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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - USA
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of
Washtenaw County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of
114,024. Ann Arbor Charter Township is adjacent to the city on the north and
east sides. Ann Arbor is the home of the main campus of the prestigious
University of Michigan. Ann Arbor is often referred to by the nickname "A²"
(A squared).
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
71.7 km² (27.7 mi²). 70.0 km² (27.0 mi²) of it is land and 1.7 km² (0.7 mi²)
of it is water. The total area is 2.42% water, that water being part of the
Huron River.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 114,024 people, 45,693 households, and
21,704 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,629.9/km²
(4,221.1/mi²). There are 47,218 housing units at an average density of
675.0/km² (1,748.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 74.68% White,
8.83% African American, 0.29% Native American, 11.90% Asian, 0.04% Pacific
Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 3.05% from two or more races. 3.34% of
the population are Hispanic American or Latino of any race.
There are 45,693 households out of which 23.0% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 37.8% are married couples living together, 7.5% have
a female householder with no husband present, and 52.5% are non-families.
35.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.6% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.22 and the average family size is 2.90.
In the city the population is spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18,
26.8% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100
females there are 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $46,299, and the median
income for a family is $71,293. Males have a median income of $48,880 versus
$36,561 for females. The per capita income for the city is $26,419. 16.6% of
the population and 4.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 7.3% are under the age of 18 and 5.1% are 65
or older.
History
Ann Arbor was founded by settlers from various Eastern states in January
1824. The original founders were John Allen (from Virginia) and Elisha
Rumsey (from New York). Their wives' names were both Ann (in the latter
case, either Ann Rumsey or Ana Rumsey, depending on what text you consult),
and Allen and Rumsey decided to name the settlement "Annarbour," for their
spouses (after discarding the alternative names Allensville and Anapolis)
and for the stands of burr oak in the 640 acres (2.6 km²) of land they had
purchased for $800 from the federal government. The Indians of the region
knew the settlement as Kaw-goosh-kaw-nick, after the sound of Allen's grist
mill. Rumsey died in 1827; Allen eventually became the town's postmaster,
newspaper publisher, village president, and all-around promoter.
Several mills, a tannery, and a general store flourished in the settlement.
The general store (or tavern, depending on which source you accept) was
painted bright red and the corner on which it was established (Huron and
Main) became known as Bloody Corners. In 1836, Ann Arbor lost a bid to be
established as the state capital.
However, in 1837, Ann Arbor won a bid to be the new site for the University
of Michigan when it offered forty acres (160,000 m²) of land free for the
site. The Michigan Central Railroad arrived in 1839, making the town a major
regional transportation hub.
Ann Arbor became the seat of Washtenaw County in 1827, was incorporated in
1833, and was chartered in 1851, which was also the year that John Allen
died. The town became home first to large numbers of German immigrants (particularly
from the state of Württemberg) and escapees from the Great Irish Famine,
though Canadians accounted for the largest percentage of immigrants to the
town during most of the 1800s.
During World War I, Germans became targets of animosity because of their
alleged sympathy for the German state, and four professors in the
University's German department were dismissed because of what were alleged
by the regents to be an "excess" of faculty in the department. During World
War II, Ford Motor Company's nearby Willow Run plant turned out B-24
Liberator bombers and the population of Ann Arbor exploded with an influx of
miltary personnel, war workers, and their families.
In 1960, Ann Arbor was the site of major speeches by both major presidential
candidates, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Kennedy outlined his proposal
for what would become the Peace Corps at the Michigan Union on October 14,
1960. On May 22, 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson unveiled his Great Society
initiative during a University of Michigan commencement address.
During the 1960s, Ann Arbor became a locus for both the American civil
rights movement and the anti-Vietnam War movement. It was the site of the
first major meetings of Students for a Democratic Society in 1960. After a
number of protests and an extensive public campaign, the city passed its
first fair housing ordinance in 1963.
In June 1969, students and protesters took over portions of South University
Avenue over the course of three days of protests and rioting. However, the
police, drawn from many surrounding communities, and many with their names
and badges covered up, took back the streets with the use of tear gas,
police dogs and the threat of firearms. Between 1972 and 1976, the city
council went through a period in which members of the Human Rights Party got
elected and fought for several measures that at the time seemed radical,
including an ordinance reducing penalties for possession of marijuana and a
rent control ordinance. In 1973, Kathy Kozachenko was elected to the Ann
Arbor city council and became the first openly gay candidate to run
successfully for elected office in the United States.
The economy of Ann Arbor underwent a gradual shift from manufacturing base
to a service and technology base over the course of the 20th century, a
shift which accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s. As of 1999, Ann Arbor was
home to 25 research centers and libraries.
Colleges and universities
University of Michigan
Washtenaw Community College
Concordia University
Cleary University
Ave Maria School of Law
Eastern Michigan University in neighboring Ypsilanti
Ann Arbor Public School District
The Ann Arbor Public School District consists of 21 elementary schools, five
middle schools, and three high schools (two traditional, one alternative).
Due to overcrowding problems within the two main high schools, a third major
high school is planned. There are currently 16,724 students enrolled in AAPS
schools, including the elementary, middle, high, and alternative schools.
The District's superintendent is Dr. George Fornero. Students in the
district partake in the Michigan Educational Assessment Program, as well
other standardized tests.
Economy and industry
The large pharmaceutical research facility on the northeast side of town is
currently part of Pfizer - it was previously part of Warner-Lambert and
before that was part of Parke-Davis.
Domino's Pizza's headquarters are in Ann Arbor.
The flagship Borders Books was opened in Ann Arbor on Liberty Street in 1971
by brothers Tom Borders and Louis Borders, and the chain is still based
there, as is the flagship store.
ProQuest, including UMI
Arbortext, a provider of XML-based publishing software
Harris&Baseview, a provider of newspaper publishing software and ASP
services
Ann Arbor is home to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National
Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory
Toyota Technical Center
Ann Arbor Terminals, during the 1980s, the manufacturer of the famous video
display terminal the Ann Arbor Ambassador.
Events
Blues and Jazz Festival: Usually held sometime in mid-september at Gallup
Park it showcases some of the best blues and jazz musicians from around the
nation.
Art Fairs: Held in the 3rd week of July from Wednesday to Saturday. There
are actually five separate juried fairs and many other artists and retail
booths anywhere they can rent some space.
Hash Bash: First Saturday of April. These days the event is a collection of
speeches, street vending, civil disobedience centered around the goal of
reform of local, state, and federal marijuana laws. The first Hash Bash was
held in 1971 to protest the 10-year prison sentence given to John Sinclair
in 1970 for possession of two marijuana joints.
Summer Festival (http://www.annarborsummerfestival.org): A three-and-a-half
week event typically held from mid-June through early July at the Power
Center and atop the adjacent parking structure (host to the free "Top of the
Park" events). Each night offers internationally-known entertainers inside
the Power Center, Mendelssohn Theatre or Hill Auditorium, while Top of the
Park showcases local, regional, and occasionally national talent starting at
7pm nightly, and movies at 10pm Sunday through Thursday. A variety of local
food vendors offer limited menus while the non-profit festival organization
offers soft drinks, beer and wine for sale to support the costs of offering
free admission.
Naked Mile: There has been a tradition of students running naked through the
streets once a year at the end of the University of Michigan winter
semester, but the police and the university are cracking down on it [2]
(http://www.goodspeedupdate.com/naked-mile-data-4-10-03.html). As a result
participants have been forced to adapt, but they did not discontinue the
event completely: in 2002 they have been wearing underwear. In 2003 there
were only five to seven runners and all were arrested. In 2004, the event
was held a day earlier with alternative route and thereby, dodging arrests.
There were 13 naked runners and one naked bicyclist. They were angry about
what they consider draconian suppression of the Naked Mile.
Shopping Cart Race: Held sometime late August, the race is not "official".
Information is spread by word of mouth and stencil art. Participants have
brought everything from decorated shopping carts to two-man bicycles that
incorporate shopping cart elements into the design.
16mm Film Festival (http://www.aafilmfest.org/): The oldest continually
operated annual 16mm film festival in North America, this event attracts
entries from moving image artists worldwide and screens more than 100 films
before audiences at the Michigan Theatre during six days in March.
Taste Of Ann Arbor: A one day event held during the first week of June in
the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. Local restaurants open concession stands to
the public. Local bands, schools, and performers hold free shows and
concerts. The event is sponsered by the Downtown Development Authority, Ann
Arbor Jaycees, WEMU 89.1, and the Michigan theater.
Ann Arbor in literature
Ann Arbor (or its surrounding region) is the setting (or the presumed
setting) for a number of novels and short story collections, including:
Justin McCarthy, Dear Lady Disdain (1875)
Karl Edwin Harriman, Ann Arbor Tales (1902)
Lloyd Cassel Douglas, Magnificent Obsession (1929)
David Osborn, Open Season (1974)
Nancy Willard, Things Invisible to See (1985)
Charles Baxter, Feast of Love (2000)
Sister cities
The city of Tübingen in Germany is Ann Arbor's sister city. Other sister
cities have included Hikone, Japan; Belize City, Belize; Peterborough,
Ontario and Juigalpa, Nicaragua.
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