Marine City is a city in St. Clair County, Michigan. It is located on the west bank of the St. Clair River. The city is part of the River District, which lies north of Detroit and south of Lake Huron. In the late 19th century, Marine City was an important center for building wooden ships and processing lumber.

According to the 2020 census, the population was 4,079. The city once had an international auto ferry service called The Bluewater Ferry, which traveled to Sombra, Ontario, Canada across the river.

History

The area of Marine City was Ojibwa territory for many years before Europeans arrived. In the 17th century, French trappers and missionaries came to the area, followed by settlers during the colonial period on both sides of the Detroit and St. Clair rivers. Farmers created long, narrow fields shaped like rectangles, with the narrow ends near the river. The first Catholic Church was built by French Catholics at Catholic Point, where they had purchased land before the United States was formed. French Canadians also lived across the river in a small farming community called Petite Côte.

European-American settlers arrived in large numbers after the American Revolution. In the 1780s, they received land from the Chippewa Indians. Americans named the community "Yankee Point" because many settlers came from northern states. They also called it "Belle River," which was the same name the French had used. This name later became the name of a neighborhood.

In 1835–37, Americans mapped out the village as Newport. It was known by that name for 31 years, even though it was never officially incorporated as Newport. In 1865, the area was officially named the Village of Marine City. The village grew because of the lumber trade and shipbuilding, and it became a city in June 1887.

The second half of the 19th century was a time of rapid growth. Many people worked in the lumber and shipping industries. Rafts of wood were moved down the St. Clair River in spring to be processed in Marine City or Detroit. Shipyards built wooden ships that traveled across the Great Lakes. Steamboats carried passengers to small towns around the lakes. Marine City had a park near the St. Clair River, where bands played music at City Hall during the summer.

As the lumber industry declined due to overuse of forests, the area shifted to other industries. Freighters transported iron from Duluth, Minnesota, mined in the Mesabi Range, to Ashtabula, Ohio, for steel production. These ships traveled through Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie. Marine City became known as the town on the St. Clair River where lake freighter captains lived. Many of these men and their crews worked for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, which was formed in 1901 by U.S. Steel Corporation and became the largest commercial fleet on the Great Lakes.

In the 21st century, Marine City is home to ten antique stores. The Snug Theater, a 98-seat venue, hosts live performances. In 2014–15, a second theater, The Riverbank Theater, opened in a former bank building. The old Mariner Theatre serves as a special event center, movie theater, art gallery, and site of a model of the ocean-going Titanic. Restaurants and shops in downtown Marine City cater to visitors and residents.

The Heather House, now a bed and breakfast, was built in the Queen Anne Victorian-style. It was completed in 1885 after two years of construction for its owner, William Sauber, who was the chief engineer for the Mitchell fleet of Great Lake steamers.

Geography

The city has a total area of 2.46 square miles (6.37 square kilometers). Of this, 2.15 square miles (5.57 square kilometers) is land, and 0.31 square miles (0.80 square kilometers) is water, according to the United States Census Bureau.

The city is part of the Thumb of Michigan, which is a subregion of the Flint/Tri-Cities. It is also included in the Blue Water Area, a subregion of the Thumb.

The city is located within the Detroit-Warren-Livonia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint Combined Statistical Area (CSA).

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the city had 4,248 people, 1,765 households, and 1,117 families. The population density was 1,975.8 people per square mile (762.9 per square kilometer). There were 2,015 housing units, with an average density of 937.2 per square mile (361.9 per square kilometer). The racial makeup included 96.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 1.7% of the population.

Of the 1,765 households, 31.1% had children under 18 living with them. 44.6% were married couples, 13.3% had a female householder without a husband, 5.4% had a male householder without a wife, and 36.7% were non-families. 31.3% of households had only one person, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 people, and the average family size was 3.00 people.

The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 22.9% of residents were under 18, 8.2% were between 18 and 24, 25.8% were aged 25 to 44, 27.9% were aged 45 to 64, and 15.3% were 65 or older. The gender distribution was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

As of the 2000 census, the city had 4,652 people, 1,860 households, and 1,212 families. The population density was 2,120.8 people per square mile (818.8 per square kilometer). There were 2,006 housing units, with an average density of 914.5 per square mile (353.1 per square kilometer). The racial makeup included 97.29% White, 0.09% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.86% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 1.38% of the population.

Of the 1,860 households, 33.5% had children under 18 living with them. 48.2% were married couples, 12.7% had a female householder without a husband, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.8% of households had only one person, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50 people, and the average family size was 3.15 people.

In 2000, 27.6% of the population was under 18, 8.2% were aged 18 to 24, 30.5% were aged 25 to 44, 19.4% were aged 45 to 64, and 14.2% were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 88.6 males.

The median household income in the city was $40,146, and the median family income was $47,308. Males earned a median income of $39,228, while females earned $23,677. The per person income was $19,722. Approximately 7.6% of families and 8.9% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 9.0% of those under 18 and 16.1% of those aged 65 or older.

Notable residents

• Steve Fisher (1912–1980), writer and Hollywood screenwriter, was born in Marine City.
• Stephen Benedict Grummond (1834–1894), industrialist and mayor of Detroit (1884–85), was born in Marine City.
• Jeff Gutt (b. 1976), second-place finisher of the 2013 The X Factor television singing competition and current lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots.
• Brendon Kay (b. 1989), former quarterback for the Cincinnati Bearcats and played briefly for the Pittsburgh Steelers.