.
Famous persons and groups
Flint has produced a host of local artists and musicians, many taking on a political perspective. Some examples include John Sinclair, filmmaker Michael Moore from nearby Davison, Ben Hamper, author Edmund Love from nearby Flushing, musical acts such as Terry Knight and the Pack, the Grand Funk Railroad, Ready for the World, and ? and the Mysterians, and rap outfits M.C. Breed, The Dayton Family (who've often collaborated with Esham), Pvt Militant, Troy Garland, Billy Smokes, and Top Authority. Flint has also produced actors such as Terry Crews, Billy Brandt, and Bob Bell (IV), model Nichole Arsenault, and pornstar Allie Sin.
Notable athletes from Flint include former professional baseball players: Bobby Reed, Merv Rettenmund, Scott Aldred, Steve Boros, Jeff Hamilton, Joe Mays, Larry Mitchell, Leroy Powell, Ron Pruitt, Mickey Weston, Rick Leach, Herb Washington, and Jim Abbott, a one armed left handed pitcher, basketball players: Demetrius Calip, Butch Feher, Terry Furlow, Jeff Grayer, Darryl Johnson, Roy Marble, Eddie Robinson, Trent Tucker, Keith Smith, Barry Stevens, Cory Hightower, Glen Rice, Antonio Smith, Morris Peterson, Mateen Cleaves, and Charlie Bell, (Smith, Peterson, Cleaves, and Bell were known as the Flintstones during their tenure at Michigan State University) football players: Leroy Bolden, Ricky Patton, Clarence Peaks, Lynn Chandnois, Don Coleman, Terry Crews, Andre Rison, Andre Weathers, Robaire Smith, Jon Runyan, Todd Lyght, Booker Moore, Carl Banks, and Mark Ingram, hockey players: Brian Rolston, and Bobby Reynolds, volleyball player Rashal Baz, and boxers: Chris Byrd, and Andre Dirrell.
Stephen Smale is a mathematician from Flint.
Flint is the subject of a Sufjan Stevens song, from his album Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State.
Notes
External links
- Official site
- City of Flint state website
- FlintHistory.com: Movies, Maps, Stories & More
- 30+ Photos of Flint's 3rd Ave Neighborhood
- Flint Area Convention and Visitors' Bureau
- Flint's Online Community
- Flint Cultural Center
- Flint Public Library
- Carriage Town Historic Neighborhood Association
- Political Graveyard: Mayors of Flint
- Flint MTA Busline
- Flint Local 432
- TheFlintSkinny - Satirical ezine
eo:Flint nl:Flint (Michigan) ja:フリント (ミシガン州) pl:Flint (Michigan)