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.
The county was named after Genesee County, New York. 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 Circuit Court Judge Archie Hayman - Genesee County Circuit Court Judge Archie Hayman speaks in court today, Aug. 17.
Formative period
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. The only township organized at the time was Grand Blanc, formed 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 a week after Michigan's admission as a state, the county was fully cover with 5 township governments.
The townships of Genesee, Fenton, and Flushing were formed on March 6, 1838. Genesee and Flushing were split off from Flint Township. Fenton was split off from Argentine Township. Genesee included half the survey area to the west. While Flushing included the other half of that survey area (township 8 North range 6 East), the full township area further west (township 8 North range 5 East) then another survey area and half the row below (township 7 North range 5,6 East). Thus Flint Township consisted of one and a half township survey areas.
15 northerly sections of survey area Township No. 7 north of range No. 7 east in Flint Township plus southerly sections of Genesee Township was set off by the Michigan legislature as Kearsley Township in 1839. On March 7, 1843, the legislature abolished this township returning the sections back to Flint and Genesee Townships. Thus Flint Township consisted of approximately one and a half township survey areas.
Two new townships were formed by the state on March 9, 1842. Thetford was the east most survey area split off from Vienna. While Gaines was formed with the western township survey of Mundy.
The county was enlarged on March 9, 1843, by adding a column of townships on its east from Lapeer County. From north to south, the townships were Forest, Richfield, Davison and Atlas.
On March 25, 1846, an additional two townships were formed, Clayton and Pewanagawink. Clayton splitting the southernmost survey area off from Flushing Township. Pewanagawink took the westernmost survey area from Vienna and changed its name to Montrose by act of January 15, 1848.
Mt. Morris Township was created on February 12, 1855, from a single survey township area with its two halves taken from Flushing and Genesee Townships. Flint Township was split into three parts upon the formation of the City of Flint. The County Board of Supervisors split the remaining township survey area into two with the western area becoming Garland Township (this name only last until the Flint name was restored on February 5, 1856) and the remaining eastern survey area became Burton Township.
Modern era
Flint Community Junior College was turned into a county-wide institution with a referendum and millage proposal passing the voters in 1969. To reflect this, was renamed Genesee Community College on July 5, 1970. In 1973, it was renamed to Charles Stewart Mott Community College after the death of C.S. Mott.
In October 2009, County Commissioners directed County Corporate Counsel to discuss with the County Prosecuting Attorney a possible merger of his office with the County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As of December 2011, County Counsel Ward Chapman was intending to retire by the end of the year raising the possibility again of a merger. By August 9, 2016, the two offices were merged.
Emergency Management & Homeland Security Department was merged by the County Commission into the Sheriff's Department in June 2010 with the department director position being demoted to a manager level post while eliminating a programming coordinator. 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 with Board of Commission Chair Jamie W. Curtis representing the County on the Authority Board.
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.
On November 4, 2014, the county electors approved three millage levies. The animal shelter levy was .20 mils for 7 years (2020). The county parks replacement levy won with 55% of the votes lasting until 2023 at .75 mils. An additional millage for Mass Transportation Authority levied .425 mils last until 2019.
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 and politics
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 functionsâ€"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 of 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, except for the City of Flint, is under the jurisdiction of the 67th District Court of Michigan. District Courts have a limited jurisdiction as charged under state law. The 67th District Court operates in seven divisions, each with a single judge except for the Central Court Division, which is used for jury and felony cases.
Genesee County is a founding member of the Karegnondi Water Authority The "outcounty" area (all but the city of Flint) receives library services from the Genesee District Library. The county equivalent for school is the Genesee Intermediate School District, which consist of school districts considered primarily within Genesee County. Charles Stewart Mott Community College is the local community college serving the same area as the GISD.
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
- Official website
- Genesee County Road Commission Official website
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Genesee County
