Editing Frankenmuth, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Frankenmuth, Michigan
|official_name            = 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|image_skyline            = Main Street, Frankenmuth, Michigan, 2014-01-11.jpg
|imagesize                = 275
|image_caption            = Downtown Frankenmuth along [[M-83 (Michigan highway)|Main Street]]
|image_seal               = City of Frankenmuth Michigan Seal.PNG
|seal_size                = 100px
|nicknames                 = Little Bavaria, Muth, The Muth
|pushpin_map            = Michigan
|pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_label          = Frankenmuth
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location within the state of Michigan
|pushpin_mapsize        = 
|image_map                = Frakenmuth, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Saginaw County, Michigan|Saginaw County]]
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|19|56|N|83|44|21|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Saginaw County, Michigan|Saginaw]]
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1845
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1904 (village)<br>1959 (city)
|government_type          = {{nowrap|[[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]}}
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Tom Meyer
|leader_title1            = [[City manager]]
|leader_name1             = Bridget Smith<ref name="sn" />
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_26.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 8.20
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.17
|area_land_km2            = 8.05
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.11
|area_water_km2           = 0.15
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.06
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 637
|population_total         = 4987
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_density_km2   = 619.30
|population_density_sq_mi = 1604.05
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_note          = 
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
|postal_code              = 48734
|area_code                = [[Area code 989|989]]
|website                  = {{URL|www.frankenmuth.org}}
|footnotes                = 
|leader_title2            = 
|leader_name2             = 
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-30200<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1626303<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1626303}}</ref>
}}

'''Frankenmuth''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|r|æ|ŋ|.|k|ə|n|.|m|uː|θ}} {{respell|FRANK|ən|mooth}}) is a city in [[Saginaw County, Michigan|Saginaw County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 4,987 at the [[United States Census, 2020|2020 census]].<ref>US Census Bureau, 2020 Census Report, Frankenmuth city, Michigan Profile https://data.census.gov/profile?g=1600000US2630200</ref> The city is surrounded by [[Frankenmuth Township, Michigan|Frankenmuth Township]].

The city's name is a combination of two German words: {{lang|de|Franken}} for the region of [[Franconia]] in [[Kingdom of Bavaria|Bavaria]] from which the original settlers came, and {{lang|de|Mut}} (formerly spelled as ''Muth''{{efn|the sound represented by "th" does not exist in standard modern German. Native German words which still had the digraph dropped it after the [[:de:Orthographische Konferenz von 1901|German Orthographic Conference of 1901]]}}) which means "courage". Thus, the name Frankenmuth means "courage of the Franconians".<ref name=fha>{{Cite book |title=Frankenmuth |publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] |series=Images of America |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-7385-6175-2}}</ref>
The most popular nickname is "'''Little Bavaria'''",<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jordan|first1=Heather|title=Gov. Rick Snyder speaks to Saginaw County Chamber crowd in 'Michigan's Little Bavaria'|url=http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2014/09/gov_rick_snyder_speaks_to_sagi.html |access-date=October 16, 2014|work=The [[Saginaw News]]|publisher=[[MLive Media Group]]|date=September 12, 2014}}</ref>
in reference to the city's German heritage.

==History==
The area was settled and named by conservative [[Lutheran]] immigrants from [[Roßtal]] area of [[Franconia]] in [[Germany]].<ref name="historyofsaginaw">{{Cite book |last=Mills |first=James |title=History of Saginaw County, Michigan: historical, commercial, biographical, Volume 2 |publisher=Seeman & Peters |year=1918}}</ref> The group of settlers left Germany aboard the ''Caroline'' on April 20, 1845, and arrived at [[Castle Garden]] in [[New York (state)|New York]] seven weeks later. They traveled via canals and the [[Great Lakes]] from New York to [[Detroit]] and arrived in August 1845. Sailing then on the ''Nelson Smith'', the settlers made their way to [[Saginaw]] and traveled over land to what is now the city of Frankenmuth.<ref name="historyofsaginaw"/>

The purpose of the settlement was primarily religious. The Lutheran group planned to start a mission among the [[Native Americans of the United States|Native Americans]]. One of the first large buildings was a church. However, their attempts to convert the local groups failed because most of the Native Americans were forced away within a few years.<ref name="Michael Schmitz">{{cite news|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/frankenmuth-michigans-little-bavaria-4061717|title=Frankenmuth – Michigan's Little Bavaria|date=February 28, 2017|first1=Michael |last1=Schmitz|publisher=ThoughtCo.}}</ref>

The settlers selected a hilly area that reminded them of their native [[Mittelfranken]] and began building rough shelters there. Frankenmuth was to be an exclusively German Lutheran community. The colonists pledged to remain loyal to Germany, specifically the [[Kingdom of Bavaria]] ({{langx|de|Königreich Bayern}}), and to be faithful to the German language.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.frankenmuth.org/about-frankenmuth/history/ | title=History }}</ref> Germans continued arriving until the start of the [[Second World War]].<ref name="Michael Schmitz"/>

The community was originally part of [[Bridgeport Charter Township, Michigan|Bridgeport Township]] and later [[Frankenmuth Township]],<ref name="historyofsaginaw"/><ref name="milegislature1960">{{Cite book |title=Public and local acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan |publisher=Legislative Service Bureau |year=1960 |page=302}}</ref> Frankenmuth became a village in 1904. In 1938, the village hired its first village manager, Herbert L. Keinath. The village was incorporated as a city on October 1, 1959, with Keinath becoming city manager.<ref name=sn>{{cite news|last1=Tower|first1=Mark|title=Frankenmuth offers city manager job to Saginaw Township official|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2016/09/frankenmuth_offers_city_manage.html|access-date=May 15, 2017|newspaper=The Saginaw News |publisher=Mlive Media Group|date=September 8, 2016}}</ref>

The nearby villages of [[Frankenlust Township, Michigan|Frankenlust]], [[Blumfield Township, Michigan|Frankentrost]], and Frankenhilf (now known as [[Denmark Township, Michigan|Richville]]) further illustrate that the area remained a magnet for other Germans emigrating from the same region. The German, and in particular, Franconian culture of the town, has been preserved and passed down through the generations. The German language is still prevalent in signage and speech, and German speakers continue to reside in the town. In addition, the church of St. Lorenz offers monthly services in the German language.<ref name="Michael Schmitz"/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|3.04|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|2.99|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.05|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=November 25, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=July 2, 2012 }}</ref> The [[Cass River (Michigan)|Cass River]] passes through the town.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 693
|1920= 733
|1930= 925
|1940= 1100
|1950= 1208
|1960= 1728
|1970= 2834
|1980= 3753
|1990= 4408
|2000= 4838
|2010= 4944
|2020= 4987
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
! Largest ancestries (2010)<ref name="factfinder.census.gov">https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml {{Webarchive|url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20150108070337/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml|date=2015-01-08}} [https://www.census.gov] (Frankenmuth city, Michigan Selected Social Characteristics (Household and Family Type, Disability, Citizenship, Ancestry, Language, ...)</ref>!! Percent 
|-
| [[German Americans|German]]|| 49.3% 
|-
| [[English Americans|English]] || 12.9%
|-
| [[Polish Americans|Polish]] || 8.6%
|-
| [[Irish Americans|Irish]] || 6.3%
|-
| [[American (ethnicity)|American]] || 4.4% 
|-
| [[French American|French]] || 4.0% 
|-
|}
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 25, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 4,944 people, 2,200 households, and 1,313 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1653.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,396 housing units at an average density of {{convert|801.3|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.8% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 2,200 households, of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.3% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 50.1 years. 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.9% were from 25 to 44; 28% were from 45 to 64; and 28.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.9% male and 55.1% female.

===2000 census===
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
! Languages (2000)<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://apps.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results | title=Data Center Results }}</ref>!! Percent 
|-
| Spoke [[English language|English]] at home || 84.78% 
|-
| Spoke [[German language|German]] at home || 8.74%
|-
| Spoke [[Spanish language|Spanish]] at home  || 0.77%
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 90%;" align=right
|-
! Largest ancestries (2000)<ref name="factfinder.census.gov"/> !! Percent 
|-
| [[German Americans|German]] || 52.9% 
|-
| [[English Americans|English]] || 13.2%
|-
| [[Irish Americans|Irish]]  || 9.5%
|-
| [[Polish Americans|Polish]] || 7.9%
|-
| [[French American|French]]  || 6.0% 
|-
| [[American (ethnicity)|American]] || 5.8% 
|-
|}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,838 people, 2,123 households, and 1,322 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,773.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,240 housing units at an average density of {{convert|821.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.80% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.27% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.29% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.37% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.95% of the population.

Citizens with German ancestry formed nearly 53% of the city population.

24.8% households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city, 20.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,153, and the median income for a family was $71,667. Males had a median income of $51,004 versus $29,959 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $30,479. About 2.4% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

== Economy ==
Tourism and farming drive the local economy. [[#Festivals|Local festivals]] and other events are held to attract visitors throughout the year.<ref name="mlive-visitors">{{cite web
 |url= https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/02/frankenmuth_is_michigans_top_d.html |title= Frankenmuth is Michigan's top attraction by 1 million visitors, Bridge Magazine report shows |last= Knake |first= Lindsey |date=February 21, 2013 |website=MLive |publisher=Saginaw News |access-date=December 13, 2018}}</ref>

In addition to tourism, a significant number of residents in and around the community work in agriculture.

In late 2022, it was announced that the Bavarian Inn Lodge would break ground on an $80 million, 140,000 square foot expansion of the resort, with the water park becoming the largest indoor park in Michigan and the 4th largest in the world.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

== Architecture ==
The strong influence of [[Franconia]]n-style architecture can be found in most areas of the city. Most buildings in the commercial district, as well as many homes, feature stylistic interpretations of the timber-framed buildings found in the Franconia region of [[Germany]], which include timbers placed in "square" and "X" patterns on the outside of buildings, as well as the use of "X" patterns on windows, doors, and other building features.

==Government==
[[File:Frankemuth Township and City offices.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Frankenmuth City & Township Government Center]]
The city has a [[Council–manager government|council–manager]] form of government.<ref name=sn/> The city is served by the [[Frankenmuth School District]].

==Festivals==
*Oktoberfest: In 1990, Frankenmuth, also known as "Michigan's Little Bavaria," celebrated its first [[Oktoberfest]]. The Frankenmuth Oktoberfest celebrates [[Germans|German]] culture, heritage and love. Frankenmuth has a unique German heritage and culture. The Frankenmuth Oktoberfest strives to preserve and share the sights and sounds as well as the food and drink of the Munich Oktoberfest. The goal of the festival is to also retain and celebrate the local Bavarian heritage of the region.

:By official proclamation of Lord Mayor Christian Ude on behalf of the German Parliament and city of [[Munich]], Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest was declared in 1996 the first Oktoberfest to operate outside that city with the blessing of the original Oktoberfest.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/09/frankenmuths_oktoberfest_is_a.html|title=Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest is a recipe for fun with German music, dancing and beer|date=September 18, 2013|author=Yfat Yossifor|publisher=mLIVE}}</ref> The event was also moved at that time into September to coincide with the opening of the Munich event. Also, for the first time in its history, the world-famous [[Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München|Hofbräuhaus]] brewery of Munich exported its beer to the United States. Local businessman Fred Schumacher, who later became president of Hofbräuhaus of America, handled the arrangements for getting the beer to Frankenmuth in time for the Oktoberfest.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.hofbrauhaus.us/history/ | title=History }}</ref> Frankenmuth's Oktoberfest is considered one of the most important and popular autumn festivals in the United States.
*Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival: This is Michigan's largest Bavarian heritage festival. Beginning in 1959, it is an annual summer celebration of Bavarian culture and values through food, drink, traditional activities and music.
*Frankenmuth SnowFest: Frankenmuth is also host to one of the top snow-sculpting events in [[North America]], Zehnder's SnowFest, which includes the United States Collegiate National Ice Carving Championships.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2012/01/zehnders_snowfest_2012_feature.htm|title=Snow and cold don't keep crowds from Zehnder's Snowfest 2012 in Frankenmuth on Sunday|date=January 29, 2012|first1=Orrin |last1=Shawl|newspaper=[[The Flint Journal]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701072111/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2012/01/zehnders_snowfest_2012_feature.htm|archive-date=July 1, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
*Frankenmuth Fire Muster: For several years, on the last Saturday in July, the Great Lakes International Antique Fire Apparatus Association (GLIAFAA) holds their annual fire muster, complete with parade, at Heritage Park, displaying restored antique vintage fire trucks, along with several ambulances and police cars, for the public to view and learn a little about the vehicles, their time in active service, and how they came into the ownership of their preservationists, including several of the apparatus showing off their firefighting capabilities along the riverfront.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gliafaa.org/Frankenmuth-Muster.html|title=GLIAFAA Frankenmuth Fire Muster|access-date=April 4, 2019}}</ref>
*Frankenmuth Autofest: Held annually on the weekend following [[Labor Day]], Frankenmuth Autofest is a three-day [[car show]] that draws over 2,500 classic cars, including [[muscle car]]s and [[Street rod (car)|street rods]]. The first day features a [[block party]] on Main Street, with the vehicles on display in Heritage Park the following two days.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frankenmuth.org/calendar/frankenmuth-auto-fest/2019-09-08/|title=Frankenmuth Auto Fest|access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref> On the display days, a live [[disc jockey|DJ]] plays [[oldies]] music in the park, primarily focusing on [[rock and roll]] music of the 1950s and 1960s.
*Michigan's Big Country Fest: An event showcasing [[country music]] held the third week of October.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frankenmuth.org/calendar/big-country-fest/2019-10-18/|title=Michigan's Big Country Fest|access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref>
*Frankenmuth Dog Bowl and Balloons Over Bavarian Inn: Held on Memorial Day Weekend, this festival is billed as "the world's largest Olympic-style fest for dogs" and features dock and disc dog competitions, sheep herding demonstrations, agility competition, a pet costume contest and parade, a wiener dog race, and other events. In conjunction with Dog Bowl is Balloons Over Bavarian Inn, a competitive event for [[hot air balloons]] featuring balloon glow events each night and balloon flights each morning and evening of the festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frankenmuth.org/calendar/dog-bowl/2020-05-22/|title=Frankenmuth Dog Bowl and Balloons Over Bavarian Inn|access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref>

==Places of interest==
=== Covered bridge ===
[[File:Covered bridge, Frankenmuth, Michigan, 2015-01-11 01.jpg|thumb|Zehnder's Holzbrücke]]

Zehnder's Holzbrücke (German for ''wooden bridge'') is a wooden covered bridge, built in a style similar to those of the [[Black Forest]] or a [[Kapellbrücke|river in Switzerland]], over the Cass River in the middle of town. Though completed in 1979, the two-lane structure was constructed using traditional covered-bridge timber framing techniques. The floor joists and three-span Town [[Lattice truss bridge|lattice truss system]] of the {{convert|239|ft|abbr=on}} bridge are made of {{convert|100000|board feet}} of [[Douglas Fir]], and the decking of {{convert|15960|board feet}} of {{convert|4|in|adj=on}} planks. The area receiving the greatest wear is of oak, while the remainder is spruce. Approximately {{convert|20000|board feet}} of Douglas Fir make up the rafters, and the roof is shingled with cedar. An additional {{convert|4340|board feet}} of pine was required for the bridge side boards. The 230-ton structure was built in place on the east bank of the river, then pulled into position over the river with a capstan and pulleys.  It is wide enough to accommodate two pedestrian walkways in addition to auto traffic.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://my.net-link.net/~michaelf/zehnders.htm |title=Zehnder's Covered Bridge |website=The Covered Bridges of Michigan|access-date=July 11, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111062922/http://my.net-link.net/~michaelf/zehnders.htm |archive-date=January 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

=== Heritage Park ===
Heritage Park is Frankenmuth's best-known park. Located at 601 Weiss Street, it is home to many community activities, festivals, and large events. The Harvey E. Kern Community Pavilion is the newest addition, and has become a focal point of the park. Other features include four picnic pavilions, three ball diamonds, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, basketball court, a {{convert|0.9|mi||abbr=|adj=on}} riverwalk pathway, and several facilities for festivals.<ref>[http://www.frankenmuthcity.com/parks/pages/heritage.html ''City of Frankenmuth Heritage Park''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426080102/http://www.frankenmuthcity.com/parks/pages/heritage.html |date=April 26, 2012 }} Retrieved on December 28, 2011</ref>

===Silent-Night-Chapel Replica===
[[File:Frankenmuth December 2022 12 (Silent Night Memorial Chapel).jpg|thumb|Silent Night Memorial Chapel]]

A scale replica of the [[Silent-Night-Chapel]], is located on the southern end of the property of Bronner's.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bronner's |title=Silent Night Chapel at Bronner's |url=https://www.bronners.com/topic/history-of-silent-night-chapel.do |website=Bronner's Christmas Wonderland |access-date=24 December 2018}}</ref>

===September 11th Memorial===
A 900-pound, 10-foot twisted piece of I-beam steel recovered from the remains of the Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center destroyed on 9/11/2001 stands outside the Frankenmuth joint police/fire department headquarters on the fire department's side of the building. Donated to the Frankenmuth Fire Department during the cleanup and recovery operations in New York City following the destruction of the Twin Towers by Al Qaeda hijacked aircraft and subsequent collapse of the two 110-story buildings, the piece of steel, mounted on a granite base shaped like [[The Pentagon]], allows visitors to look at the historical piece of American history, and read about the events of that tragic day on the panels located on the base of the memorial.

==Print media==

===''Frankenmuth News''===
The ''Frankenmuth News'' has been Frankenmuth's primary newspaper since 1906. It is released on a weekly basis (Wednesday for news stands and Thursday for residential) and focuses on issues of local concern.<ref>[http://www.frankenmuthnews.com/?page_id=1 ''Frankenmuth News'']</ref>

==Sister city==
* [[Gunzenhausen]], [[Germany]]

==Notable residents==
*[[Eduard Raimund Baierlein]] (1819–1901), German missionary
*[[Frederick William Danker]] (1920–2012), lexicographer
*[[Ludwig E. Fuerbringer]] (1864–1947), Lutheran academic
*[[Kenneth Horn]] (1959–), Michigan state senator
*[[Greta Van Fleet]], rock band containing [[Josh Kiszka]] (Vocals), [[Jake Kiszka]] (Guitar), [[Sam Kiszka]] (Bass, Keyboard), and [[Danny Wagner (musician)|Danny Wagner]] (Drums)

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="150" heights="112">
File:Field and trees in Frankenmuth, Michigan, US.jpg|Field and trees in the autumn in Frankenmuth
File:Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth, Michigan, 2015-01-11 01.jpg|Bavarian Inn Lodge
File:Wiki Frankenmuth old mill 58.jpg|The Nickless-Hubinger Flour Mill
File:FrankenmuthVisitorCenter.JPG|Frankenmuth Visitor Center
File:Riverside shops, Frankenmuth, Michigan, 2015-01-11 02.jpg|Frankemuth River Place Shops
File:Frankemuth architecture (Rummel Platz building).jpg|Rummel Platz building
File:Zehnder's Chicken Restaurant, Frankenmuth, Michigan, 2015-01-11 01.jpg|[[Zehnder's]] restaurant
File:Covered bridge entrance, Frankenmuth, Michigan, 2015-01-11.jpg|Covered bridge crossing the [[Cass River (Michigan)|Cass River]]
File:Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.JPG|[[Bronner's Christmas Wonderland]]
File:Frankenmuth (23 Dec 2019).jpg|Christmas night scene in downtown Frankenmuth
File:Frankenmuth horse and carriage.jpg|Horse and carriages along Main Street
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Michigan}}
* [[Helen, Georgia]]
* [[Leavenworth, Washington]]
* [[Solvang, California]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Florer, Warren Washburn. ''Early Michigan Settlements, Vol. 1: Washtenaw, Westphalia, Frankenmuth, Detroit, 1848''. Ann Arbor: Herold Printing Co., 1941.
*Johnston, Keith R. "Frankenmuth, Michigan: from German Settlement to Tourist Attraction." Master of Liberal Studies in American Culture diss., University of Michigan—Flint, 1988. 
*Pollen, T. J. ''[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071339090;view=1up;seq=8 History of Frankenmuth: with Short Sketches of the Old Settlers]''.
*Zehnder, Herman F. ''Teach My People the Truth: the Story of Frankenmuth, Michigan''. 1970.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Frankenmuth, Michigan}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Frankenmuth}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090322044931/http://www.frankenmuthcity.com/ City of Frankenmuth]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090207190210/http://www.frankenmuth.org/ Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau]

{{Saginaw County, Michigan}}
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[[Category:German-American history]]
[[Category:Cities in Saginaw County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1845]]
[[Category:German communities in the United States]]
[[Category:German-American culture in Michigan]]
[[Category:1845 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Frankenmuth, Michigan| ]]