Owosso is the largest city in Shiawassee County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

of Michigan. The population was 15,194 at the 2010 census. The city is mostly surrounded by Owosso Township on its west, but the two are administered autonomously. The city was named after Chief Wosso, an Ojibwe leader of the Shiawassee area.

History

Alfred L. and Benjamin O. Williams were early European-American settlers in the area. They were joined by Elias Comstock, who built the first permanent home in the settlement. Dr. John B. Barnes, a physician and a judge, and Sophronia King Barnes moved to Owosso in 1842. They lived on Oliver and Water streets where they operated an Underground Railroad waystation, where they provided aid and shelter for enslaved African Americans. Owosso was incorporated as a city in 1859, at which time it had 1000 people. The city's first mayor was Amos Gould, a judge originally from New York. Many other settlers also migrated across the Northern Tier from New York and New England. In 1876, the city organized its fire department. The pattern of settlement and migration resulted in a majority-white city. In the 1950s, Owosso was reported by a major Montgomery, Alabama, newspaper to be a

sundown town Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, are all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States that practice a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combination of discriminator ...

, where African Americans were not allowed to live or stay overnight. It was reacting to increased civil rights activism and Northern criticism of Southern racial segregation, following the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

ruling in ''

Brown v. Board of Education ''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segrega ...

'' (1954) that segregated public schools were unconstitutional.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (2.60%) is water.

Climate

Owosso experiences frigid winters, with the last snow usually falling in April, typically Northern Midwestern spring thaws, balmy to hot summers, and colorful falls, with the first snows usually occurring sometimes in December but typically in January. Each year Owosso averages eleven days with temperatures below , and nine days with temperatures above . Owosso averages twenty-nine inches of rain per year, and forty-one inches of snow. The average growing season in Owosso is 144 days.

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 15,713 people, 6,340 households, and 4,076 families. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 3,174.5 per square mile (1,225.6/km²). There were 6,724 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.20%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.60% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.80% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.10% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 3% of the population. There were 6,340 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,576, and the median income for a family was $40,355. Males had a median income of $32,285 versus $22,534 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $16,764. About 10.0% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 15,194 people, 6,161 households, and 3,779 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 6,823 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.7%

, 0.8%

, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.6% from

, and 2.1% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population. There were 6,161 households, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.7% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age in the city was 34.8 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

Arts and culture

* Curwood Castle was the writing studio of notable author

James Oliver Curwood James Oliver Curwood (June 12, 1878 – August 13, 1927) was an American action-adventure writer and conservationist. His books were often based on adventures set in the Hudson Bay area, the Yukon or Alaska and ranked among the top-ten best selle ...

. It is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The castle is operated as a museum that contains period antiques, and Curwood books, photos, and movie posters, as well as memorabilia related to politician Thomas E. Dewey, another notable native son. *The Shiawasse Arts Center exhibits and sells prints of

Frederick Carl Frieseke Frederick Carl Frieseke (April 7, 1874 – August 24, 1939) was an American Impressionist painter who spent most of his life as an expatriate in France. An influential member of the Giverny art colony, his paintings often concentrated on various ...

, and original work of other artists. It also holds art classes, and competitions, and has exhibitions scheduled throughout the year. *

Owosso Speedway Owosso Speedway is a , progressively banked oval short track located east of Ovid, Michigan, between Ovid and Owosso, further east. Track History In 1939 the Owosso Speedway opened as a dirt oval. The track would operate until 1944 when it c ...

* The American Record Pressing Company, accredited for

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

first vinyl pressing in the United States *The Curwood Festival, to honor the author and books, is held annually and includes a street fair, parades, contests including raft races, carnival rides, concerts, a medieval reenactment encampment, and more.

Government

The city has a council–manager form of government. Owosso is served by the Shiawassee District Library branch.

Education

Education is provided by the Owosso Public Schools, which owns the historic Lincoln School on Michigan Avenue south of M-21. Owosso High School is the sole high school in the city. Salem Lutheran School is a grade school (Pre-K-8) of the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwauke ...

in Owosso.

Transportation

Roads

* runs east and west through the city * runs north and south through the city * runs diagonally, southeast and northwest, terminating at M-21

City Bus Service

The Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency (SATA) provides city bus service. The majority of buses are lift-equipped, and the service operates from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays. The service also provides a single daily bus run to and from Perry, Michigan, and another to and from Durand, Michigan.

Intercity Bus Service

Owosso is the headquarters of Indian Trails Bus Lines, which provides regularly scheduled intercity bus service from Owosso to connect with points throughout Michigan and the U. S. Indian Trails also provides chartered bus service to and from points throughout the U. S.

Air

Owosso Community Airport Owosso Community Airport is a public-use airport located in Caledonia Charter Township, two miles (3 km) east of Owosso, between the cities of Owosso and Corunna, in Shiawassee County, Michigan, United States. It is owned by the Shiawasse ...

provides a long lighted runway for private planes and air taxi services.

Rail

Owosso is the headquarters of the

Great Lakes Central Railroad The Great Lakes Central Railroad is an American Class II regional railroad, operating in the state of Michigan. It was originally called the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay Railway , which was formed on August 26, 1977, to operate over former Penn Cen ...

, which provides freight service to Northern and Southern Michigan. It also provides chartered passenger rail service and tours through its association with Lake Central Rail Tours. Owosso was the location of three different railroad stations for different railroad companies: Ann Arbor Railroad ( Elberta, Michigan -

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

); New York Central Railroad, ''nee''

Michigan Central The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in ...

( Bay City -

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

) and Grand Trunk Western (

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expans ...

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Notable people

* Emile Benoit (Jerry Urick), author, playwright of ''A Midsummer Night's Hangover.'' * Alvin M. Bentley, philanthropist, foreign service officer and U.S. Congressman * Leann Birch, developmental psychologist * Chester Brewer, athlete, Michigan State and Missouri football head coach and athletic director *

Diane Carey Diane L. Carey-Brodeur (born October 2, 1954) is an American fiction writer, publishing under the pen names Lydia Gregory, Diane Carey, and D. L. Carey. Background Diane L. Carey was born on October 2, 1954 in Flint, Michigan, United States. Sh ...

, author *

, conservationist and author * Thomas E. Dewey, lawyer, author, and politician, Governor of New York, 1944 and 1948 Republican presidential candidate *

, American Impressionist artist Dearinger, p. 214.Hoopes, p. 122.Hoopes, p. 149.Neuhaus, p. 269. * Sanford M. Green, Michigan jurist and legislator * Alfred D. Hershey, bacteriologist and co-winner of the 1969 Nobel Prize in medicine/physiology * Etta Doane Marden (1851-1946), American missionary in Turkey, 1881-1925 *

Mel Schacher Melvin George Schacher (born April 8, 1951) is an American musician who is the bassist of the hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad. Early career Schacher was born in Owosso, Michigan, and was raised in Flint, Michigan. He became interested in ...

, member of the rock bands ? and the Mysterians and

Grand Funk Railroad Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in 1968 in Flint, Michigan, by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar), Don Brewer (drums, vocals), and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved peak popularity and succ ...

* Scott Kinsey, keyboardist and member of the band

Tribal Tech Tribal Tech was a progressive fusion band, originally formed in 1984 by guitarist Scott Henderson and bass player Gary Willis. From 1993 forward the band included Scott Kinsey on keyboard and Kirk Covington on drums, and released ten albums tha ...

* Rob Oliver, Emmy nominated animation director for The Simpsons. *