Tecumseh, Michigan

Tecumseh, Michigan
—  City  —
Location of Tecumseh, Michigan
Coordinates: 42°0′22″N 83°56′58″W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Lenawee
Area
• Total	5.4 sq mi (14.0 km2)
• Land	5.2 sq mi (13.4 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
Elevation	804 ft (245 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	8,574
• Density	1,659.4/sq mi (640.7/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
ZIP code	49286
Area code(s)	517
FIPS code	26-79120
GNIS feature ID	1614652

Downtown Tecumseh.

Tecumseh is a small city in Lenawee County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated where M-50 crosses the River Raisin, a few miles east of M-52. Tecumseh is about 60 miles (97 km) SW of Detroit, 25 miles (40 km) south of Ann Arbor and 40 miles (64 km) north of Toledo, OH.

As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,521. The city is surrounded on three sides by Tecumseh Township, but is politically independent. Raisin Township borders the southern edge of the city. The city was rated #93 in 2009, as one of 100 of the best small towns to live in by CNNMoney.com.

History

The boundaries of Lenawee County were laid out by a proclamation of the Territorial Governor, Lewis Cass on September 10, 1822. Lenawee remained attached to Monroe County, out of which it was formed, until an act of the Territorial Legislature passed on December 26, 1826, organized the county government. The first settlement in the county was made two years earlier, on May 21, 1824, in Tecumseh. The settlers, consisting of fifteen men, eleven women, and six children, all came from Jefferson County, New York. In 1823, Musgrove Evans had located the land and persuaded General Joseph W. Brown and the others to move to the site. Brown and Evans, along with Austin Eli Wing purchased land there and platted the village of Tecumseh in 1824. These founders appealed to Governor Cass to locate the county seat of Lenawee at Tecumseh. This was accomplished by an act of the Territorial Legislature on June 30, 1824, even though county government would not be organized for another year and a half. Tecumseh would remain the county seat until 1838, when it was transferred to Adrian. The Township of Tecumseh was organized on April 12, 1837, initially encompassing the entire northern third of the county.

Panoramic map of Tecumseh, 1868

Among the noteworthy events which have occurred in Tecumseh is the world famous Dynamic Kernels tithing project. A local mill owner, Perry Hayden, planted a cubic inch of wheat and donated 10% of the harvest to the church and replanted the remainder. He continued this for the following 6 years, resting on the 7th. The amount of land needed for the final crop exceeded 2,600 acres (11 km²). Henry Ford donated much of the necessary land as did many local farmers. The project received much attention including a feature in Life magazine on July 24, 1944. In 2008 Tecumseh Friends Church now called Riverbend Friends Church began the Dynamic Kernels Project again. Their goal, like that of Mr. Hayden, is to inspire people to a renewed sense of what God can do in their lives. To tithe not only their money but their entire life to God's service.

A horse, Don Juan, that belonged to the General George Armstrong Custer is buried in Tecumseh, the horse having been sent to a friend living there after the General's death.

One of the village's most well-known manufacturers was Tecumseh Products. Founded by the Herrick family during the early part of the 20th century, Tecumseh Products initially began business manufacturing refrigeration compressors. The company moved out of Tecumseh in 2008, moving the remaining production to a plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, and its headquarters to Pittsfield Township, Michigan, just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Consolidated Biscuit Company of McComb, Ohio, agreed to buy the Products plant in 2008, pending an environmental review.

This 1848 drawing of the famous Chief Tecumseh was based on a sketch made in 1808.

Geography

Tecumseh is located in Southeast Michigan. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km²), of which 5.2 square miles (13 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) (4.26%) is water.

Highways

• M-50
• M-52

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,574 people, 3,499 households, and 2,337 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,659.4 per square mile (640.3/km²). There were 3,651 housing units at an average density of 706.6 per square mile (272.8 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.85% White, 0.19% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.49% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.40% of the population.

There were 3,499 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,106, and the median income for a family was $58,239. Males had a median income of $39,672 versus $27,630 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,797. About 3.5% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Tecumseh Middle School

The city of Tecumseh is home to Tecumseh Public Schools which includes 1 traditional high school, Tecumseh High School, (grades 9–12), 1 alternative high school, Tecumseh Alternative High School, 1 middle school, Tecumseh Middle School, (grades 5–8), and 4 elementary schools (grades K–4).

Attractions

Skydive Tecumseh

The Southern Michigan Railroad Society, an operating railroad museum, runs through Tecumseh. Tecumseh is also home to Skydive Tecumseh one of the few turbine skydiving centers in the midwest and home to the largest formation skydive in Michigan history. The skydiving center along with the proximity to M.I.S.(Michigan International Speedway) brings many tourists to the area allowing for many antique dealers, cafe's and fine dining to flourish along the m-50 corridor. In 2010 the city began hosting the Tecumseh Ice Sculpting Festival in the downtown area on the penultimate weekend in January.

Infamous residents

Andrew Kehoe was born and raised in Tecumseh. On May 18, 1927, Kehoe perpetrated the Bath School disaster in Bath, Michigan. Kehoe killed 45 people, including himself, in the worst school violence in U.S. history.

American serial killer Henry Lee Lucas murdered his mother in Tecumseh on January 11, 1960.

References

• Millard, Alfred L., Early history of Lenawee County and of the city of Adrian from the first settlement of the county Adrian, Mich.: Times and Expositor Steam Print, 1876. Republished Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library, 2005.
• Bonner, Richard Illenden. Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County. Madison, Wisconsin: Western Historical Association, 1909. Republished Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library, 2005.
• Knapp, John I. with Richard Illenden BonnerIllustrated history and biographical record of Lenawee County, Mich. Adrian, Mich.: The Times printing company, 1903. Republished Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library, 2005.
• Portrait and biographical album of Lenawee County, Mich. Chicago: Chapman brothers, 1888. Republished Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library, 2005.

External links

• City of Tecumseh government
• Tecumseh Area Historical Society
• The Daily Telegram
• The Tecumseh Herald
• Lenawee County government site
• Complete text of History of Lenawee County published in 1909 by the Western Historical Society
• Lenawee County Conference & Visitors Bureau
• Southern Michigan Railroad Society