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The City of Saint Johns, Michigan is the county seat of Clinton County, in the central Lower Peninsula.

M-21 (State Street) intersects Bus-127 (Whittemore Street) in downtown St. Johns, east of the center, while US-127 runs north, east of the city limits, briefly turning west at the north city limits, before continuing north.

Cities and villages within twenty miles of St. Johns include Fowler, Ovid, Dewitt, Maple Rapids, Pewamo, Elsie, Westphalia, Ashley, Laingsburg, Perrinton, Muir, and Owosso, while the unincorporated communities of Shepardsville and Eureka are within ten miles of the city.

The city is in north Bingham Township, although it is administered autonomously.

The city and township have two main commercial districts: downtown Saint Johns and the Business 127 Corridor, although they serve different purposes. Downtown St. Johns is characterized by attached, multi-story storefronts with curbside parking, while the Bus-127 Corridor is less densely developed and features large lots with chain stores and restaurants.

Serving the city and township, there are eight main parks. The largest, St. Johns City Park, hosts several events throughout the year, including the St. Johns Mint Festival. The remaining parks are 4-H Fairgrounds Park, Oak Street Park, Water Tower Park, Senior Citizen Park, Jaycees Park, Rotary Park and St. Johns Depot, and Kibbee Street Park.

The Fred Meijer Heartland Trail runs through the city. A 42-mile paved trail, it connects the cities of Alma and Greenville in rural, central Michigan.

Saint Johns first appeared on a census roll in 1880 with a population of 2,370, and has increased each decade, with the exception of 1910, 1990, and 2020, when its population was 7,698.

Like many Michigan communities, Saint Johns was founded as a railroad town. John Swegles, one of four state officials who examined the proposed route of the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad, acquired land in the area, cleared it, and laid out a village, naming it for himself, with the Rev. C.A. Lamb, a Baptist minister, adding the Saint.

On February 6, 1855, the Bingham Post office was renamed Saint Johns, with George W. Estes as postmaster. When the railroad came through in 1857, Saint Johns was designated the county seat, and the village was incorporated that same year. It became a city in 1904.

Near the turn of the 20th century, the high demand for mint oil in medicines and candy from companies such as Wrigley resulted in a surge in demand for mint farming. As the soil in much of Clinton County was well suited for mint farming, several mint farmers cultivated the soil in the surrounding area. Established by J.E. Crosby in 1912, the Crosby Mint Farm claims to be the oldest continuously operated family farm in the country.

Today, Clinton County produces more mint than any other county in the country, and Saint John has become known as the Mint City or the Mint Capital of the World.

This portion of our guide is dedicated to the City of Saint Johns, Michigan. Online resources for the municipality, county, or any other governmental body located within the city, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities, are appropriate for this category.

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