Monroe

Monroe
Geographical information
County	Monroe County
State	Michigan
Country	United States
Land area	9.1 square miles
Water area	1 square mile
Elevation	597 ft
Demographic information
Population (2000)	22,076
Population density	2442.1/sq. mile
Government structure
Community type	City
Government	Mayor-council
Elected officials	Mark G. Worrell (Mayor)
Founded	1785 (as Frenchtown)
Incorporated	1817
Other information
Time zone	Eastern
ZIP Code(s)	48161 (Monroe) 48162 (Monroe)
Area code(s)	734
FIPS code	26-55020
GNIS feature ID	0632572
Official Website	http://www.ci.monroe.mi.us/

[Source]

Monroe—originally founded as Frenchtown—is a city and county seat of Monroe County, Michigan. Located on the River Raisin and western shore of Lake Erie, The community is located about seventeen miles north-northeast of Toledo, Ohio and twenty-five miles southwest of Detroit. The population was 22,076 during the 2000 census. Additionally, the city is adjacent to Monroe Charter Township to the south and Frenchtown Charter Township to the north, including the unincorporated communities of West Monroe and South Monroe.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Monroe has a total area of 3.2 square miles. The community uses ZIP codes 48161 and 48162. The city has been assigned the FIPS code 26-55020.

Geography

The city of Monroe sits on the western shore of Lake Erie and along the River Raisin, including the mouth of the river. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles, of which 1 square mile (10.14%) is water.

History

Monroe was founded in 1785 as Frenchtown, making it is the third oldest European settlement in Michigan. It was the site of the Battle of Frenchtown, a bloody massacre in the War of 1812, was fought near the mouth of the river. It was the largest conflict in Michigan and the River Raisin Battlefield is being considered for inclusion in the National Parks System. The city and namesake county were named for U.S. President James Monroe, upon his visit to the Michigan Territory in 1817.

Monroe is known for its ties to General George Armstrong Custer. He spent much of his boyhood with his half-sister and his brother-in-law in Monroe, where he attended school and is honored by a statue in the center of town. He married Elizabeth Clift Bacon (1842–1933) on February 9, 1864. She was born in Monroe to Daniel Stanton Bacon and Eleanor Sophia Page. They had no children.

Commerce and Industry

The city of Monroe has the only port in Michigan that is on Lake Erie. The port, open to ships has been used for many years. The city is also home to La-Z-Boy Incorporated, a furniture manufacturer, and Monroe Shocks and Struts, formerly Monroe Auto Equipment Company and now part of Tenneco. The company moved its headquarters from Monroe proper into Monroe Charter Township.

The Monroe Power Plant, a coal-burning plant operated by Detroit Edison, has four 750MW units, the second largest generating capacity of any coal plant in North America. The stacks are 78 feet taller than the Renaissance Center at a height of 805 feet. Additionally, Monroe Fire Department union IAFF Local 326 is the oldest continuous IAFF local in Michigan.

Visiting Monroe

Getting there

Monroe is located along Interstate 75 between Detroit and Toledo. The community, and surrounding townships, are accessible via exits 11, 13, 14, 15 and 18. Exit 11, La Plaisance Road features restaurants, hotels and a small outlet center in Monroe Charter Township as well as access to South Monroe and the downtown district. Exits 13 and 14, Elm and Front Streets are city streets that parallel the River Raisin and provide local access for residents and some industries. Exit 15, Dixie Highway, is an interchange that features a wide array of restaurants from fast food to fine dining, numerous service stations, multiple hotels and many other services. Access to downtown Monroe is available via Dixie Highway as well. Exit 18, Nadeau Road, serves Frenchtown Charter Township, including the area around the Frenchtown Square Mall. Access to U.S. Highway 23 is available by using M-50 to reach the village of Dundee. U.S. Highway 24 and M-125 also traverse Monroe and connect northward to Metropolitan Detroit and southward to Toledo, Ohio.

Local events and attractions

• River Raisin Centre for the Arts offers entertainment.
• River Raisin Jazz Festival on the 2nd weekend in August, attracts over 40,000 music lovers per year.
• There are eight museums in the area:
  • Eby Log Cabin
  • Martha Barker Country Store Museum
  • Monroe County Historical Museum & The George A. Custer Exhibits
  • Monroe County Labor History Museum
  • Monroe County Vietnam Veterans Historical Museum
  • Navarre-Anderson Trading Post
  • River Raisin Battlefield Visitor Center
  • Old Mill Museum
  • The Sawyer Homestead
  • The Custer Monument

Culture and Entertainment

• The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have their mother house in Monroe.
• Monroe is home to a championship winning semi-professional football team the Southern Michigan Timberwolves.
• The Monroe County Social and Welfare Association is spearheading the development of the Phillip Murray -- first president of the United Steelworkers of America and president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations -- building into the Monroe County Labor History Museum.

External links

• City of Monroe
• — Monroe on Pure Michigan, Michigan's official travel site.
• Monroe Firefighters
• emonroe.com Monroe County Calendar and Community Info & Ticketing
• Monroe Evening News
• Monroe Public Schools
• MonroeTalks.com Community Web Site