The City of Vassar, Michigan is in western Tuscola County, spanning Vassar and Tuscola townships. Although it is toward the outside, Vassar is considered to be part of the Thumb Region of the Lower Peninsula.
The Cass River flows through the city. The 61.5-mile waterway flows through or near Bridgeport, Frankenmuth, Tuscola, Vassar, Caro, and Cass City, emptying into the Shiawassee River. Moore Drain empties into the river within the Vassar city limits.
The chief route through the city is M-15 (Huron Avenue, Goodrich Street). Other routes include Day Road, Jay Road, Frankenmuth Road, Kirk Road, Scotch Road, Vassar Road, and Van Wagnen Road.
Cities and villages within twenty-five miles of Vassar include Millington, Reese, Frankenmuth, Mayville, Fairgrove, Otisville, Otter Lake, Caro, Akron, Birch Run, Saginaw, Clio, Columbiaville, Clifford, Mt. Morris, Zilwaukee, Kingston, Bay City, Essexville, and Davison, while the unincorporated communities of Richville, Tuscola, Karrs Corner, Denmark Junction, and Watrousville are within ten miles.
Prior to the arrival of European and European-Americans in the area during the 18th century, the Sauk, Fox, and Ojibwe tribes all had a presence in the area at various times.
In the area of what is now downtown Vassar, a group of men employed by Townsend North and James M. Edmunds began building a dam on the Cass River on March 1, 1849. A town soon developed in this area, and was named for Matthew Vassar, Edmunds' uncle, who later founded Vassar College.
In 1850, a school district was formed, and a schoolhouse was built the following year on the corner of South Main Street and Spruce Street. In 1851, Edmunds borrowed $10,000 from his uncle to organize and begin the development of the new town. Within a few years, streets were laid out, and the village was surveyed and platted. A post office was opened on September 26, 1851, with Dr. William Johnson as the first postmaster.
Lumbering was a prime attraction for early settlers. In particular, the cork pine that grew along the Cass River was considered to be a high-quality white pine. Cork pine, which was so named because its logs floated on the water like a cork, often reached a height of 150 feet and a diameter of 3-4 feet.
Vassar's population grew from under a hundred to 670 by 1880, when it first appeared on a census. Vassar was incorporated as a village in 1871, and became a city on September 28, 1944.
Timber was floated down the Cass River to be transported to customers as far away as Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Boston.
Vassar's growth was boosted by improvements made to the State Road, now known as M-15, and again by the coming of the railroad. In 1873, the Michigan Central Railroad built a line (Bay City Branch) connecting Detroit, Vassar, and Bay City, which had a station in Vassar that operated until the late 20th century. Later, the Port Huron & North Western (Pere Marquette) line between Saginaw and Port Huron crossed the Michigan Central track in Vassar. Both lines, later operated by the Huron & Eastern Railroad, were controlled by an interlocking tower. The Michigan Central also had a branch that left the main line heading northeast to Bad Axe.
Today, two freight lines continue to run through Vassar. The Michigan Central Railroad, owned by the Huron & Eastern Railway Company, operates both lines, which join near the intersection of Maple Street and Cass Avenue downtown.
Townsend North was elected president at the first charter election, held at the Union Hall in Vassar on April 10, 1871, and he continued to hold public offices throughout his life. He was appointed as the Assessor of Internal Revenues of the Sixth District of Michigan, and was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1874.
When the surrounding timber resources were depleted, Vassar experienced a couple of decades of decline, but soon rebounded with new industries and commercial interests. With the exception of slight declines in 1980, 1990, and 2010, Vassar has experienced increases since 1920. Its population in 2020 was 2,727.
Vassar Public Schools serves all of the city, as well as parts of Arbela, Denmark, Juniata, Tuscola, and Vassar townships. The district operates five schools, all of which are located in Vassar.
Vassar operates its own police and fire departments.
The Vassar Rail Trail is a two-mile non-motorized trail that runs adjacent to the Cass river from Huron Street to the southern boundary, along a former connecting spur. The city also operates several parks and other recreational facilities.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on Vassar, Michigan. Online resources for the municipality, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities, are appropriate for this category.
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Offering service and support to clients in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, Australia, and Asia, the foundry produces steel castings, stainless steel castings, alloy steel castings, gray iron castings, and prototype castings used in power generation, mining, pulp and paper, transportation, agricultural, steel processing, asphalt, cement, and ground engagement industries, specializing in the production of steel and gray iron castings. The address and contacts are provided.
https://astechinc.com/
A ministry of Juniata Baptist Church, the private K-4 to 12th-grade school is in Vassar, Michigan. The school's address and a map showing its location are posted, along with a telephone number, email address, and online contact form. Also included are a school calendar, an overview of its sports programs, its fundraisers, and access to registration forms, tuition payment agreement forms, tuition fee schedules, book lists, consent forms, a classroom supply list, and other documents.
https://mrterpenning.wixsite.com/juniatachristian
Founded in 1849, the City of Vassar is in Tuscola County, in the Thumb Region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The official municipal website publishes the names of members of the city council, its boards, commissions, department heads, and staff, including administrative hours and contacts. Meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes are included, and a citizen's financial guide is set forth. Information about city parks and recreational facilities, schools, and civic organizations are included.
http://cityofvassar.org/
Established in 2001, the program provides automobile skills testing for the State of Michigan. Its owners and staff are introduced, and its telephone number and email address are posted on the site, along with an online contact form. Prerequisites and policies are listed on the site, along with its fees, payment options, instructions for scheduling testing, and things that need to be in place prior. Also included are the address and a map showing the location of its skills testing site.
https://vassardriving.com/
The public school district in Vassar, Michigan offers a PK-12 curriculum through Townsend North Preschool, Central Elementary School, and Vassar Middle & High School, each of which is highlighted here, with school schedules, a district calendar, bulletins, enrollment information, and employment and volunteer opportunities. Guides for prospective and current parents, a district handbook, and a student handbook are included, along with its programs.
https://www.vassar.k12.mi.us/
