Adrian is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 21,574, with the 2006 population estimated at 21,703. It is the county seat of Lenawee County, which is in Michigan's 7th congressional district.

Description

Adrian is approximately 30 miles southwest of Ann Arbor, 30 miles southeast of Jackson, and 30 miles northwest of Toledo, Ohio. A portion of the city is on the border between Adrian Township and Madison Charter Township, although the city is politically independent of both. The city's urban area extends beyond the city limits into both of those townships as well as into nearby Raisin Township and Palmyra Township.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.8 km²), of which, 7.1 square miles (18.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (1.80%) is water.

The town is approximately 15 miles southeast of the Irish Hills area of Michigan. The Irish Hills is know for its many lakes and rolling hills and is home to the Irish Famine Memorial and Michigan International Speedway. Many town residents take advantage of this area for boating and recreation. Devils Lake, Round Lake, and Wamplers Lake are popular weekend destinations only a few miles away.

Major highways

	US 223
	Business US 223
	M-34
	M-52

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 21,574 people, 7,908 households, and 4,855 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,023.5 per square mile (1,166.6/km²). There were 8,498 housing units at an average density of 1,191.0/sq mi (459.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.47% White, 3.52% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.2%, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 7.72% from other races, and 2.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.99% of the population.

There were 7,908 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 15.4% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,405, and the median income for a family was $42,069. Males had a median income of $31,500 versus $23,359 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,528. About 9.8% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 19.8% of those age 65 or over.

Major businesses in town include a Wal-Mart, a GM/Delphi manufacturing plant, Adrian Steel Company, Merillat Cabinets, and Gus Harrison Correctional Facility.

Government

Adrian is run by a city commission headed by a mayor. Its sister city is Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

Elected Officials

Mayor: Gary McDowell

City commissioners: Mike Clegg, Greg DuMars, Barb Mitzel, Michael Osborne Jr., Harry "Dusty" Steele, Kirk Valentine

Information as of August 2007

Colleges and universities

There are three colleges and universities in the City, namely:

• Adrian College
• Siena Heights University
• Jackson Community College

Local media

The Daily Telegram is Adrian's local daily newspaper.

Local radio stations include WABJ 1490 AM (mainly syndicated talk); WQTE 95.3 FM (country music); WLEN 103.9 FM (adult contemporary music, local news and information); and WVAC 107.9 FM (student-operated radio from Adrian College). Stations WSAE in Spring Arbor and WBCL in Fort Wayne also operate translator FM stations in Adrian, at 96.5 and 97.7 on the dial respectively.

Adrian is also served by radio and television signals from Ann Arbor, Toledo, and Jackson, and some Detroit broadcasters can also be seen or heard in parts of the area.

Notable residents

• Addison Comstock, founder of Adrian and builder of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad (the first railroad west of New York State)
• Norman Bel Geddes, architectural industrial designer, aviation designer, and theatrical designer best known for the 1939 New York World's Fair pavilion Futurama he designed for General Motors
• Laura Smith Haviland, Superintendent and Stationmaster on the Underground Railroad
• Thomas M. Cooley, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, 1864-1885
• Thomas Edison, inventor, lived in Adrian and opened a shop for repairing telegraph instruments and the making of new machinery
• Charles Croswell, Governor of Michigan, 1877-1881
• Phil Donahue, talk show host got his start in 1959 working at radio station WABJ in Adrian
• Orville D. Merillat, founder of Merillat Kitchens -- later Merillat Industries (born in Salem, Ohio, moved to Adrian as a young man)
• Richard Merillat, entrepreneur, former CEO of Merillat Industries and philanthropist
• Martha Seger, economist, in 1984 became first woman appointed to a full term on the Federal Reserve Board, Governor of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C. from 1984-1991
• Mike Marshall (baseball pitcher), Major League Baseball pitcher who won the 1974 Cy Young Award
• Garry Wills, Catholic intellectual and author, spent childhood years in Adrian

References

External links

• City of Adrian
• Adrian Architecture
• Adrian Public Library
• Adrian Public Schools
• Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce
• Lenawee County Conference & Visitors Bureau
• Jackson Community College @ VO-TECH
• The Daily Telegram
• Lenawee County government site
• Lenawee County Library
• Complete text of History of Lenawee County published in 1909 by the Western Historical Society