Flint is the seat of Genesee County, and the seventh-largest city in Michigan.

Situated along the Flint River, 60 miles northwest of Detroit, Flint is adjacent to the city of Burton to the southeast. Other nearby cities include Mt. Morris, Grand Blanc, Swartz Creek, Flushing, and Davison. I-69 runs east-west through Flint, while I-75/US-23 runs north-south through the southwestern part of the city, and I-475 runs north-south, intersecting I-69 in the southeast.

Before its settlement by European-Americans in the early 19th century, the region was home to several Ojibwe tribes. There were several convenient forwards along the Flint River, which often became points of contention among rival tribes.

European-American settlement began in 1819 when Jacob Smith opened a trading post along the north side of the river. Highly regarded on both sides, Smith had negotiated land exchanges with the Ojibwe on behalf of the US government on more than one occasion. His wife was Ojibwe. The community that rose around the trading Post was originally known as Grand Traverse.

In 1825, Jacob Stevens became the first settler on the south side of the river, and one became known as Flint River. In 1830, John Tad acquired land in the area, and the place became known as Todd's Crossing. That same here, the village was platted and entered by A.E. Wathares as Sidney. In 1833, the village was included in a plat by John Clifford but renamed Flint River. In 1834, a post office was established at Flint River, with Lyman Stowe as the first postmaster. The name was shortened to Flint on September 1, 1836. And the north side of the river, Chauncey Spayne platted Grand Traverse in 1837. These were all plats, and not incorporated villages. In 1855, these plats were incorporated as the city of Flint, named for the river that ran through it.

Flint soon became a center for the lumber industry in Michigan. Being a heavily wooded state, Michigan was a significant exporter of lumber during the latter part of the 19th century. Revenue from the lumber Industry helped to fund the establishment of a local carriage-making industry, which later gave way to automobile production.

By 1900, Flint out a population of more than 13,000 people, which increased to nearly 40,000 people by 1910, and more than 90,000 by 1920. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Flint's Industry has centered on automobile production. In 1904, the Buick Motor Company moved from Detroit to Flint and became the largest manufacturer of automobiles by 1908. In 1908, General Motors was founded in Flint, although it later moved its headquarters to Detroit in the mid-1920s. For a short time, all Chevrolets and Buicks were manufactured in Flint. During World War II, Flint was a major manufacturer of tanks and other war machines.

The population of Flint peak in 1960 at 196,940. That year, it began a gradual decline and has lost population every decade since. For the past 60 years, Flint has suffered from disinvestment, deindustrialization, depopulation, urban decay, unemployment and poverty, higher rates of crime, and political corruption. Given its dependence on the auto industry, the cities decline was exacerbated by the oil crisis of 1973, rising oil prices, and competition from Japanese auto manufacturers. Other factors leading to the cities population decline may include outsourcing, off-shoring, increased automation, and jobs moving to non-union facilities in right-to-work states.

In 2014, Flint switch that water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Due perhaps to the lack of appropriate anti-corrosive measures, this resulted in several cases of lead poisoning, lawsuits, the resignation of several officials, criminal indictments, and a federal public health state of emergency.

K-12 education in Flint is provided through Flint community schools, although non-public alternatives exist as well, such as Powers Catholic high school, which is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing, other private schools, as well as several charter schools. Higher education is provided by the University of Michigan at Flint, Kettering University, Mott Community College, and the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service on its Blue Waterline from Chicago to Port Huron. Bishop International Airport has three passenger airlines and two cargo airlines.

The focus of this guide is on the city of Flint, Michigan. Appropriate topics include online resources for the city itself, as well as local individuals, industries, businesses, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, and recreational or sports programs and facilities.

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