Frankenmuth is a city located in Saginaw County, Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population was 4,987. The city is surrounded by Frankenmuth Township.

The name Frankenmuth comes from two German words: "Franken," which refers to the region of Franconia in Bavaria, where the original settlers lived, and "Mut" (formerly spelled "Muth"), which means "courage." Therefore, the name Frankenmuth means "courage of the Franconians." The city is most commonly known by the nickname "Little Bavaria," which reflects its strong German heritage.

History

The area was settled by Lutheran immigrants from the Roßtal region of Franconia, Germany. These settlers left Germany on the ship Caroline on April 20, 1845, and reached Castle Garden in New York seven weeks later. They traveled by canal and the Great Lakes from New York to Detroit, arriving in August 1845. From there, they sailed on the Nelson Smith to Saginaw and continued by land to the location that is now Frankenmuth.

The main goal of the settlement was religious. The Lutheran group aimed to establish a mission for Native Americans. One of the first buildings they constructed was a church. However, their efforts to convert Native Americans did not succeed, as most Native Americans were relocated from the area within a few years.

The settlers chose a hilly area that reminded them of their homeland in Mittelfranken, Germany. They built simple shelters there. Frankenmuth was intended to be a community of German Lutherans who remained loyal to Germany, specifically the Kingdom of Bavaria (German: Königreich Bayern), and who used the German language. More Germans arrived in the area until the start of World War II.

Frankenmuth was originally part of Bridgeport Township and later became part of Frankenmuth Township. It was established as a village in 1904. In 1938, the village hired its first village manager, Herbert L. Keinath. Frankenmuth became a city on October 1, 1959, with Keinath serving as the city manager.

Nearby villages, such as Frankenlust, Frankentrost, and Frankenhilf (now called Richville), show that the area continued to attract Germans from the same region of Germany. The German, especially Franconian, culture of the town has been preserved through generations. The German language is still used in signs and daily speech, and many German speakers live in the town. Additionally, the church of St. Lorenz holds monthly services in German.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 3.04 square miles (7.87 km²), with 2.99 square miles (7.74 km²) being land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km²) being water. The Cass River flows through the town.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,944 people, 2,200 households, and 1,313 families living in the city. The population density was 1,653.5 people per square mile (638.4/km²). There were 2,396 housing units, with an average density of 801.3 per square mile (309.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 1.9% of the population.

There were 2,200 households. Of these, 23.8% had children under 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder without a husband, 2.0% had a male householder without a wife, and 40.3% were non-families. Thirty-seven point two percent of all households included only one person, and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.14 people, and the average family size was 2.82 people.

The median age in the city was 50.1 years. Nineteen point three percent of residents were under 18, 5.9% were between 18 and 24, 17.9% were aged 25 to 44, 28% were aged 45 to 64, and 28.9% were 65 years or older. The gender distribution was 44.9% male and 55.1% female.

As of the 2000 census, there were 4,838 people, 2,123 households, and 1,322 families living in the city. The population density was 1,773.6 people per square mile (684.8/km²). There were 2,240 housing units, with an average density of 821.2 per square mile (317.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.8% White, 0.27% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 0.95% of the population.

About 53% of the city's population had German ancestry.

In 2000, 24.8% of households had children under 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder without a husband, and 37.7% were non-families. Thirty-five point seven percent of all households included only one person, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.16 people, and the average family size was 2.82 people.

In 2000, 20.4% of the population was under 18, 4.7% were aged 18 to 24, 21.3% were aged 25 to 44, 25.3% were aged 45 to 64, and 28.3% were 65 years or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 75.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,153, and the median income for a family was $71,667. Males had a median income of $51,004, while females had a median income of $29,959. The average income per person in the city was $30,479. About 2.4% of families and 4.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under 18 and 7.7% of those aged 65 or older.

Economy

Tourism and farming help support the local economy. Local festivals and events are held throughout the year to bring visitors to the area.

Many people who live in and around the community work in farming.

In late 2022, it was announced that the Bavarian Inn Lodge would start construction on an $80 million expansion of the resort. The new addition will cover 140,000 square feet (13,000 m²). The water park will become the largest indoor water park in Michigan and the fourth largest in the world.

Architecture

The influence of Franconian-style architecture can be seen in many parts of the city. Many buildings in the commercial area and homes copy the wooden frame designs from the Franconia area in Germany. These designs include wooden beams arranged in "square" and "X" shapes on the outside of buildings, as well as "X" shapes on windows, doors, and other parts of the buildings.

Government

The city uses a council–manager form of government. The Frankenmuth School District provides services to the city.

Festivals

• Oktoberfest: In 1990, Frankenmuth, known as "Michigan's Little Bavaria," held its first Oktoberfest. The festival honors German culture, traditions, and history. Frankenmuth has a strong German background, and the Oktoberfest works to keep the traditions, music, and food of the Munich Oktoberfest alive. The event also celebrates the local Bavarian heritage of the area.

• Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival: This is the largest Bavarian heritage festival in Michigan. It began in 1959 and happens every summer. The festival shares Bavarian culture through food, drinks, traditional activities, and music.

• Frankenmuth SnowFest: Frankenmuth hosts Zehnder's SnowFest, one of the best snow-sculpting events in North America. The event includes the United States Collegiate National Ice Carving Championships.

• Frankenmuth Fire Muster: Each year, on the last Saturday in July, the Great Lakes International Antique Fire Apparatus Association (GLIAFAA) holds a fire muster at Heritage Park. The event includes a parade and displays of restored old fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars. Visitors can learn about the history of these vehicles and see some of them demonstrate firefighting skills near the river.

• Frankenmuth Autofest: This three-day car show happens every year during the weekend after Labor Day. Over 2,500 classic cars, including muscle cars and street rods, are displayed. The first day includes a block party on Main Street, and the next two days feature car displays in Heritage Park. A live DJ plays music from the 1950s and 1960s during the display days.

• Michigan's Big Country Fest: This event celebrates country music and takes place during the third week of October.

• Frankenmuth Dog Bowl and Balloons Over Bavarian Inn: Held on Memorial Day Weekend, this festival is called "the world's largest Olympic-style event for dogs." It includes competitions like dock and disc dog races, sheep herding demonstrations, agility contests, a pet costume parade, and a wiener dog race. Balloons Over Bavarian Inn, a hot air balloon event, runs alongside the festival. It includes balloon glow events each night and balloon flights in the morning and evening.

Places of interest

Zehnder's Holzbrücke, which means "wooden bridge" in German, is a covered wooden bridge over the Cass River in the center of town. It was completed in 1979 and built using traditional methods used for covered bridges in the Black Forest or Swiss rivers. The 239-foot (73-meter) bridge has a two-lane structure made of 100,000 board feet (240 cubic meters) of Douglas Fir for its floor joists and three-span Town lattice truss system. The bridge’s decking uses 15,960 board feet (37.7 cubic meters) of 4-inch (100 mm) planks. Oak is used in the area with the most wear, and spruce is used elsewhere. The rafters are made of 20,000 board feet (47 cubic meters) of Douglas Fir, and the roof is covered with cedar shingles. An additional 4,340 board feet (10.2 cubic meters) of pine is used for the bridge’s side boards. The 230-ton bridge was built on the east bank of the river and then moved into place over the river using a large wheel and pulleys. It is wide enough to allow two pedestrian walkways and car traffic.

Heritage Park is the most well-known park in Frankenmuth. Located at 601 Weiss Street, it hosts many community events, festivals, and large gatherings. The Harvey E. Kern Community Pavilion is the newest addition and has become the main attraction of the park. Other features include four picnic pavilions, three baseball diamonds, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, a basketball court, a 0.9-mile (1.4 km) riverwalk path, and spaces for festivals.

A small model of the Silent Night Chapel is located on the southern end of Bronner’s property.

A 900-pound, 10-foot twisted piece of I-beam steel from the original World Trade Center, destroyed on September 11, 2001, is displayed outside the Frankenmuth joint police/fire department headquarters on the fire department side of the building. The steel was donated to the Frankenmuth Fire Department during cleanup efforts in New York City after the Twin Towers were destroyed by hijacked planes and collapsed. The steel is placed on a granite base shaped like the Pentagon. Visitors can view the historical piece and read about the events of September 11, 2001, on panels at the base of the memorial.

Print media

The Frankenmuth News has been the main newspaper in Frankenmuth since 1906. It is published every week, with copies available at news stands on Wednesdays and delivered to homes on Thursdays. The newspaper covers topics that are important to people living in Frankenmuth.

Notable residents

• Eduard Raimund Baierlein (1819–1901), a German missionary
• Frederick William Danker (1920–2012), a dictionary writer
• Ludwig E. Fuerbringer (1864–1947), a Lutheran scholar
• Kenneth Horn (1959–), a Michigan state senator
• Greta Van Fleet, a rock band with members Josh Kiszka (Vocals), Jake Kiszka (Guitar), Sam Kiszka (Bass, Keyboard), and Danny Wagner (Drums)

Gallery

• Fields and trees during autumn in Frankenmuth
• Bavarian Inn Lodge
• The Nickless-Hubinger Flour Mill
• Frankenmuth Visitor Center
• Frankemuth River Place Shops
• Rummel Platz building
• Zehnder's restaurant
• A covered bridge that spans the Cass River
• Bronner's Christmas Wonderland
• A festive Christmas night scene in the downtown area of Frankenmuth
• Horse-drawn carriages traveling along Main Street