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Wyoming, Michigan

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Wyoming, Michigan
City
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountyKent
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorCarol Sheets
 • City ManagerCurtis Holt
Area
 • Total24.5 sq mi (63.5 km2)
 • Land24.4 sq mi (63.2 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation
643 ft (196 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total69,368
 • Density2,840/sq mi (1,097/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code616
FIPS code26-88940Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1616863Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.ci.wyoming.mi.us

Wyoming is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 69,368. That makes it the 20th largest city in the state of Michigan. It is the largest suburb of Grand Rapids. In 1832 the area was settled then was initially organized as a township in 1848 and then became a city in 1959.

History

The first permanent white settlers arrived in the area in 1832, making it one of the first-settled areas of the county, and indeed the whole Western Michigan region. Initially, the area was part of Byron Township. Wyoming Township was organized out of Byron Township in 1848.

In 1933 Grandville was incorporated from a part of Wyoming Township.[1] Prior to this the furthest north-west square mile of the township had been annexed by Grand Rapids. In 1947 and 1948 Grandville annexed more sections of Wyoming Township.[2] In the 1950s other portions of the township were annexed by Grandville and also Walker.[3]

The entire remaining township incorporated as the City of Wyoming in 1959 to protect against further annexation of land by the cities of Grand Rapids and Grandville. Wyoming is named for Wyoming County, New York, from which many early settlers came. The city's residents are a unique mix of working class /blue collar residents to middle class suburban residents. The eastern section of Wyoming was originally part of Paris Township, the remainder of which later incorporated as the city of Kentwood.

Businesses

As of the 2000 census there are at present 10 types of industries in the city. Manufacturing accounts for 30%, retail 16%, education, health, and social services 15%, with the next five industries accounting for 6%, and transportation, warehousing, utilities accounting for 3%. As for the manufacturing it is unique in that it is the largest in West Michigan. It currently produces auto parts, industrial machinery, commercial printing, plastics, food processing, electronics, tool and dies, concrete supplies, and fire engines.

The top employers as of 2007 include the following: General Motors, Gordon Food Service, United Parcel Service, Consumers Energy, Delphi Automotive, Hope Network, Benteler Automotive, Michigan Turkey Producers, Gainey Transportation, the City of Wyoming, and Country Fresh. Wyoming is home to the headquarters of the Gordon Food Service.

In 1999 in an effort to help support the city in keeping businesses in the area after Grandville allowed development of a new 6 anchor chain mall, Rivertown Crossings Mall, and the related development they formed a Downtown Development Authority. They choose the 28th St stretch running from Byron Center to Division Avenues which ends up being a 3 mile long stretch. This authority has so far helped provide an improved look to the city and has the ability to support future companies in coming into that stretch. It is currently taking any increase of property tax assessed since 1999 as its main and only form of funding.

Arts and culture

The city has 21 parks that cover about 665 acres which offer multiple of activities. The city also offers a Senior Center that provides activities for the older citizens of the city. Along with the parks is the Kent Trails system that converted abandoned rail lines to bike paths. It is a collaborative effort between multiple local governments.

In 2002 the new Wyoming Public Library was built and is owned by the city but ran by the Kent County Library System. It is a 48,000 square foot facility with over 122,000 items. It is also the highest attendance in the Kent County system. The library also houses the Wyoming Historical Commission that provides history of the city.

Starting in 2005, the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce put together the 28th Street Metro Cruise. It currently spans 15 miles of the state highway. It runs on Thursday and Friday on one of the last weekends of August.

Geography

The city is situated southwest of Grand Rapids and south of the Grand River. Grandville and Georgetown Township in Ottawa County are to the west. Byron Township is to the south and the city of Kentwood to the east. U.S. Highway 131 runs along the eastern side of the city and Interstate 196 runs southwest-northeast along the Grand River. The newly completed Paul B. Henry Freeway runs along the south side of the city and connects I-196 with US-131 and Interstate 96. M-11 runs east-west through the north of the city, also connect I-196, US-131, and I-96.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.5 square miles (63.5 km²), of which, 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.37%) is water.

Weather

In west Michigan where Wyoming places itself it is located just outside the snow belt where more snow tends to fall from lake effect snow coming off Lake Michigan. The lake also helps the area east of Wyoming in keeping warmer than usual. The record temperature in the area was 102 as its high in June and its low was set in January at -22. Sunshine tends to be around 46% of the time with 43% of the year of temperatures reaching at least 65 degrees. Almost 40% the temperature dips below 32 degrees.

Climate data for Wyoming, Michigan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Source: Weatherbase[4]

Surrounding municipalities

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 69,368 people, 26,536 households, and 17,540 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,840.1 per square mile (1,096.8/km²). There were 27,506 housing units at an average density of 1,126.2/sq mi (434.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.32% White, 4.85% African American, 0.59% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.70% from other races, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.66% of the population.

There were 26,536 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,164, and the median income for a family was $50,002. Males had a median income of $35,772 versus $25,482 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,287. About 5.1% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The city has a council-manager government with both an elected mayor and an appointed city manager. Currently, Carol Sheets serves as Wyoming's Mayor after defeating former mayor and long-time Republican politician Harold Voorhees in 2005. The city council is composed of six members: three at-large and a representative from each of the three wards. The current council members are: Kent Vanderwood, Jack Poll, Sam Bolt, William Ver-Hulst (Mayor Pro-Tem) (1st Ward), Richard Pastoor (2nd Ward), and Joanne Voorhees (3rd Ward). Meetings are held at the City Hall on the first and third Mondays of every month. Work sessions are held the second Monday of each month.

Education

Currently the city is served by 5 school districts. In the southwest panhandle is served by Grandville Public Schools, the central part is served by Wyoming Public Schools, the southeast is served by Kelloggsville Public Schools, the northeast is served by Godwin Heights Public Schools, and finally the northern section of the city is served by Godfrey-Lee Public Schools.

Of the five districts only 1 does not have the majority of the buildings in the city, that being Grandville Public Schools. The remaining have 13 elementary schools out of 15, 3 out of 4 middle schools, all four high schools, with Godfrey-Lee providing a combination middle high school in the city. Grandville only has one elementary school in the city the rest are positioned in the city of Grandville.

The city is also served for college by Grand Rapids Community College in downtown Grand Rapids. In Allendale, northwest of the city, is Grand Valley State University. Further universities can be found in Lansing, Big Rapids, and Kalamazoo. Also located in the immediate area is Hope College in Holland, Davenport University in Caledonia Township, Calvin College on the east side of Grand Rapids, Aquinas College also on the east side of Grand Rapids, Cornerstone University on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, along with Grace Bible College in the city as well.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public Transit

The city is part of the Grand Rapids based Interurban Transit Partnership, called the Rapid. It currently runs Routes 1, 3, 8, 10, 16, 24, 28, and 44 in the city; that is 8 out of the 26 routes. Currently the federal DoT is funding a good portion of a new transit system for the area. It will run along Division Ave on the east side of the city from its southern most point to the downtown. It is a bus rapid transit system with only 5 projected stations on the route. The new line will be run by Rapid.

Major highways

  • I-196 along the west and north side of the city.
  • BS I-196 runs on the local street called 'Chicago Drive' from center west to the north east.
  • M-11 runs east to west in the middle section of the city.
  • US 131 runs south to north on the eastern section of the city.
  • M-6 runs east to west on the southern edge of the city, although only a small section of the city sits on the highway.

Utilities

Currently the city provides water and sewer to the majority of the citizens. Electricity is supplied by Consumers Energy with natural gas is nominally supplied by DTE Energy. Garbage service is supplied by individual home owners although the city does provide a yard waste drop off center. For both phone and cable service is supported by both AT&T and Comcast. Cell phones carriers are on the whole fully supported with a number of towers.

Yard Waste 

Drop-off Site

Wyoming Public Service Center 2660 Burlingame SW

March 30 through December 12, 2009 

(Closed legal holidays)

Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Saturdays 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Winter Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. No commercial dumping permitted. No bags permitted. Residents must register with I.D. each time they use the site.

For more info visit http://www.ci.wyoming.mi.us/PublicWorks/Waste.asp

Health care

Recently Metro Hospital moved to a location on the south central portion of the city in a complex. They along with Spectrum and St Mary's have small centers for urgent care with their hospitals located in downtown Grand Rapids.

Notable residents

Classification

Although it is a suburb in most senses it also is an edge city in that it has several retail malls and a large amount of industry with plenty of offices spotted around the city. It is laid out though in a pattern of a typical post war suburb. So classifying it as a suburb or an edge city becomes difficult.

References

"City of Wyoming Community Profile" prepared by the Wyoming Planning and Development Department, Summer 2007.

  1. ^ 1940 Census. Population Report. Vol. 1, p. 508
  2. ^ 1950 Census. Population Vol. 1. p. 22-17
  3. ^ Andriot, John L. Township Atlas of the United States. (McLean: Andriot Associates, 1979) p. 321
  4. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America". Retrieved Nov 12 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
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