Paw Paw, Michigan

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Paw Paw, Michigan
settlement_type = Village
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Paw Paw, Michigan


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Michigan
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Van Buren

government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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established_date =

area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 7.4
area_land_km2 = 6.9
area_water_km2 = 0.5
area_total_sq_mi = 2.9
area_land_sq_mi = 2.7
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3363
population_density_km2 = 487.5
population_density_sq_mi = 1262.5

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 223
elevation_ft = 732
latd = 42 |latm = 13 |lats = 2 |latNS = N
longd = 85 |longm = 53 |longs = 24 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 49079
area_code = 269
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 26-62980GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0634488GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Paw Paw is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,363. It is the county seat of Van Buren CountyGR|6.

The village is located at the confluence of the east and south branches of the Paw Paw River in the northeast portion of Paw Paw Township, but is politically independent. Paw Paw was incorporated in 1837 and is located in the southwestern portion of Michigan, on Interstate 94 approximately 20 miles west of Kalamazoo.

Paw Paw is in a quaint rural location whose primary agricultural product is grapes, which are used both in the local Michigan wine industry and for juice and jellies. The St. Julian Winery and Warner's Winery started in Paw Paw. Paw Paw has an annual Wine and Harvest Festival, which traditionally occurs the weekend following Labor Day. The Festival features a beer tent, bandstand, live music, a popular grape stomping competition among barefoot locals, carnival foods, and fireworks over scenic Maple Lake. Fine dining establishments in the Theater District cater to attendees of the Festival.

Paw Paw is named for the pawpaw trees which once grew along the Paw Paw River. However, the pawpaw trees are less common at present due to the clearing of the shade trees that pawpaws require. An experimental planting of pawpaw trees on the high school grounds failed to flourish due to its location in an open, sunny field.

Famous Paw Paw natives include labor leader and political activist Joseph Labadie, , "Paw Paw" Charlie Maxwell, a former Detroit Tigers baseball player who was also known as "Sunday" Charlie due to his propensity for hitting home runs during Sunday games; actress and educator Loretta Long, best known as "Miss Susan" on the long-running children's program Sesame Street, Tony-award winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell and currently hosting "Step It Up And Dance" on TV, Jason Babin of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, and young adult fiction author [Jeremy Brown (author)|Jeremy Brown] ] Early 20th Century major league baseball players George "Pat" Paige, and Wade and Bill Killefer were graduates of Paw Paw High School. [http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-16/1141230131269920.xml&coll=7] . Roughly equidistant between Chicago and Detroit, the village is also long-rumored to have been a summer residence of notorious gangster Al Capone. Paw Paw has also recently gained national prominence as the site of the Great Wheelchair Ride of Ben Carpenter (2007) The story of this event was carried by most major news media organizations, including the BBC.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), of which, 2.7 square miles (6.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (7.29%) is water.

Major highways

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Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,363 people, 1,417 households, and 855 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,262.5 per square mile (488.1/km²). There were 1,511 housing units at an average density of 567.3/sq mi (219.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 92.83% White, 2.85% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.19% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population.

There were 1,417 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the village the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $50,889. Males had a median income of $36,548 versus $29,559 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,859. About 1.9% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Fun facts

* The village of Paw Paw is referenced in the song "Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch" on Brian Eno's first solo album "Here Come the Warm Jets". In the book "More Dark Than Shark" (ISBN 0571138101), Eno explained that the song was inspired by the case of a man named A.W. Underwood from Paw Paw in the late 19th century who was rumored to create fires by simply breathing on objects. [http://istina.rin.ru/eng/ufo/text/310.html]
* The musical Dear Edwina is set in Paw Paw.
* The village is the setting for the short story "Paw Paw for Jesus" by Chicago writer Cheryl Trykv, aired on the This American Life radio program (Episode 102: Road Trip!).
* Young Professor Sumdac was shown as a resident in the cartoon series Transformers Animated.

See also

* Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railway

References

External links

* [http://www.pawpaw.net/ Paw Paw Michigan]
* [http://www.pawpawmi.com/ Paw Paw Michigan Chamber of Commerce]