Paw Paw, Michigan

Alternate use: There is also the unincorporated community of Paw Paw Lake in Berrien County about 30 miles west of the village of Paw Paw.

Paw Paw is a village located in Van Buren County, Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 3,363. It is the county seat of Van Buren County⁶. The village is located in the northeast portion of Paw Paw Township at the confluence of the east and south branches of the Paw Paw River.

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 a quaint rural location whose primary agricultural product is grapes, which are used both in the local wine industry and for juice and jellies. The St. Julian's and Warner's Wineries 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 "Jo" 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, indie rock band Berwer, and Jason Babin of the NFL's Houston Texans. Roughly equidistant between Chicago and Detroit, the village is also long-rumored to have been the frequent summer residence of notorious gangster Al Capone.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 7.5 km² (2.9 mi²). 6.9 km² (2.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.29% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 3,363 people, 1,417 households, and 855 families residing in the village. The population density is 488.1/km² (1,262.5/mi²). There are 1,511 housing units at an average density of 219.3/km² (567.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the village is 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. 2.97% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

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

In the village the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village is $38,750, and the median income for a family is $50,889. Males have a median income of $36,548 versus $29,559 for females. The per capita income for the village is $21,859. 5.7% of the population and 1.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.1% of those under the age of 18 and 3.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External link

• Paw Paw Michigan (http://www.pawpaw.net/default.htm)