Caro, Michigan

Last updated
Caro, Michigan
Hotel Montague Caro.jpg
Tuscola County Michigan Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Caro Highlighted.svg
Location of Caro, Michigan
Coordinates: 43°29′28″N83°23′49″W / 43.49111°N 83.39694°W / 43.49111; -83.39694
Country United States
State Michigan
County Tuscola
Government
  Type Council–manager
   Mayor Karen Snider
   City manager Scott R. Czasak
   City Council
Members
  • Robert Eschenbacher, Mayor Pro-Tem
  • Emily Campbell
  • Pamela Iseler
  • Charlotte Kish
  • Doreen Oedy
  • Jill White
Area
[1]
  Total2.95 sq mi (7.65 km2)
  Land2.94 sq mi (7.62 km2)
  Water0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation
725 ft (221 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total4,328
  Density1,470.11/sq mi (567.61/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
48723-1426
Area code 989
FIPS code 26-13420 [2]
GNIS feature ID622746 [3]
Website http://www.carocity.net/

Caro is a city in and the county seat of Tuscola County, Michigan, United States. [4] The population was 4,328 at the 2020 census and 4,145 at the 2000 census (an increase of 4.4%).

Contents

Caro is located northeast of Flint and east of Saginaw in Michigan's Upper Thumb region.

History

Trinity Episcopal Church Trinity Episcopal Church Caro.jpg
Trinity Episcopal Church

Caro was founded on the ridge just above the site of the Chippewa Village that early on stood at the Oxbow in the Cass River that was known by Native Americans as "Pe-See-Kop-To-Qua-Yone." It is now the site of the Caro Dam in Section 10, Indianfields Township, Tuscola County. [5] Caro would be built and organized on Section 3. On Section 10, at the gate of the Chippewa Village, the logging camp that started the "boom" in logging Cass River was established by Curtis Emerson in 1848. [6] Paschel Richardson of Tuscola Village purchased land for logging on the future site of Caro or Section 3, Indianfields Township, also in 1848. The Johnson brothers, Daniel and Soloman, began to build the City of Zilwaukee, Michigan, from Cass River Pine timber that they logged from the land at the future site of Caro and that they bought in 1849. [7] This was how the events would align.

Gardener and Ephraim Williams about 1830 to the 1840s were agents of the American Fur Company that had a trading post on the Cass River. The post was described as at the "very short bend in the river." The bend was "shaped like a horseshoe." It was called in rough English "Skop-Ti-Qua-Nou." [8] This was undoubtedly a slightly misspelled name for the Oxbow. Gardner Williams would purchase tracts of land next to the Chippewa Village in the 1850s that amounted in size to be more than what was the area of Caro. [7]

Later Samuel P. Sherman would purchase 63 acres (250,000 m2) in the north half of the northwest quarter of section 3 in Indianfields Township on September 8, 1852. Prior to this, only two land sales had been recorded, both for lumbering or speculative purposes. His son, William E. Sherman, had worked in the lumber industry nearby on the Cass River for some time prior to 1852 and William's favorable report persuaded his father to visit in 1851 and afterward purchased several tracts of land in addition to his initial purchase.

In the 1856-57 session of the Michigan Legislature, construction of a road was authorized from Bridgeport in Saginaw County northeast to Forestville in Sanilac County, with a route that would pass through what is now Caro. Once the road was cleared, commercial interests began to locate here. Melvin Gibbs, who had been keeping a hotel in an old log house, in 1858 put up a new frame building, known as the Gibbs House. In 1859, William E. Sherman built another hotel, which he named the Centerville House, based on the location being near the center of the county. The name Centerville became associated with the developing community.

In 1865, Centerville was selected as the county seat. A post office named Tuscola Center was established on April 25, 1866. To address the confusion caused by the differing names, community leaders met in 1868, and at the suggestion of William, E Sherman selected the name Caro, based on a variant spelling of the Egyptian city of Cairo.

On July 23, 2007, Governor Jennifer Granholm announced Caro as a community chosen by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to take part in the Blueprints for Downtowns program. Caro will receive a comprehensive, market-driven strategy toward developing an action-oriented downtown that will result in economic growth, job creation and private investments. [9]

Caro residents voted in favor of changing to the status of a city on November 3, 2009. Village President Tom Striffler was elected to the position of mayor. Elected to the city council were Mike Henry, Rick Lipan, Joe Greene, Charlotte Kish, Amanda Langmaid, and Richard Pouliot. [10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.80 square miles (7.25 km2), of which 2.79 square miles (7.23 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water. [11]

Caro is located in central Tuscola County, surrounded by Indianfields Township on its west, south, and east. Almer Township surrounds the northern part of the city. The Caro post office, with ZIP code 48723, also serves nearly all of Indianfields and Almer townships, as well as smaller portions of Wells Township to the east of Indianfields, Dayton Township to the southeast of Indianfields, Fremont Township to the south of Indianfields, Juniata Township to the west of Indianfields, Fairgrove Township to the northwest of Indianfields, Columbia Township, to the north of Almer, Elmwood Township to the northeast of Almer, and Ellington Township to the east of Almer. [12]

Transportation

The city is served by the Tuscola Area Airport (also known as the Caro Municipal Airport), located approximately three miles southwest of the city. Founded in 1930, the airport was significantly improved under Michigan Department of Transportation grants throughout the 1980s and 1990s, to add and lengthen the runway and taxi-ways, as well as a new administration building and additional hangar space.[ citation needed ]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 1,282
1890 1,70132.7%
1900 2,00617.9%
1910 2,27213.3%
1920 2,70419.0%
1930 2,554−5.5%
1940 3,07020.2%
1950 3,46412.8%
1960 3,5342.0%
1970 4,32222.3%
1980 4,317−0.1%
1990 4,054−6.1%
2000 4,1452.2%
2010 4,2292.0%
2020 4,3282.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census [13] of 2010, there were 4,229 people, 1,777 households, and 1,015 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,515.8 inhabitants per square mile (585.3/km2). There were 1,987 housing units at an average density of 712.2 per square mile (275.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White, 0.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.3% of the population.

There were 1,777 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.9% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 39.6 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census [2] of 2000, there were 4,145 people, 1,738 households, and 1,042 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,746.0 inhabitants per square mile (674.1/km2). There were 1,899 housing units at an average density of 799.9 per square mile (308.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 94.62% White, 0.55% African American, 1.01% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.95% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

There were 1,738 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the village the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $31,226, and the median income for a family was $39,432. Males had a median income of $36,307 versus $25,833 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,152. About 5.1% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Indian Fields Park Indian Fields park caro.JPG
Indian Fields Park

Industry

Caro is the home of a Pioneer Sugar Company facility. Local sugarbeet farmers retain joint ownership of the plant.

In 2003, Michigan Ethanol, a partner of Broin Companies, opened a corn ethanol production facility in southwest Caro. This plant is now owned by Poet Biorefining.

The Caro Center, a mental health facility operated by the state of Michigan, originally opened as a support center for individuals with epilepsy and operated as a self-supportive community, producing its own vegetables and maintaining livestock. Following, it converted to an institution for the developmentally disabled, and now operates as an inpatient psychiatric hospital for mentally ill adults.

The former Camp Tuscola, which was a state correctional facility until 2005, is now a residential re-entry program. [14]

Media

Radio

Local radio stations licensed to serve Caro are commercial broadcasters WKYO AM and WIDL FM.

Newspapers

Broadcast television

Tuscola County lies inside the Flint/Tri-Cities Television Market. Only stations available on Charter in the Caro area are listed below.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Caro has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. [16]

July averages 71 °F (21 °C), with high temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 17 days per year. The average high temperature in July is 86 °F (30 °C). January averages 23 °F (-5 °C), with an average monthly low of 15 °F (-9 °C). [17]

Climate data for Caro WWTP, Michigan (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1928–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)73
(23)
69
(21)
87
(31)
90
(32)
94
(34)
102
(39)
108
(42)
101
(38)
102
(39)
89
(32)
80
(27)
69
(21)
108
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)29.4
(−1.4)
31.5
(−0.3)
41.7
(5.4)
55.3
(12.9)
68.0
(20.0)
78.1
(25.6)
81.9
(27.7)
79.9
(26.6)
72.9
(22.7)
59.8
(15.4)
46.1
(7.8)
34.6
(1.4)
56.6
(13.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)22.0
(−5.6)
23.1
(−4.9)
32.4
(0.2)
44.4
(6.9)
56.4
(13.6)
66.3
(19.1)
70.7
(21.5)
68.6
(20.3)
61.5
(16.4)
49.7
(9.8)
38.3
(3.5)
28.3
(−2.1)
46.8
(8.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)14.6
(−9.7)
14.8
(−9.6)
23.1
(−4.9)
33.5
(0.8)
44.8
(7.1)
54.6
(12.6)
59.6
(15.3)
57.4
(14.1)
50.1
(10.1)
39.6
(4.2)
30.5
(−0.8)
22.1
(−5.5)
37.1
(2.8)
Record low °F (°C)−25
(−32)
−30
(−34)
−20
(−29)
6
(−14)
22
(−6)
28
(−2)
34
(1)
32
(0)
21
(−6)
12
(−11)
−2
(−19)
−18
(−28)
−30
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm)2.18
(55)
1.63
(41)
1.92
(49)
3.59
(91)
3.69
(94)
3.58
(91)
3.48
(88)
3.32
(84)
3.21
(82)
3.11
(79)
2.47
(63)
2.12
(54)
34.30
(871)
Average snowfall inches (cm)13.1
(33)
8.0
(20)
5.5
(14)
1.0
(2.5)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
2.3
(5.8)
11.7
(30)
41.6
(106)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)13.19.99.512.013.210.410.510.510.112.612.112.7136.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)7.85.73.10.80.00.00.00.00.00.01.76.425.5
Source: NOAA [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuscola County, Michigan</span> County in Michigan, United States

Tuscola County is a county in the Thumb region of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,323. The county seat is Caro. The county was created by Michigan Law on April 1, 1840, from land in Sanilac County and attached to Saginaw County for administrative purposes. The Michigan Legislature passed an act on March 2, 1850, that empowered the county residents to organize governmental functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaGrange Township, Michigan</span> Civil township in Michigan, United States

LaGrange Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,500 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Township, Michigan</span> Civil township in Michigan, United States

Rich Township is a civil township of Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,623 at the 2010 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akron, Michigan</span> Village in Michigan, United States

Akron is a village in Tuscola County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 349 at the 2020 census.

Almer Charter Township is a charter township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,965 at the 2020 census. It is the only charter township in the Upper Thumb region of Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cass City, Michigan</span> Village in Michigan, United States

Cass City is a village in Elkland Township, Tuscola County in the Flint/Tri-Cities area of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,428 at the 2010 U.S. Census and 2,643 at the 2000 U.S. Census. It is located along M-81 approximately four miles (6.4 km) west of that highway's intersection with M-53. Cass City is surrounded by several communities including Colwood, Deford, Elmwood and Ellington.

Dayton Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,848 at the 2010 Census.

Elkland Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,528 at the 2010 Census.

Ellington Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,332 at the 2010 Census.

Elmwood Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,207 at the 2010 Census.

Fremont Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,312 at the 2010 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gagetown, Michigan</span> Village in Michigan, United States

Gagetown is a village in Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 388 at the 2010 census. It is located in the northeastern corner of Elmwood Township.

Indianfields Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population of the township was 2,492 at the 2020 census. The township is immediately adjacent the city of Caro, which is north of the township.

Juniata Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,567 at the 2010 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayville, Michigan</span> Village in Michigan, United States

Mayville is a village in Tuscola County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 948 at the 2010 census. The village is within Fremont Township along the boundary with Dayton Township.

Millington Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,354 as of the 2010 Census. The Village of Millington is located within the township.

Novesta Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,491 at the 2010 Census.

Tuscola Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,082 at the 2010 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vassar, Michigan</span> City in Michigan, United States

Vassar is a city in Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Founded March 1, 1849. The population was 2,727 at the 2020 census and 2,697 in 2010. The city is located on the western edge of Vassar Township but is administratively autonomous.

Wells Township is a civil township of Tuscola County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,773 at the 2010 Census.

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Caro, Michigan
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. Tuscola County Advertiser, 1913, p. 1
  6. Walter Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 99
  7. 1 2 United States Bureau of Land Management, Original Patents
  8. Early History of St. Clair County
  9. Archived July 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. Archived November 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  11. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  12. 48723 5-Digit ZCTA, 487 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder Archived 2012-10-16 at archive.today , U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  14. Gilchrist, Tom. "New effort assists parolees with housing, employment." Bay City Times , 27 Feb 2007. Retrieved March 7, 2007
  15. How the launch of the MLive Media Group affects you, mlive.com, November 2, 2011, Retrieved November 3, 2011 Archived December 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  16. Climate Summary for Caro, Michigan
  17. "Caro, Michigan Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved 2016-03-08.
  18. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  19. "Station: Caro WWTP, MI". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 3, 2021.

Further reading