| Official Name: | Paw Paw, Michigan |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#United States |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Van Buren |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 7.48 |
| Area Land Km2: | 6.90 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.58 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 2.89 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 2.67 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.22 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 3362 |
| Population Density Km2: | 487.04 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1261.54 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation M: | 223 |
| Elevation Ft: | 732 |
| Coordinates: | 42.2172°N -85.89°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 49079 |
| Area Code: | 269 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-62980[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 634488 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
Paw Paw is a village and the county seat of Van Buren County, Michigan. The population was 3,534 at the 2010 census.[3]
The village is located at the confluence of the east and south branches of the Paw Paw River in the northeast portion of Paw Paw Township. Paw Paw was incorporated in 1837 and is located in the southwestern portion of Michigan, on Interstate 94 (I-94) approximately 20miles west of Kalamazoo.
The town was the home of African American cookbook author Malinda Russell who published the first known cookbook by a black woman in the United States. She lived in Paw Paw after she fled her Tennessee home, which was raided by traveling gangs of whites in 1864. Her book Domestic Cook Book: Containing a Careful Selection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen, as a means to provide income for her and her son and earn money to return to Greeneville, Tennessee. Russell self-published her book, in 1866, giving a brief history of her life and stating in the preface to it that she hoped to earn passage to return home from its proceeds. Within months of her publication, the town of Paw Paw was destroyed by fire.
On June 13, 1888, fire again erupted, destroying seven buildings (including 11 businesses and 2 lodges) in the village.[4]
Paw Paw is in a rural location whose primary agricultural product is grapes, which are used both in the local Michigan wine industry and for juice and jellies. The St. Julian Winery and Warner's Winery started in Paw Paw. Paw Paw has an annual Wine and Harvest Festival, which traditionally occurs the weekend following Labor Day. The Festival features a beer tent, bandstand, live music, a popular grape stomping competition among barefoot locals, carnival foods, and fireworks over scenic Maple Lake. For three days, the village opens up to celebrate its agricultural roots: its fruit-growing, juice, and wine-making industries. Activities in every corner of the village include the traditional grape stomping, wine tasting, 5K run, bicycle classic, and carnival midway, with new fun added each year.[5]
Paw Paw is named for the pawpaw trees which once grew along the Paw Paw River.
The vignette "Paw Paw for Jesus" was featured on NPR's This American Life.
Listed in the National Register for Historic places is the Van Buren County Courthouse at 212 E. Paw Paw Street, wherein the first election was held in 1837. Renovations were completed in 1999.[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.89sqmi, of which 2.67sqmi is land and 0.22sqmi is water.[7]
As of the census[8] of 2010, there were 3,534 people, 1,499 households, and 862 families living in the village. The population density was 1323.6PD/sqmi. There were 1,674 housing units at an average density of 627/sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 92.3% White, 2.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 2.2% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.
There were 1,499 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.5% were non-families. 35.6% 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 2.27 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the village was 36.4 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,363 people, 1,417 households, and 855 families living in the village. The population density was 1262.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,511 housing units at an average density of 567.3sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the village was 92.83% White, 2.85% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.19% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population.
There were 1,417 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $50,889. Males had a median income of $36,548 versus $29,559 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,859. About 1.9% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Paw Paw Public Schools is the school district serving the community.
Paw Paw, Michigan is the primary setting of the popular children's musical Dear Edwina.