Fremont, Michigan

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Fremont, Michigan
settlement_type = City
nickname =
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Michigan
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Newaygo

government_footnotes =
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unit_pref = Imperial
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area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 11.9
area_land_km2 = 8.6
area_water_km2 = 3.3
area_total_sq_mi = 4.6
area_land_sq_mi = 3.3
area_water_sq_mi = 1.3

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 4224
population_density_km2 = 489.7
population_density_sq_mi = 1268.3

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 249
elevation_ft = 817
latd = 43 |latm = 28 |lats = 0 |latNS = N
longd = 85 |longm = 56 |longs = 54 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 49412-49413
area_code = 231
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 26-30700GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0626466GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Fremont is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,224 at the 2000 census.

History

The first inhabitants of the Fremont area were native Americans. A group of settlers led by Daniel Weaver first settled in the area in 1855. The Weaver homestead served as the first post office and public school in the area. Shortly after the arrival of this group, in November 1855, Fremont Township was established and named in honor of John C. Fremont, western explorer and Republican Party candidate for United States President. Weaver and his fellow settlers cleared the dense timber from the area in order to farm. Early in the 1870s, Dutch immigrant families began moving to the Fremont area from Holland and Muskegon. As a result, Fremont continues to recognize some of its early Dutch heritage in local festivals and pageants.

Due to the rich stands of virgin timber in the area, lumbering soon became a major industry in the town. To facilitate this emerging local industry, a railroad spur was completed, linking Fremont to the national railroad network. The growth of the lumbering industry was slowed in the 1860s by the American Civil War. In 1871, Fremont experienced a major forest fire with extensive damage to the area, especially the lumber mills, but the area was able to rebuild and even supplied some of the lumber that helped to rebuild Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire of 1876.

Also in the mid 1870s the Gerber family had moved to Fremont and established a tannery, which became a major industry. In the 1890s, the lumbering industry, the source of a major raw material for tanning, ran out of trees and the Gerber family turned to processing area farm produce and formed the Fremont Canning Company. In 1928 the Gerber canning plant started to manufacture baby foods. The Fremont Canning Company soon became Gerber Products Company and Fremont became the home of the world's best known baby food. Gerber now controls over 80% of the U.S. baby food market. The Gerber Fremont plant produces baby food for over 20 foreign countries.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), of which, 3.3 square miles (8.6 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) of it (27.77%) is water.

Transportation

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Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,224 people, 1,788 households, and 1,140 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,268.3 per square mile (489.8/km²). There were 1,943 housing units at an average density of 583.4/sq mi (225.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.59% White, 0.38% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.

There were 1,788 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,246, and the median income for a family was $42,578. Males had a median income of $37,872 versus $23,203 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,475. About 8.8% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

The annual Baby Food Festival takes place in July.

Business

* Gerber Products Company is located in Fremont. The Gerber Products Company was originally started as the Fremont Canning Company.

References

External links

* [http://www.fremont.net Fremont Public Schools Homepage]
* [http://www.cityoffremont.net/web/index.asp City of Fremont (city government)]
* [http://www.fremontcommerce.com/index.php Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.miraclevision.com/fremont-locational-map.html Locational map]