Saginaw is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and it is the county seat. According to the 2020 census, Saginaw had a population of 44,202. The city is located along the Saginaw River and is next to Saginaw Charter Township. Saginaw is part of the Greater Tri-Cities region in Central Michigan. In 2020, the Saginaw metropolitan area had a population of 190,124, and the Tri-Cities area had 377,474 residents.

Saginaw was established as a fort after the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. During the 19th century, it became a busy town known for its lumber industry. In the 20th century, Saginaw was an important industrial city and manufacturing center because it produced car parts with help from General Motors. As part of the Rust Belt, a region known for heavy industry, Saginaw experienced a decline in its manufacturing jobs, which led to higher unemployment, more crime, and a drop in population. Today, Saginaw focuses on developing areas where it has strengths, such as innovation, clean energy, and manufacturing exports. However, Saginaw still has more manufacturing jobs compared to the average in the United States.

Etymology

The name Saginaw is thought to come from the Ojibwe language. One idea is that it means "where the Sauk were," based on the Ojibwe words "Sace-nong" or "Sak-e-nong," which could mean "Sauk Town." However, it is more likely that Saginaw means "place of the outlet," combining the Ojibwe words "sag" (meaning "opening") and "ong" (meaning "place of").

When Native people told Samuel de Champlain that the Sauk nation lived on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Champlain incorrectly placed them on the western shore of Lake Huron. This mistake appeared on later maps, and people began to believe that location was where the Sauk lived. Champlain himself never traveled to the area that is now Michigan.

History

The area that later became the city of Saginaw was originally inhabited by the Anishnabeg people. French missionaries and traders arrived in the region during the late 1600s and met the Ojibwe (also called Chippewa) who lived there. The first permanent settlement by non-Native Americans was in 1816, when Louis Campau built a trading post on the west bank of the Saginaw River. Soon after, the United States established Fort Saginaw. Campau’s trading post was also home to Metis people, who are of mixed heritage.

During Michigan’s time as a territory, a county and township government were created in Saginaw. The settlement grew quickly in the 1800s because of the lumber industry. Saginaw had many sawmills and served as a port for ships traveling on the Great Lakes. The modern city of Saginaw was formed in 1889 when the cities of East Saginaw and Saginaw City (West Side) were merged.

In 1819, Lewis Cass negotiated the right for the United States to own and settle the area with Ojibwe leaders through the Treaty of Saginaw. In 1820, Campau tried to expand to the east bank of the river but was refused by the Chippewas. In 1822, the U.S. Army built a fort on the west bank of the Saginaw River and named it Fort Saginaw. Two military companies were stationed there. A group of investors bought land near the fort and planned a town called Sagana. However, due to harsh weather and illness, Fort Saginaw was abandoned by 1824.

By the late 1820s, the American Fur Company had a trading post in Saginaw. Few plots of land were sold, and after the U.S. Army left, the town struggled for many years. The town was replanned in December 1830, covering land from Cass Street to Harrison Street and north to Jefferson Street. Sales of land were slow, and by 1835, only 24 plots had been sold. The remaining land was sold again in 1837, but the Panic of 1837 reduced interest in buying property. Only 58 of 407 plots were sold before the land was sold once more in 1841.

Saginaw became the location where the U.S. government paid the Ojibwe and Ottawa people starting in the 1830s. This attracted many French-Canadian and Euro-American merchants, who mainly sold diluted whiskey.

The main reason Saginaw grew was the high demand for lumber as the United States expanded westward. Large forests of white pine trees covered much of Michigan. The Saginaw River and its tributaries made it easy to transport logs to sawmills in Saginaw, where they were loaded onto ships and later onto trains.

Today’s Saginaw includes several settlements. On the west side of the river, the area around Fort Saginaw became Saginaw City, which was incorporated as a city in 1857 and became the seat of Saginaw County government. On the east side, East Saginaw developed and was first incorporated as a village in 1855, then as a city in 1859. South of East Saginaw, the village of Salina formed. Salina’s name comes from the brine used to make salt, which became an important industry in the area. Both Saginaw and East Saginaw became centers for railroad and river transportation. Lumber production peaked in the early 1870s but nearly disappeared by the end of the 19th century. Salt production also declined, but other industries, such as agriculture and manufacturing, grew.

On June 28, 1889, the Michigan legislature passed a law to merge Saginaw and East Saginaw into one city. Salina had already become part of East Saginaw before this. The merger took effect in March 1890 after officers were elected.

The city’s charter, created by the same law, established a city council with two aldermen from 21 wards and a mayor with limited powers. Many elected officials and boards handled administrative tasks. Rivalries between residents, business owners, and politicians from the former cities continued, and differences between Saginaw’s east and west sides influenced the city’s social, political, and economic life into the 2010s.

In the early 1900s, automobile production grew in Michigan, especially in Detroit. Saginaw became a supplier to Detroit factories and developed its own manufacturing businesses. In 1906, the Jackson-Church-Wilcox Company began making steering gear under the "Jacox" brand. The company was bought by Buick in 1909 and later became part of General Motors. In 1919, the Jacox division merged with Saginaw Malleable Iron and Central Foundry to form Saginaw Products Company, which later became Saginaw Steering Gear. General Motors and other companies built factories in Saginaw for producing chemicals, glass, and metal parts. This connection with the auto industry shaped Saginaw’s future.

Before the United States entered World War II, Saginaw shifted to military production. The city made weapons, ammunition, and parts for military vehicles, contributing to the Allied victory. Saginaw produced .30 caliber machine guns, armor-piercing shells, and over half a million M1 carbine rifles. Saginaw Steering Gear also made parts for the B-29 Superfortress. Other factories produced gun parts and magnesium for airplane engines.

During and after World War II, Saginaw’s population grew rapidly, especially with the arrival of African Americans and Latinos from other parts of the country. To support this growth, Saginaw and Midland built a 65-mile water pipeline from Lake Huron. Saginaw also partnered with Midland and Bay City to develop other infrastructure.

Geography

The city has a total area of 18.10 square miles (46.88 km²), with 17.34 square miles (44.91 km²) being land and 0.76 square miles (1.97 km²) being water. Saginaw is located on the Saginaw River, 15 miles (24 km) inland from Saginaw Bay, which is part of Lake Huron. The city is in the center of the Saginaw Bay watershed, the largest in Michigan. This area includes the largest connected freshwater coastal wetland in the United States.

The city of Saginaw includes many different neighborhoods, such as:

• Downtown
• Old Town
• Southwest Village
• Northmoor
• Heritage Square
• Cathedral District
• Houghton Jones Neighborhood
• South East Side
• Triangle Parks
• St. Stephen's Area
• Brockway-Carmen Park
• Butman-Fish Neighborhood
• Redeemer Area
• Saginaw High Neighborhood
• Northeast Side
• Covenant Neighborhood
• Northwest Neighborhood
• Sheridan Park
• The Woods
• Adams Boulevard Area

Saginaw has a humid continental climate, which is shaped by its location inland, away from the shores of the Great Lakes in Michigan.

Demographics

Saginaw is the largest city in the Saginaw-Midland-Bay City, MI Combined Statistical Area (CSA). This area includes Saginaw-Saginaw Township North (Saginaw County), Midland (Midland County), and Bay City (Bay County). These three regions had a total population of 377,474 according to the 2020 census.

As of the 2020 census, Saginaw had a population of 44,202. The median age was 35.7 years. About 26.3% of residents were younger than 18, and 14.5% were 65 years or older. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 85.7 males aged 18 or older.

Ninety-nine point six percent of Saginaw residents lived in urban areas, and 0.4% lived in rural areas. There were 18,107 households in Saginaw. Of these, 30.6% had children under 18 living in them. Twenty-two point seven percent were married-couple households, 24.9% had a male householder without a spouse or partner, and 43.6% had a female householder without a spouse or partner. About 36.2% of households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 20,752 housing units in Saginaw. Twelve point seven percent of these were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%, and the rental vacancy rate was 9.4%.

According to the 2010 census, Saginaw had 51,508 people, 19,799 households, and 12,252 families. The population density was 2,970.5 people per square mile. There were 23,574 housing units at an average density of 1,359.5 per square mile. The racial makeup was 46.1% African American, 43.5% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 5.2% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Fourteen point three percent of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

There were 19,799 households in Saginaw. Of these, 36.0% had children under 18 living with them, 26.9% were married couples, 28.7% had a female householder without a husband, 6.3% had a male householder without a wife, and 38.1% were non-families. Thirty-two point one percent of households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 3.19.

The median age in Saginaw was 33.5 years. Twenty-eight point four percent of residents were under 18, 10.6% were between 18 and 24, 25.1% were aged 25 to 44, 25% were aged 45 to 64, and 10.9% were 65 or older. The gender makeup was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

According to the 2000 census, Saginaw had 61,799 people, 23,182 households, and 15,114 families. The population density was 3,542.9 people per square mile. There were 25,639 housing units at an average density of 1,469.9 per square mile. The racial makeup was 47.02% White, 43.26% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.86% from other races, and 3.03% from two or more races. Eleven point seven five percent of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

There were 23,182 households in Saginaw. Of these, 35.4% had children under 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples, 27.3% had a female householder without a husband, and 34.8% were non-families. Twenty-nine point five percent of households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size was 3.23.

In Saginaw, the population was distributed as follows: 31.6% under 18, 9.9% aged 18 to 24, 28.3% aged 25 to 44, 18.7% aged 4

Economy

During much of the 20th century, Saginaw's economy was mainly focused on manufacturing related to the automotive industry. This included parts like manual transmission assemblies, steering gear boxes, and power steering pumps. At the peak of manufacturing in the 1960s and 1970s, the city and nearby Buena Vista Township had 12 General Motors plants, an Eaton Manufacturing plant (demolished in 2008) where 5,000 people made auto parts, and many smaller businesses.

The General Motors plants in the county were:

• The original Jackson-Wilcox factory on Saginaw's North Hamilton (about 1906), later called Saginaw Steering Gear Plant 1, closed in 1984, sold by GM in 1987 to Thomson Industries, and was still operating in 2009.
• Chevrolet Saginaw Parts at Sixth and Washington on Saginaw's East Side, built in 1906 as the assembly plant of the Rainier Motor Car Company, acquired by GM in 1907. Closed in 1983 and demolished in 1984.
• Saginaw Malleable Iron on the Southwest Side (1917). Hired to build gear housings for GM's Jacox division (the former Jackson Wilcox company, later Saginaw Steering Gear), sold to GM in 1919, later part of Saginaw Products Division, changed structure into a new Central Foundry Division in 1946. Closed in May 2007, demolished in 2010, and for sale by the RACER Trust as of May 2013. The RACER Trust is responsible for managing abandoned GM properties.
• Chevrolet Grey Iron, on Saginaw's North Side, opened as Central Foundry in 1918, operated by Chevrolet Division from 1927 to 1983, then by GM Powertrain Division. Now operates as Saginaw Metal Casting Operations, the only GM manufacturing division still active in Saginaw County.
• Chevrolet Saginaw Transmission on East Genesee in Saginaw, built between 1919 and 1920 for the Michigan Crankshaft Company, acquired by GM in 1921 and placed under Saginaw Products. Transferred to Chevrolet after the Crankshaft Division was dissolved around 1927. Home to Saginaw 3-speed and 4-speed manual transmissions. Transferred to Delco Moraine Division in 1984, which became Delphi Automotive in 1995. After 2007, leased and later bought by TRW Automotive, operating as TRW Braking and Suspension until closing in February 2014.
• Saginaw Steering Gear Plant 2, the "Gun Plant" (see below), next to Malleable Iron; opened in March 1941, closed in July 2001, and demolished in 2002. For sale by RACER Trust as of May 2013.
• The 400-acre Saginaw Steering Gear complex in Buena Vista Township. Plant 3 opened in 1953 next to the then-new US-23 bypass, adding Plants 4, 5, and 6 by 1966 and a seventh shortly after. Later known as Saginaw Division, then part of Delphi, sold in 2010 to Nexteer Corporation, and supplying GM, Ford, and Chrysler as of 2013.
• Chevrolet Nodular Iron in Buena Vista Township, built between 1964 and 1965, entered production in 1967, announced for closure in 1986, closed in 1988; since demolished. Property for sale by RACER Trust as of May 2013.

The main shopping area in the Saginaw region is located in neighboring Saginaw Township along Bay Road and Tittabawassee Road north of town, where large stores and regional restaurant chains can be found. Also in this area is Fashion Square Mall, a regional shopping mall with stores like JCPenney and Macy's. Main areas for shopping within Saginaw include Old Town and downtown.

Arts and culture

Downtown Saginaw is the main place for entertainment. Venues such as The Dow Event Center and the restored Temple Theatre provide live performances. The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra and Saginaw Choral Society perform concerts at the Temple Theatre each year. The Saginaw Historical Society is located downtown in a large castle. Nearby, the Saginaw Art Museum has a permanent collection and recently completed a major renovation. The Celebration Square area includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, the only one of its kind in Michigan. The Andersen Enrichment Center and Rose Gardens in Celebration Square host art exhibits, summer jazz concerts, and art fairs during winter and summer. Other arts and cultural groups in Saginaw include the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission, Eddy Band, Holidays in the Heart of the City, River Junction Poets, Theodore Roethke House of Poetry, Riverside Film Festival, Lawn Chair Film Festival, Friday Night Live Concerts, and Saginaw Area Watercolor Society. The Dow Event Center is home to the Saginaw Spirit, a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, and the Saginaw Sting, an indoor football team.

Downtown Saginaw has grown with many locally owned restaurants and coffee shops. The area includes office buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s, near the Saginaw Club, a social club founded in 1889. In December 2016, "The Gallery: Art For Saginaw" opened in the newly developed downtown. At about 5,000 square feet, it is one of the largest public art galleries in Michigan. The Downtown Farmer's Market sells Michigan produce, flowers, and baked goods and will move to an indoor location in 2017. Downtown Saginaw is different from the Old Town/West Side City area, which is across the river about one mile southwest. Old Town has many popular bars, restaurants, and businesses. Saginaw's local arts groups include Pit and Balcony, one of the oldest continuously operating community theaters in the United States, founded in 1932.

The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History is an important museum in downtown Saginaw. It is housed in a former post office built to look like a castle and honors the area's French heritage. The museum has over 100,000 artifacts, including items from traveling exhibits.

The Andersen Enrichment Center and Lucille E. Andersen Memorial Rose Garden are part of Saginaw's park system. These places host events like the Hollyday Art Fair, Art & Garden Festival, SAWA Fall Watercolor Exhibition, Jazz in the Rose Garden, and Art @ the Andersen. The garden has a fountain with a sculpture by Marshall Fredericks.

The Saginaw Art Museum displays temporary exhibitions and permanent collections. It also houses the John and Michele Bueker Research Library and Archives of Michigan Art. The museum was originally the home of C.L. Ring, who hired Charles A. Platt to design the house and gardens. The museum opened to the public in 1948 and is a Smithsonian Institution affiliate.

Saginaw has a Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House, and Garden because of its 52-year Sister-City relationship with Tokushima, Japan. The Garden was completed in 1971, and the Tea House, called Saginaw Awa An, was completed in 1986. It is one of the ten most authentic Tea Houses outside Japan. The site is open from April through October and offers traditional tea ceremonies by appointment and on the second Saturday of each month. Each September, a Japan Festival is held in the garden, featuring Japanese music, dance, and demonstrations of calligraphy, origami, and cooking.

The Theodore Roethke Home Museum is a National Literary Landmark that honors one of America's greatest 20th-century poets, who was born and raised in Saginaw.

Ojibway Island in the Saginaw River is home to Rust Park and the Ojibway Island City Park Amphitheater.

Saginaw has a major junior hockey team, a minor league basketball team, and one NCAA Division-II school with various sports programs.

The Saginaw Spirit is an Ontario Hockey League team that became famous when Stephen Colbert promoted it on his show, The Colbert Report. The Spirit won the 2024 Memorial Cup.

The Saginaw Sting was an indoor football team that started in 2007 but is currently not active.

The Saginaw Soul is a Basketball Super League team that will begin playing in 2025.

At the college level, Saginaw Valley State University competes in sports such as American football, basketball, and volleyball.

Government

Saginaw is a type of city called a Home Rule City under the Michigan Home Rule Cities Act. This act allows Saginaw to create its own city charter, which gives the city a council-manager form of government. The current charter was created in 1935 and became active on January 6, 1936. According to the City Charter, Saginaw is led by a council with nine members who are elected by all residents. Each council member serves a four-year term that starts after the regular city election. The terms are staggered, meaning not all council members are up for re-election at the same time. In odd-numbered years, either four or five members are elected. The city collects an income tax of 1.5% from residents and 0.75% from nonresidents.

Education

The city of Saginaw is served by the Saginaw Public School District, also called SPSD. The Saginaw Public School District manages twelve elementary schools, two schools that serve both elementary and middle school students, two middle schools, one school that serves both middle and high school students, and one high school. The district is led by a seven-person elected board of education. This board chooses a superintendent for the district. The current superintendent is Dr. Ramont M. Roberts. The two public high schools in Saginaw are Saginaw United High School and Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy. Michigan Lutheran Seminary is the only private high school in the city. Charter schools in Saginaw include Saginaw Learn to Earn Academy, North Saginaw Charter Academy, Francis Reh Academy, Saginaw Prep schools, and the International Academy of Saginaw.

Saginaw is served by Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University, which are located in nearby University Center, Michigan. Central Michigan University has an off-campus center inside the city that provides many degree programs. Delta College built a downtown satellite facility that opened in the fall of 2019.

Media

Saginaw is part of Nielsen's Flint-Saginaw-Bay City-Midland Designated Market Area, which ranks as the 66th largest television market in the United States. Saginaw is the location of CBS station WNEM, which has its studios and offices in the city, even though its license is for Bay City, MI. ABC station WJRT has its offices and newsrooms in Saginaw, but its studios are in Flint, the city where its license is based. Only WEYI (a station that was once affiliated with NBC and is now affiliated with Roar) and Christian station WAQP list Saginaw as their official city, though both have their facilities outside the city. Charter Communications provides cable television service to Saginaw through a contract with the city.

Saginaw and Saginaw Township are home to three major radio station groups that serve the Greater Tri Cities area. These include MacDonald Broadcasting, a family-owned company based in Saginaw, as well as corporate broadcasters Alpha Media and Cumulus Media. Radio stations licensed in the Saginaw area are listed. Many areas in Saginaw also receive signals from radio stations in Bay City, Midland, Flint, and Lansing.

Newspapers and magazines published in Saginaw include:
• The Saginaw News — published every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
• Review Magazine — published every other week
• The Saginaw Press — published weekly
• The Township Times — published weekly
• The Township View — published weekly

Infrastructure

Historically, ships could travel along the river inside the city. However, fixed bridges built over the river blocked access south of the northern docks.

Saginaw was a major railroad hub for the Pere Marquette Railway. Freight and passenger trains traveled to Bay City in the north, Port Huron in the east, Toledo in the south, Grand Rapids and Chicago in the southwest, and Ludington in the west. The Grand Trunk Railroad ran trains from Bay City through Saginaw to Durand, connecting to Chicago, Detroit, Port Huron, and Toronto. Most passenger routes stopped in the 1950s. The last train to Potter Street Station ran in 1950. That station was named a historic site in 1991. The last New York Central Railroad train (formerly the Michigan Central Railroad) left Genesee Street Station heading to Detroit in 1964. Today, Saginaw is home to the headquarters of the Lake State Railway, which still operates trains from the former Pere Marquette Saginaw Yard to places like Midland, Bay City, and Plymouth. The Huron and Eastern Railway runs trains on the former GTW mainline through Saginaw, where it crosses Lake State’s Midland Line at Mershon Junction. HESR also operates lines east toward Vassar and Reese. The Mid-Michigan Railroad connects with Lake State at Paines, west of Saginaw. The Saginaw Railway Museum, located on the west side of the city, works to preserve the railroading history of the Saginaw Bay area.

Saginaw is mainly served by two airports: MBS International Airport in nearby Freeland and Bishop International Airport in Flint. Three smaller airports also serve Saginaw: Harry W. Browne Airport in Buena Vista Township, James Clements Municipal Airport in Bay City, and Jack Barstow Municipal Airport in Midland.

Interstate 75 (I-75) is the main highway for Saginaw. I-675 connects directly to the city center from I-75. I-69 is a nearby highway that links Saginaw to other parts of the Midwest and Canada. The Saginaw River flows through the middle of the city, connecting to Saginaw Bay and the Great Lakes via docks on the northern side.

Public transportation in Saginaw and surrounding areas is provided by bus through the Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS) system. STARS connects to Bay City’s bus system at Saginaw Valley State University. Intercity bus service is offered by Indian Trails, which operates a bus station on the east side of the river.

Key roads include:
– I-75 runs along the eastern side of the city through Buena Vista Charter Township.
– I-675 loops through downtown Saginaw and returns to I-75 via Saginaw Charter Township.
– M-13 connects I-69 through downtown Saginaw to Standish.
– M-46 crosses the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from Port Sanilac on Lake Huron to Muskegon on Lake Michigan.
– M-47 links the western suburbs to MBS International Airport.
– M-52 runs from the Ohio border through Adrian and Owosso to M-46, offering an alternate route to Lansing, Michigan’s capital.
– M-58 connects M-47 to I-675.
– M-81 runs east from M-13 to Caro and Cass City, ending at M-53 in Sanilac County.
– M-84 connects downtown Bay City to M-58 in Saginaw.

Saginaw’s electricity and natural gas are provided by Consumers Energy.

In 1929, Saginaw opened a combined water treatment plant to replace two smaller plants on either side of the Saginaw River. This plant treated water from the river and delivered it to residents, including corner pumps for those without direct connections. Today, Saginaw jointly owns the Saginaw-Midland Municipal Water Supply Corporation with Midland. Established in 1946, this system supplies drinking and industrial water to Saginaw, Midland, and surrounding areas. Because of salty water in underground sources, a 65-mile pipeline was built in 1948 to bring water from Lake Huron to Saginaw and Midland. A second pipeline was added in 1996. This system contributed to Saginaw’s decline as the city sold water to areas outside Saginaw, such as Saginaw Charter Township. This caused businesses to leave Saginaw for surrounding areas, slowing city growth. Midland, however, followed a policy of “No Annexation, No Water,” which helped its growth and the development of nearby areas.

The Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, located at 1500 Weiss, is a hospital for U.S. veterans managed by the Veterans Health Administration. It has 100 beds and serves 292,000 patients annually.

Covenant Medical Center, at 1447 North Harrison, is a 623-bed hospital with inpatient and outpatient services, including an emergency department that sees 95,000 visits yearly. It is the region’s main trauma center and offers helicopter air ambulance services through Lifenet. Mary Free Bed and Covenant HealthCare partnered to create Mary Free Bed at Covenant HealthCare, providing advanced rehabilitation services to the Great Lakes Bay Region. The partnership began in 2018 and added a $40.7 million building in Saginaw in 2021.

Saginaw is also home to “CMU Medical Education Partners,” which offers residency training programs. Walk-in clinics and facilities across the county provide outpatient surgery, breast cancer diagnosis, physical therapy, sports medicine, and eye care.

MyMichigan Medical Center Saginaw, located at 800 South Washington, is a hospital with about 225 beds and serves 168,000 patients yearly. It treats trauma, heart disease, and cancer and opened an Ambulatory Care Center in Saginaw Township in 2000, featuring the county’s first suburban emergency room.

In popular culture

• Saginaw is mentioned in the song "Michigan Christmas" by Brian D'Arcy James. Brian was raised in Saginaw, Michigan.
• Bill Anderson and Don Wayne wrote a song titled "Saginaw, Michigan," which has been performed by many artists. Cowboy singer Lefty Frizzell was the first to sing it, and his version reached number one on country music charts. George Jones also performed the song.
• In a Seinfeld episode, characters Kramer and Newman planned to move bottles and cans from New York to Saginaw using a United States Postal Service mail truck to earn 10 cents for each recycled item, instead of New York's 5 cents.
• In an episode of Supernatural, a television series on The CW Network, brothers Sam and Dean look into a murder that seemed like a suicide in Saginaw.
• "The Saginaw Song" is the title of a poem by Theodore Roethke, a poet born in Saginaw in 1908.
• Saginaw and the Saginaw Valley were important places for songwriting. Famous songs like "All of Me," "Toot Toot Tootsie," "It Had to Be You," "After the Ball," "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," "Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus," and others were written or co-written by Saginaw-based songwriters. More recent examples include "Only Women Bleed" and songs by Saginaw native Stevland Morris (also known as Stevie Wonder), Dick Wagner, and Rudy Martinez ("96 Tears").
• The 1966 song "America" by Paul Simon includes the line, "It took me four days to hitch-hike from Saginaw." As reported in an article from Michigan Live, Simon wrote the song while in Saginaw.

Sister cities

• Amanokrom, Akuapim North District, Ghana
• Awka, Anambra, Nigeria
• Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
• Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
• Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico