Mount Clemens, Michigan

Mount Clemens, Michigan
—  City  —
Nickname(s): Bath City
Location of Mount Clemens, Michigan
Coordinates: 42°35′48″N 82°52′49″W / 42.59667°N 82.88028°W / 42.59667; -82.88028
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Macomb
Government
– Type	Commission-manager
– Mayor	Barb Dempsey[1]
– City Manager	Douglas C. Anderson
Area
– Total	4.2 sq mi (10.9 km2)
– Land	4.2 sq mi (10.9 km2)
– Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	604 ft (184 m)
Population (2000)
– Total	17,312
– Density	4,107.0/sq mi (1,585.7/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	48043, 48046
Area code(s)	586
FIPS code	26-55820[2]
GNIS feature ID	0632785[3]

Mt. Clemens Bath House, circa 1910

Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,312. It is the county seat of Macomb County.^[4]

Early history

Mount Clemens was first surveyed in 1795 by Christian Clemens, who settled there four years later. Clemens and his friend, John Brooks, built a distillery, which helped settle the area. Brooks and Clemens platted the land, and the town was named after Clemens in 1818. It received a post office in 1821, with John Stockton as the first postmaster. It filed for incorporation as a village in 1837, but it was not acted upon until 1851. It was later incorporated as a city in 1879. Christian Clemens is buried at Clemens Park, located just north of downtown. It became the seat of Macomb County on March 11, 1818.^[5]

Bath House era

Historically, Mount Clemens' largest industry was the mineral baths that were scattered throughout the city from 1873 until 1974. The city once encompassed 11 bathhouses and several hotels at its peak. The first bathhouse was built in 1873 and was known as “The Original” and was located on the corner of Jones and Water Street. The bathhouse remained until 1883 when the building burned, yet was rebuilt in 1884 and accommodated larger crowds. Over the years, noted visitors such as film actors Clark Gable and Mae West, athletes Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey, news magnate William Randolph Hearst, and the Vanderbilt family vacationed in the city for the bath industry.

The only remaining bathhouse from the bath era of Mount Clemens is St. Joseph's Sanitarium and Bath House, which has been recently renamed Select Specialty Hospital and owned by Select Medical Corporation. This last bath house is in danger of being demolished while the Friends of Historic Preservation [1] are working with the city to preserve it.

The Olympia Salon & Spa, located in the Martha Washington Sanitarium on Cass Ave, are rejuvenating the bath era by offering mineral baths once again.

Architecture

Mount Clemens has a wide variety of architectural styles in its residential areas. It features many historic homes, also. The most popular styles are craftsman homes, tudors, and bungalows.

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  Italianate architecture in Mount Clemens.

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  Typical east-side home.

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  Former farmhouse-style home in Northeast Mount Clemens.

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  American Foursquare style home.

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  Craftsman home in Southwest Mount Clemens

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  Victorian home just outside of Downtown.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), nearly all of it land. The Clinton River runs through the city. The city is almost completely surrounded by Clinton Township, except for the far east side which borders Harrison Township.

Demographics

First United Methodist Church at the corner of Cass and SB Gratiot in Mt. Clemens is designated as a Michigan Historic Landmark

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 17,312 people, 7,073 households, and 3,854 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,107.0 per square mile (1,583.9/km²). There were 7,546 housing units at an average density of 1,790.2 per square mile (690.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.79% White, 19.61% African American, 0.73% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population.

There were 7,073 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,856, and the median income for a family was $50,518. Males had a median income of $41,005 versus $27,896 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,741. About 10.0% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.1% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2010 Mount Clemens had a population of 16,314. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 68.3% Non-Hispanic white, 24.8% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 3.6% repring two or more races and 2.9% Hispanic or Latino.^[6]

Government

The city government is composed of a mayor, the current being Barb Dempsey, and a city council. City finances have been trouble for some time. Approximately 42% of properties in the city are tax-exempt, resulting in lost revenue of $1.2 million^[7]. In an attempt to raise funds to combat a $960,000 budget deficit for 2010, mayor Dempsey has solicited donations to the city’s general fund from tax-exempt organizations like churches, schools and a hospital, in order to pay for services like fire protection, streetlights and roads^[8]. The city already disbanded the 113 year-old police department in 2005 to cut costs. The deficit is projected to reach $1.5 million in 2011.

Transportation

	I-94 provides a quick connection northeast to Port Huron and to Detroit, which is to the southwest.
	M-3 (Gratiot Avenue)
	M-59
	M-97

Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) Bus Route *560/565 Gratiot.

Railroads

Canadian National provides Class 1 Freight service to Mt Clemens with the old Grand Trunk Western Detroit to Port Huron line.

Culture

• The "Mock Turtle Press" as well as "American Road Magazine" are centered in Mount Clemens.
• In recent years "The Clem", as it is familiarly nicknamed, has become a center of nightlife for Macomb County, including many bars such as The Emerald Theatre (designed by C. Howard Crane who also designed Radio City Music Hall in New York, Orchesta Hall Detroit and Fox Theatre Detroit), The Rock Room, Johnny G's, Cush, Madisons Pub, Hayloft, The Bank, Crazy Eight's, Orleans Billiards, Montes Martini Lounge, RecBowl, Fritts' Pub, Your Mother's, Little Lorraines, and Fast Eddie's.
• Rap/rock artist Kid Rock, who hails from nearby Romeo, MI, began his professional stage career as a DJ/rapper in Mt. Clemens, and it was here that he earned his nickname (from club patrons saying "look at that white kid rock").^[9]

Education

Mount Clemens Community School District operates public schools.

Famous residents

• Dean Cain, actor who is best known for starring on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
• Dick Enberg, sportscaster
• Ian Hornak, artist
• Mike Ignasiak, former pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Chuck Inglish, Rapper of The Cool Kids
• Connie Kalitta, drag racing driver
• Scott Kamieniecki, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• David Kircus, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos
• Uncle Kracker, singer
• Tracy Leslie, NASCAR driver
• Tommy Milton, deceased, two time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (1921 and 1923)
• Richard A. Searfoss, former astronaut
• Lary Sorensen, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Allen Henry Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit
• Wally Weber, University of Michigan football player, assistant football coach and Hall of Honor inductee

See also

• Mount Clemens High School

References

1. ^ "Mayor's Office". City of Mount Clemens. http://www.cityofmountclemens.com/mayor.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-05. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
5. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=Tz8VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA297
6. ^ 2010 population figures for Mount Clemens
7. ^ Ferretti, Christine (November 20, 2010). "Cash-strapped Mount Clemens appeals to nonprofits to pay toward city services.". Detroit News. http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20101120/METRO03/11200350/1409/Cash-strapped-Mount-Clemens-appeals-to-nonprofits-to-pay-toward-city-services. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
8. ^ Bunkley, Nick (November 19, 2010). "Debt Rising, a City Seeks Donations in Michigan.". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/us/20michigan.html. Retrieved 2010-11-20. 
9. ^ "Death of Kid Rock's sidekick triggers memories for fans." Article at University Wire, November 21, 2000.

External links

	Michigan portal
	Metro Detroit portal

• City of Mount Clemens Official Website
• Crocker House Museum & Macomb County Historical Society
• Mount Clemens Public Library
• Mount Clemens Downtown Development Authority
• Friends of Historic Preservation, Mount Clemens
• Mount Clemens Historical Commission

Coordinates: 42°35′50″N 82°52′41″W / 42.59722°N 82.87806°W / 42.59722; -82.87806