| St. Johns, Michigan | |
| Official Name: | City of St. Johns |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Nickname: | "S.J.", "Mint City (U.S.A.)", "Mint Capital of the World" |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Label: | St. Johns |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States |
| Mapsize: | 250 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Clinton |
| Government Type: | Commission–manager |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Scott Dzurka |
| Leader Title1: | Manager |
| Leader Name1: | Chad Gamble |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1853 |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated |
| Established Date1: | 1904 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 10.91 |
| Area Land Km2: | 10.91 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 4.21 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 4.21 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 7698 |
| Population Density Km2: | 705.45 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1827.20 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation Ft: | 791 |
| Coordinates: | 43.0006°N -84.5556°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 48879 |
| Area Code: | 989 517 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-70940[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1627030 |
St. Johns or Saint Johns is the largest city and county seat of Clinton County in the U.S. state of Michigan.[3] The population was 7,698 at the 2020 census.
St. Johns is located in the north of Clinton County, surrounded by Bingham Township (although the two are administered independently). St. Johns is about 18miles north of Lansing, Michigan's capital city, and is part of the Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area. St. Johns has been nicknamed the "Mint Capital of the World".[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.87sqmi, all of it land.[5] The city is situated in Bingham Township, but is administratively autonomous. A mixture of rich forests, plains and farmland (uniquely, mint fields) make up the St. Johns area, providing ample opportunity for outdoor sports and agriculture.
As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 7,865 people, 3,147 households, and 2,011 families residing in the city. The population density was 2032.3PD/sqmi. There were 3,451 housing units at an average density of 891.7/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 93.9% White, 1.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population.
There were 3,147 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.95.
The median age in the city is 37.2. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.
The Wilson Center Auditorium on Cass Street puts on rock concerts and theatrical productions throughout the year. To date, they have brought in acts such as David Dondero,[7] Hailey Wojcik,[8] and Doug Mains and the City Folk.[9]
Near the turn of the century, high demand for mint oil in medicines and candy from companies like Wrigley caused a surge in demand for mint farming. The rich, organic, muck soil of Clinton County makes the area around St. Johns particularly well-suited for mint farming. As a result, many mint farmers cultivated mint.[10] The Crosby Mint Farm, established by J.E. Crosby in 1912, claims to be the oldest continuously family-operated mint farm in the United States.
Today Clinton County ranks first in Michigan in regards to total mint production.[11] [12] St. Johns is known as the Mint City and has been called "The Mint Capital of the World."[13]
Each year since 1985, St. Johns celebrates its mint farming heritage with the St. Johns Mint Festival. The festival typically takes place on the second weekend in August.
| Name | Image | Location | Michigan State Historic Site | Michigan Historical Marker | National Register of Historic Places | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman's Hotel | Southeast corner of US-127 and French Rd. | N/A | N/A | ||||
| Roswell C. Dexter House | 200 S. Church St. | N/A | N/A | ||||
| East Ward School † | 106 N. Traver St. | N/A | [16] | The East Ward School was constructed in 1876 from plans by Bay City architect Oliver Hidden. It was unusual for its size and its elaborate brickwork. In 1976 the school was named Teresa Merrill School in honor of longtime local educator Teresa A. Merrill.[17] The school building has been replaced with a housing development and a preschool. | |||
| Paine-Gillam-Scott House | 106 Maple St. | [18] | N/A | Lured by the railroad, John W. Paine (1821–1870) moved from the nearby Rochester Colony to St. Johns. In 1860 he built the town's first brick store and this house. The office was later added to this site. Dr. Samuel Gillam (1845–1908) remodeled the house in 1883. In 1904 he was joined by Dr. Walter M. Scott (1875–1934), who practiced here until his death. The Clinton County Historical Society restored the house in 1978 and the office in 1986. | |||
| Henry M. Perrin-Dr. Henry Palmer House | 903 N. Clinton Ave. | N/A | N/A | ||||
| St. John's Church | 400 E. Walker St. | N/A | The congregation first organized in 1858, and built their first church in 1867. Shortly after the close of Easter evening services in 1893 the church burned. The congregation celebrated the first service in the current church on Easter Sunday 1894. | ||||
| St. Johns Union School † | 205 West Baldwin St. | N/A | [19] | The Union School was a state-of-the-art school when it was built in 1885. It served as a school for the St. Johns district until 1986. The building has been replaced with a housing development. | |||
| Steel Hotel † | West side of N. Clinton Ave. | N/A | N/A | Built by prominent local businessman Robert M. Steel in 1887. At the time the hotel was built, and for many years later, the building was considered one of the finest hotels in the state. The building famously burned down in 1975.[20] | |||
| Giles J. Gibbs Building | 12 N. Clinton Ave. | N/A | N/A | [21] | Constructed in 1867, this building was originally home to a grocer. It is most notable for being home to the former Sugar Bowl Restaurant. The interior remains set up as a confectionery and soda fountain to this day.[22] |
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, St. Johns has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[23]
Crime in St. Johns is significantly lower when compared to the national average, and average-to-high when compared to surrounding cities.
Violent Crime Rate in 2012 (higher number means more dangerous)[24]
Reported Incidents from 2001–2012 in St. Johns, MI:[25]