Tuscola County, Michigan

Infobox U.S. County
county = Tuscola County
state = Michigan




map size = 200
founded = April 1, 1840 [http://www.mifamilyhistory.org/tuscola/Vital%20records/vol%201.htm]
seat = Caro | area_total_sq_mi =914
area_land_sq_mi =812
area_water_sq_mi =101
area percentage = 11.10%
census yr = 2000
pop = 58266
density_km2 =28
web = www.tuscolacounty.org
|

Tuscola County is a county in the Thumb region of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 58,266. The county seat is CaroGR|6. The county was created by Michigan Law on April 1, 1840 and was fully organized on March 2, 1850.

Geography

*According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,367 km²), of which, 812 square miles (2,104 km²) of it is land and 101 square miles (263 km²) of it (11.10%) is water. As mentioned above, this is one of five counties that are in the Thumb area. Like the rest of the thumb, Tuscola County enjoys seasonal tourism from larger cities like Flint, Detroit and Saginaw.
*It is considered to be part of the Thumb of Michigan, which in turn is a subregion of the Flint/Tri-Cities.
*The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw is the controlling regional body for the Catholic Church. [ [http://www.saginaw.org/ Saginaw County Diocese home page,] ]

History

*The name Tuscola was a Neologism created by Henry Schoolcraft. One scholar believes it to be a combination of "dusinagon" (level) and "cola" (lands).

The Chippewa/Ottawa word "dusinagon", or "tessi-nagan", actually, means flat dish or plate. The early Chippewa/Ottawa often used a shell or bark from a tree for a dish or plate. Shell in their language was "essi", which maybe the root of Tuscola.Fact|date=September 2008 The Thumb of Michigan, which includes Tuscola, Huron, and Sanilac Counties, was in the 1600s called Skenchioe, which maybe related to the Onondaga word "uschwuntschios", which means plain or flat. It was saidWho|date=September 2008 that Skenchioe, the early home of the Fox People, meant red fox. The French in the early 1700s called the Thumb of Michigan Le Pays Plat, which means The Country Flat. This name was continued by the English in the late 1700s in the name--Flat Country. Fact|date=September 2008 The Chippewa/Ottawa word "tessi-" is used to make the words for shelf, platform, bench, and plate. The phrase "tessi-aki" may have been used by Algonquin speaking people to mean the entire Thumb of Michigan and meant level land. Fact|date=September 2008 During the Saginaw Treaty of 1819, the Native chief of Tuscola was Chief Otusson. His name was said to mean "bench in the lodge or platform".Fact|date=September 2008 The Thumb of Michigan forms a tableland with knolls or hillocks located in the interior part along the Cass River. The county seat of Tuscola is Caro, which is located along one of these large knolls. Caro was called by Native People High Bank.Fact|date=September 2008 The land around Caro particularly to the north and east is cultivated and widely farmed. Caro is located in Indianfields Township, which was given its name for it's plentiful Indian gardens.Fact|date=September 2008

[ [http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_20826_20829-54126--,00.html Michigan government on origin of county names] ] See List of Michigan county name etymologies.

Geography

Adjacent counties

*Huron County (north)
*Sanilac County (east)
*Saginaw County (west)
*Lapeer County (southeast)
*Genesee County (southwest)
*Bay County (northwest)

Major highways

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Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 58,266 people, 21,454 households, and 15,983 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile (28/km²). There were 23,378 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.05% White, 1.07% Black or African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. 2.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.3% were of German, 9.8% English, 8.4% Polish, 8.2% American, 7.5% Irish and 5.9% French ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.4% spoke English, 1.3% Spanish and 1.3% German as their first language.

There were 21,454 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 21.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,174, and the median income for a family was $46,729. Males had a median income of $35,974 versus $24,241 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,985. About 5.40% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.40% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

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 regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare andother social services. The county board of commissioners controls thebudget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most localgovernment functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, streetmaintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Tuscola County elected officials

* Prosecuting Attorney: Mark E. Reene
* Sheriff: Tom Kern
* County Clerk: Margie White-Cormier
* County Treasurer: Patricia Donovan
* Register of Deeds: Ginny McLaren
* Drain Commissioner: Sarah Pistro
* Circuit Court Judge: Hon. Patrick Reed Joslyn
* Probate Court Judge: Hon. W. Wallace Kent, Jr.
* District Court Judge: Hon. Kim David Glaspie

(information as of May 16, 2006)

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities'
*VassarVillages
*Akron
*Caro
*Cass City
*Fairgrove
*Gagetown

*Kingston
*Mayville
*Millington
*Reese
*Unionville

Townships
*Akron Township
*Almer Township
*Arbela Township
*Columbia Township
*Dayton Township
*Denmark Township
*Elkland Township
*Ellington Township
*Elmwood Township
*Fairgrove Township
*Fremont Township
*Gilford Township
*Indianfields Township
*Juniata Township
*Kingston Township
*Koylton Township
*Millington Township
*Novesta Township
*Tuscola Township
*Vassar Township
*Watertown Township
*Wells Township
*Wisner Township

Notes

External links

* [http://www.tuscolacounty.org/ Tuscola County]
* [http://www.clarke.cmich.edu/localhistory/Tuscola.htm Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Tuscola County]