Issue:
September/October 2006

Text:
D. Brent Miller

Photography:
D. Brent Miller

Geographic Region:
MI, USA

Pages:
40 - 46

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Bay City
Geography made the location a natural place for settlement. Fulfilling the needs of lumber barons and shipbuilders, Bay City was built on the Saginaw River, at the mouth of Saginaw Bay, more than 170 years ago. Today the diverse community of Bay City venerates its heritage and thrives in a strong economy.

There are three historic districts in or near downtown, including an architectural dream street of baronial homes in the Central Avenue Historic District. Current tenants in the Midland Street Historic District, once the business center of West Bay City, have filled the old buildings with specialty shops, restaurants and pubs. The Bay City Convention and Visitor's Bureau (CVB) describes this district, situated on the river's western shore near Veteran's Memorial Park, as the "Entertainment Capital of Mid-Michigan."

The Downtown Bay City Historic District features great architecture, specialty shops, antique stores, restaurants and coffee houses. City Hall, the County Building, U.S. Post Office, the police and bus stations are all located on the east side of the river in the downtown. There are two hotels there, the Holiday Inn and Doubletree, which put the downtown historic districts within walking distance. Leslie Thompson, the sales manager of the Doubletree, says she and Shirley Roberts of the CVB are happy to organize pub-crawls for groups. "From the downtown hotels, there are 30 pubs and eateries within walking distance," she adds....