The City of Grand Blanc, Michigan is an outer southeast suburb of Flint, about fifteen minutes away by car.
Routes through the city include Holly Road, which connects to I-75 to the south, and South Saginaw Street, which connects to I-75 to the south and with South Dort Highway (M-54) to the northwest. East Reid Road and Grand Blanc Road connect with M-54 to the west. Center Road extends north, connecting Grand Blanc with Burton. Perry Road runs east from Grand Blanc into Atlas Township, and McCandish Road connects with Holly Road to the west, and extends east to Gale Road, near Goodrich.
Surrounded by Flint Township, Grand Blanc is in southern Genesee County. Cities and villages within twenty miles include Burton, Goodrich, Flint, Holly, Davison, Fenton, Ortonville, Swartz Creek, Linden, Mt. Morris, Gaines, Metamora, Clarkston, and Flushing.
In the 1820s, Michigan was a United States territory, but it was populated largely by various Native American tribes. However, in 1822, Jacob Stevens and his family arrived in the Detroit area. He had a claim upon which he built a cabin. In the spring of 1823, learning that his claim was faulty, he followed the Saginaw Trail north to a place that the Native Americans knew as Grumlaw, although French traders referred to it as Grand Blanc, which meant "great white."
Stevens staked a claim on some unoccupied land, and became the first permanent settler in Grand Blanc. Soon after, several others came, including George Perry, William Thompson, Charles Little, and Samuel Perkins. In 1831, Stevens returned to New York, while his son, Rufus, remained behind. Meanwhile, the Perry family was instrumental in building the town. In 1833, a group of Grand Blanc family gathered at the home of Rufus Stevens to organize what became Grand Blanc Township, although it originally included eight future townships.
In 1833, the town's first physician, Dr. Cyrus Baldwin, arrived in Grand Blanc, and Dr. John W. King came soon after.
Charles DeWitt Gibson opened a sawmill and general store just northwest of the current boundaries of the city. For a time, the surrounding community was known as Gibsonville, and then it became Whigville, after Gibson's strong support of the Whig Party.
While Whigville was growing, the rest of Grand Blanc was also being developed. A wagonmaker and a blacksmith, named Nobles and Shaw, collaborated to establish a wagon manufacturing facility, and stores were opening in other parts of Grand Blanc, known for a time as Grand Blanc Centre.
On May 7, 1834, a post office was established in Grand Blanc Centre, with Elijah Davenport as the first postmaster. When Michigan became a state in 1837, Grand Blanc was considered as the site for the State Capitol, but it lost out to Lansing. In 1840, a stagecoach stop was established in Grand Blanc, which prompted Mr. Gibson to open a hotel, known as the Gibson Hotel, in 1848.
In 1864, the Pere Marquette Railroad was interested in extending its tracks through the area. Gibson did not want the railroad to come through Whigville, so the tracks were run through the center of Grand Blanc, leading to the decline of Whigville, and the rise of Grand Blanc. By 1877, Whigville had reverted to a hamlet, and portions of it were later absorbed by Grand Blanc.
By the end of the 19th century, there were ten school districts in Grand Blanc. However, in 1903, the state required the districts to consolidate and to provide busing, after which Grand Blanc consolidated its schools to three classrooms, and children were transported to school by horse-drawn carriages. In 1920, the carriages were replaced by a Model T, and the Grand Blanc Township Unit School was built on Saginaw and Perry Roads in 1921, boasting fifteen classrooms.
Grand Blanc skipped village status and was incorporated as a city in 1930. Retaining its ties with the township, the township and city established a joined fire department in 1939, an arrangement that lasted until 2019, when the city opted to establish its own fire department.
The focus of this guide is on the city of Grand Blanc, Michigan. Appropriate resources may include websites representing the city itself, or any individuals, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, sports teams and programs, and recreational opportunities within the city.
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Situated in southern Genesee County, Grand Blanc is an outer suburb of Flint. The official municipal website highlights the accomplishments of the city, offers relevant news, contacts, and a city calendar, as well as demographics, tax and revenue reports, and access to various reports, forms, and other documents. Also included is a guide to the city government, facilities, and services, local attractions, events, and business and economic development resources.
https://www.cityofgrandblanc.com/
Grand Blanc Chamber of Commerce
The business membership organization partners with its members to strengthen their businesses and improve the Grand Blanc community. A member directory, interactive map, and a member application are presented, along with a calendar of events, and a contact form. Members and others may subscribe to receive communications from the Chamber. The Chamber also publishes a Business Index for its members, which may be viewed online, along with an archive of past editions.
https://grandblancchamber.com/
Offering a PK-12th-grade public school curriculum, the public school district in Grand Blanc, Michigan operates several school campuses, which are highlighted here, with addresses, contacts, school schedules, and other information. District calendars, education reports, enrollment information, the district strategic plan, and public notices are presented, along with resources for students, parents, the community, and staff, including its remote learning resources.
https://www.gbcs.org/
Situated on eighty acres, the club was founded in 1957 and includes trap, skeet, five-stand, and sporting clays shooting, as well as a members-only rifle and handgun range, a stocked fishing pond for members, hiking and hunting dog training areas, and a clubhouse for socializing between members and guests. NRA-certified firearms training and safety courses are offered, as well as club-specific training in shotgun disciplines. Sponsors and affiliations are acknowledged.
https://www.gbhuntsmans.com
Founded in 1956, HFCS is located in downtown Grand Blanc, offering a preschool to eighth-grade coeducational Catholic school in the Diocese of Lansing, a member of the National Catholic Education Association and the Flint Area Catholic Schools League, and accredited by the Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools. Demographics, admissions policies, and a staff directory are posted, along with a school calendar, and an overview of its athletics, extracurricular, and academic programs.
https://hfsgb.org/
MacArthur is a Grand Blanc, Michigan manufacturer of innovative labels, tags, decals, and functional film components for the automotive, mobility, electronics, health technology, industrial, and consumer goods industries and markets. The safety, security, traceability, durability, and functionality of its products are discussed, and some of its well-known customers are featured, including testimonials and press information. An online shopping area is included on its site.
https://www.macarthurcorp.com/
Main Manufacturing Products, Inc.
In business for more than sixty years, the Grand Blanc, Michigan company manufactures and distributes hydraulic flanges to SAE, J518, ISO 6160, ISO 6164, JIS, and other flange standards, as well as producing flange adapters, SAE split flanges, manifolds, sub-plates, hydraulic connectors, and other components. Its location, history, and an overview of its products, services, inventory, and equipment are presented, including a product catalog and search feature.
https://www.mainmanufacturing.com/
Located on West Grand Blanc Road in Grand Blanc, Michigan, the company specializes in screen-printing and embroidery services, which may be designed and ordered online or at its brick-and-mortar facility. Online customers would choose the shirt, pick a color, then create or upload a design and/or logo, and the finished product can be shipped. Office hours, a telephone number, and an email address are posted for further information. Personalized gifts, canvasses, and posters are also available.
https://miragesportswear.com/
Located on Holly Road in Grand Blanc, Michigan, the hotel is part of the Choice Hotels Group. For members of its Choice Privileges Rewards program, discounts and points may be earned for eligible stays. An overview of the guest accommodations is given, including a list of amenities, photographs, and guest reviews. A map shows the location of the hotel, its check-in and check-out times, policy information, and contacts are displayed, and rooms may be booked online.
https://www.choicehotels.com/michigan/grand-blanc/quality-inn-hotels/mi319