Montrose, Michigan

History

George Washington Ensign, originally from Stafford, New York, and family, became the first white residents of present-day Montrose Township in the spring of 1842. Organized in 1847 as Pewonagowink Township, after the area's former Ojibwe reservation of the same name, the township adopted its current name a few years later. Credit for the name change is ascribed to John Farquharson, a Scottish immigrant and township supervisor. The village of Montrose was incorporated from a portion of the township in 1899.

Montrose today is supported by local agriculture and commuter traffic to the greater Flint area. It has its own school system. Since 1972, it has held the Montrose Blueberry Festival annually, every third weekend in August. Its Montrose Historical & Telephone Pioneer Museum is Michigan's only telephone museum with hands on working exhibits of antique telephones.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.98 square miles (2.54 km²), all land. The Flint River flows through Montrose.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,657 people, 668 households, and 429 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,690.8 inhabitants per square mile (652.8/km²). There were 726 housing units at an average density of 740.8 per square mile (286.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.8% White, 0.7% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 668 households of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.8% were non-families. 31.4% 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 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the city was 36.4 years. 27.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,619 people, 625 households, and 430 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,773.7 per square mile (686.9/km²). There were 668 housing units at an average density of 731.8 per square mile (283.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.34% White, 0.12% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.79% of the population.

There were 625 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city, the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,667, and the median income for a family was $46,172. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,056. About 6.1% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Highways

M-57 runs east and west through the city.