Saline, Michigan

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Saline, Michigan
Location of Saline, Michigan
Location of Saline, Michigan
Coordinates: 42°10′15″N 83°46′47″W / 42.17083, -83.77972
Country United States
State Michigan
County Washtenaw
Area
 - Total 4.7 sq mi (12.1 km²)
 - Land 4.6 sq mi (12.0 km²)
 - Water 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km²)
Elevation 820 ft (250 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 8,034
 - Density 1,736.3/sq mi (670.4/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 48176
Area code(s) 734
FIPS code 26-71140[1]
GNIS feature ID 0637119[2]

Saline (pronounced IPA: [səˈliːn] sə-lēn as in Celine) is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,034, with the 2007 Census Bureau estimate placing the population at 8,817.

The city is popular for its annual Celtic Festival, which is known to attract people from all over the United States and its sister city Brecon, Wales. It is also the hometown of the Saline Fiddlers and Fiddlers Restrung, two nationally renowned high school bluegrass/fiddle groups. Saline, whose well-regarded school district is perhaps its biggest draw, is ranked the 42nd best place to live out of 1,300 rated cities in the United States in a 2005 CNN/Money Magazine poll and 59th in 2007's poll, and also made CNN/Money's list of best places to retire.

Contents

[edit] History

Before the 18th century, Native Americans travelled to modern-day Saline to hunt wildlife and gather salt from the salt springs they found nearby. In the 18th century, French explorers canoed up to the area and also harvested the salt. They named the local river Saline, which means salty or saline in French. Europeans settled the area in the 19th century, most of them coming from England and Germany. Together with Orange Risdon, a government surveyor who is generally considered to be the city's founder, the residents named the town Saline, which was officially established in 1832. One of the city's most famous landmarks was constructed in 1875, the Second-Empire frame, two and one half story residential building, the Davenport House, a.k.a. Curtis Mansion. The town continued to grow, and in 1931 the Village of Saline became the City of Saline.[3]

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.1 km²), of which, 4.6 square miles (12.0 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.64%) is water.

The city is southwest of the City of Ann Arbor and northwest of the City of Milan, where U.S. 12 (aka Michigan Avenue) intersects the Saline River, a tributary of the River Raisin. The city is bounded on the southwest by Saline Township; on the southeast by York Charter Township; on the northeast by Pittsfield Charter Township; and on the northwest by Lodi Township.

[edit] Weather and Climate

The Weather in Saline, Michigan is highly variable and is greatly influenced by the Great Lakes. Saline experiences a four-season climate, with summer temperatures reaching as high as 105 F and falling as low as -22 F in the winter. Average high temperatures in the summer range between 70 F and 85 F, with average high temperatures in the winter ranging from 20 F to 35 F. Precipitation falls year round with snow being the main form of precipitation during the winter months. An average yearly snowfall of 53 inches is observed in Saline every year, with most of that coming from "Snowstorms" and "Clippers". Lake effect is a common sight in Saline during the winter months, however the snow is typically much lighter than the heavy accumulations that occur on the western side of the state, which is closer to Lake Michigan. The Great Lakes influence the weather in other ways in Saline, bringing constant clouds in the winter, even with dry air masses in place. Summers are cooler than those in surrounding states, with cool breezes off of the Great Lakes when the water temperature is colder than the air temperature.

The main weather hazard in Saline, Michigan as well as all of Southeast Michigan is severe thunderstorms. Tornadoes, high winds, large hail, and dangerous lightning are the most frequent causes of death from weather in the area. Extreme cold air and flooding are next in line for the most potent hazards.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 8,034 people, 3,148 households, and 2,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,736.3 per square mile (670.0/km²). There were 3,213 housing units at an average density of 694.4/sq mi (267.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.69% White, 0.56% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.

There were 3,048 households out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size is 3.09. In the city the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $59,382, and the median income for a family was $73,162. Males had a median income of $51,391 versus $32,254 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,208. About 3.0% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] City Government

Gretchen Driskell is the current mayor of Saline. Reelected in 2006, she is the city's longest serving mayor and its first female mayor.

[edit] More on Fiddle Groups

One of the more nationally known aspects to Saline is its fiddle groups. Once one group, The Fiddlers Philharmonic, the groups split into The Saline Fiddlers and Fiddlers Restrung in 2004.

The Saline Fiddlers are in their 14th season and have 7 recordings starting with one in 1996 named "The Roots Go Deep" and have made CDs every other year. An eighth release titled "On My Way Home" is scheduled to debut in June of 2008. During its first thirteen years the group has performed more than 1000 times in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and four foreign countries. They have also performed three times at the White House, twice on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, and at the State of Michigan's Presidential Inaugural Ball in January 2001.

Fiddlers Restrung is sponsored by the Saline Area Schools Community Education Department. They started when the original group split. They have 2 CDs, "Now Playing", recorded in 2004, and "Fiddlin' Around the Holidays" recorded in 2005.

[edit] Schools

[edit] Administration

[edit] High school

  • Saline High School (Grades 9-12) is located in Pittsfield Charter Township, just east of the City of Saline. Approved as part of Community Project 2000 and completed in August 2004, Saline High School is the largest in Michigan at approximately 480,000 ft², totalling in $60,000,000.00, or $125.00 per square foot. It replaces the old high school which was approximately half its size. This building has 54 general classrooms, one-eight lane stretch pool, two gymnasiums (a 2,200 seat gymnasium, and an auxiliary gymnasium), a television studio, a 1,100 seat auditorium, and an extensive library.

[edit] Middle School

  • Saline Middle School (Grades 7-8) moved into the "old" High School on Maple Road for the 2006-2007 school year. At 250,000 square feet, it is twice the size of the now vacant Saline Liberty School. This building can house up to 1,100 students, as well as the Senior Center which occupies one wing of the facility. It still has, even though slightly smaller than the "Liberty School's", a woodshop.

[edit] Elementary schools

[edit] Currently Vacant

  • Saline Liberty School, most recently used as the Saline Middle School, on Ann Arbor-Saline Road is currently unused for school purposes. Various groups and organizations rent the facility periodically, including the Saline District Library, which temporarily moved their books to the library in Liberty School so their facility could have an addition installed.

[edit] Famous residents

[edit] Sister Cities

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ History of Saline. Dikeman, Agnes L. Saline Area Historical Society. http://salinehistory.org/index.php?section=history&content=index. Retrieved 18 April 2006.
  4. ^ http://city-saline.org/about/sister%20city

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Municipalities and communities of
Washtenaw County, Michigan
County seat: Ann Arbor
Cities

Ann Arbor | Chelsea | Milan | Saline | Ypsilanti
Map of Michigan highlighting Washtenaw County
Villages
Charter townships
Townships
Communities

Coordinates: 42°10′00″N, 83°46′54″W