Alma is the largest city in
Gratiot County
Gratiot County ( ') is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 41,761. The county seat is Ithaca, although its most populous city is Alma.
Gratiot County comprises the Alma, MI Micropolitan Statis ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
. The population was 9,383 at the
2010 census. It was incorporated as the Village of Alma in 1872 and became a city in 1905.
Alma hosts the annual Highland Festival on Memorial Day weekend. It brings members of
Scottish clan
A Scottish clan (from Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure recognised ...
s and interested onlookers together for a weekend of Highland dancing, bagpipes, kilts, and camaraderie.
Alma College
Alma College is a private liberal arts college in Alma, Michigan. It enrolls approximately 1,400 students and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Alma College is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and offers bachelor ...
, a small liberal-arts institution of approximately 1,300 students, is located in town and focuses on multidisciplinary learning in a residential setting.
Alma is the birthplace of both the modernist architect
Ralph Rapson
Ralph Rapson (September 13, 1914 – March 29, 2008) was Head of the School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota for 30 years. He was one of the world's oldest practicing architects at his death at age 93, and also one of the most ...
and writer/composer/lyricist
Dan Goggin (''
Nunsense
''Nunsense'' (1985) is a musical comedy with a book, music, and lyrics by Dan Goggin. Originating as a line of greeting cards, Goggin expanded the concept into a cabaret show that ran for 38 weeks, and eventually into a full-length musical. The ...
'').
Alma was the home of Leonard Refineries which sold gasoline and other petroleum products throughout the lower peninsula of Michigan from its founding in 1936 until about 1966.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
History
Alma was founded in 1853 by Ralph Ely. Perhaps first known for the Alma Springs Sanitarium, built and promoted in the 1880s by millionaire lumberman and capitalist
Ammi W. Wright, it achieved its greatest prominence nationally in the 1910s and 1920s as home of the
Republic Motor Truck Company, briefly the largest exclusive truck manufacturer in the world. At one point the maker of one out of every nine trucks on the roads in the United States. It was one of the major suppliers of "Liberty trucks" used by American troops during World War I. In 1953 Alma became the first place that high-octane gas, 96 octane, was produced.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census
of 2020, there were 9,488 people, 3,519 households, and 2,033 families living in the city. The population density was 1,583.4 inhabitants per square mile (610.9/km2). There were 3,784 housing units at an average density of 638.1 per square mile (246.4/km2). The city's racial makeup was 95.0% White, 2.8% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.6% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population.
There were 3,519 households, 33.3% were married couples living together, 37.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 19.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and the average family size was 2.68
The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 18.2% of residents were under the age of 18, and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 52.1% female.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,408; about 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over. The employment rate in the city is 54.2%.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 9,383 people, 3,468 households, and 2,033 families living in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 3,784 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.8%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.9%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.6%
Native American, 0.8%
Asian, 2.8% from
other races, and 2.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 8.1% of the population.
There were 3,468 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.4% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.
The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 21.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.1% were from 25 to 44; 20.7% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% 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
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 9,275 people, 3,220 households, and 2,022 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,476 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.75%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.53%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.52%
Native American, 0.75%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 2.57% from
other races, and 1.88% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 6.21% of the population.
There were 3,220 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 20.4% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,536, and the median income for a family was $44,229. Males had a median income of $35,013 versus $20,655 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $18,218. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
*
*
*
*Public bus transportation is provided on a
dial-a-ride service basis by the Alma Transit Center from 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. during weekdays. The transportation service is available for Alma, St. Louis, Ithaca and Pine River Township.
*
Indian Trails
Indian Trails, Inc. is an inter-city bus company based in Owosso, Michigan, with offices in Romulus (in Metro Detroit) and Kalamazoo.
History
Indian Trails was founded in 1910 in Owosso as the Phillips-Taylor Livery Service, whose main busi ...
provides daily intercity bus service to Alma between
St. Ignace and
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
.
*General aviation services are available at
Gratiot Community Airport, located about 3 miles southwest of the city.
Local media
The ''Morning Sun'' newspaper, based in
Mt. Pleasant, serves the Alma area as its daily newspaper. The ''Gratiot County Herald'', based in
Ithaca
Ithaca most commonly refers to:
*Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey''
*Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca
*Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College
Ithaca, Ithaka ...
, serves the Alma area as its weekly newspaper. Alma is home to three commercial radio stations.
WQBX
WQBX (104.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to Alma, Michigan broadcasting a hot adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ...
(104.9 FM) plays satellite-fed
hot adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
music, and sister station
WFYC (1280 AM) is an
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio, which is alternately platform-agnostically branded as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN ...
affiliate.
Standalone AM
WMLM
WMLM (1520 AM) is a radio station located in St. Louis, Michigan, broadcasting Citadel Media's satellite-delivered Real Country format, a hybrid of classic and current country hits. WMLM mainly broadcasts to the north along the US-127 corridor, ...
(1520 AM), licensed to nearby
St. Louis, plays classic country music, also satellite-fed.
The Alma area is located about midway between Saginaw and Grand Rapids, and thus also receives TV and radio signals from both cities, as well as Mt. Pleasant and Lansing.
Notable people
*
Keegan Akin, professional baseball player, born in Alma
*
Dan Goggin, actor and writer (''
Nunsense
''Nunsense'' (1985) is a musical comedy with a book, music, and lyrics by Dan Goggin. Originating as a line of greeting cards, Goggin expanded the concept into a cabaret show that ran for 38 weeks, and eventually into a full-length musical. The ...
'')
*
Louisa Boyd Yeomans King, gardener and author; lived c. 1902–1927
*
Betty Mahmoody
Betty Mahmoody (née Lover; born June 9, 1945, in Alma, Michigan) is an American author and public speaker best known for her book, '' Not Without My Daughter'', which was subsequently made into a film of the same name. She is the President an ...
, author of ''
Not Without My Daughter''; born in Alma
*
Kevin Puts, 2012
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
winner for music; grew up in Alma
*
Ralph Rapson
Ralph Rapson (September 13, 1914 – March 29, 2008) was Head of the School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota for 30 years. He was one of the world's oldest practicing architects at his death at age 93, and also one of the most ...
, modernist architect; born in Alma
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
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
system, Alma has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Alma, Michigan
/ref>
See also
*Alma College
Alma College is a private liberal arts college in Alma, Michigan. It enrolls approximately 1,400 students and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Alma College is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and offers bachelor ...
* Alma High School
References
External links
City of Alma
*
{{authority control
Cities in Gratiot County, Michigan
Micropolitan areas of Michigan
Populated places established in 1853