Editing Paw Paw, Michigan

{{distinguish|text=[[Paw Paw Lake, Michigan]] in Berrien County, approximately 30 miles to the west}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Paw Paw, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Pawpawcourthouse.jpg 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[Van Buren County Courthouse (Michigan)|Van Buren County Courthouse]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Van_Buren_County_Michigan_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Paw_Paw_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Paw Paw, Michigan
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|pushpin_map = Michigan#United States

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Van Buren County, Michigan|Van Buren]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|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           = 7.48
|area_land_km2            = 6.90
|area_water_km2           = 0.58
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.89
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.67
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.22

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3362
|population_density_km2   = 487.04
|population_density_sq_mi = 1261.54

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 223
|elevation_ft             = 732
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|13|2|N|85|53|24|W|region:US-MI|display=inline, title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 49079
|area_code                = [[Area code 269|269]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-62980<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              = 634488<ref>{{gnis|634488}}</ref>
|website                  = {{official URL|https://www.pawpaw.net/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:St Julian Winery.jpg|right|thumb|none|St. Julian Winery in Paw Paw]] -->
'''Paw Paw''' is a village in and the [[county seat]] of [[Van Buren County, Michigan]].  The population was 3,362 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=February 14, 2025|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>

==Overview==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2023}}
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, Michigan|Paw Paw Township]].  Paw Paw was incorporated in 1837 and is located in the southwestern portion of Michigan, on [[Interstate 94 in Michigan|Interstate 94]] (I-94) approximately {{convert|20|mi|km}} west of [[Kalamazoo, Michigan|Kalamazoo]]. Paw Paw is named for the [[Asimina triloba|pawpaw]] trees which once grew along the Paw Paw River.

In 1832, Rodney Hinckley located a farm on the Paw Paw River.<ref>History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, 1880</ref> In that year, Pierce Barber also built a sawmill on the Paw Paw River at the west end of what became the village. In 1833, Peter Gremps and Lyman J. Daniels put the sawmill into business, and Gremps is considered the founder of the village of Paw Paw.

The town was the home of African American cookbook author [[Malinda Russell]] who published the first known cookbook by a black woman in the United States. She lived in Paw Paw after she fled her Tennessee home, which was raided by traveling gangs of whites in 1864. Her book ''Domestic Cook Book: Containing a Careful Selection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen'', as a means to provide income for her and her son and earn money to return {{sfn|Sorensen|2011|p=148}} to [[Greeneville, Tennessee]].{{sfn|Longone|2007|p=viii}} Russell self-published her book, in 1866, giving a brief history of her life{{sfn|O'Neill|2007}} and stating in the preface to it that she hoped to earn passage to return home from its proceeds.{{sfn|Ferris|2014|p=89}} Within months of her publication, the town of Paw Paw was destroyed by fire.{{sfn|O'Neill|2007}}

On June 13, 1888, fire again erupted, destroying seven buildings (including 11 businesses and 2 lodges) in the village.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pawpawwappaw.com/Miscellaneous%20Stuff/Paw%20Paw%20History%20Photo%20File.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817130035/http://pawpawwappaw.com/Miscellaneous%20Stuff/Paw%20Paw%20History%20Photo%20File.pdf |archive-date=August 17, 2016 |url-status=live|format=PDF|title=Paw Paw History Photo File|website=Pawpawwappaw.com|access-date=October 25, 2021}}</ref>

Paw Paw is in a 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 Vineyards 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. For three days, the village opens up to celebrate its agricultural roots: its fruit-growing, juice, and wine-making industries. Activities in every corner of the village include the traditional grape stomping, wine tasting, 5K run, bicycle classic, and carnival midway, with new fun added each year.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 3, 2019|title=Our Village|url=https://www.pawpaw.net/about/our-village|access-date=October 15, 2021|website=Pawpaw.net|language=en-US}}</ref>

The vignette "Paw Paw for Jesus" was featured on NPR's  ''[[This American Life]]''.

==Historic sites==
{{Expand section|date=June 2010}}
Listed in the National Register for Historic places is the Van Buren County Courthouse at 212 E. Paw Paw Street, wherein the first election was held in 1837. Renovations were completed in 1999.<ref name=vbcoh>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vbco.org/history0038.asp |title=Van Buren County community center website, History |access-date=June 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129090757/http://vbco.org/history0038.asp |archive-date=November 29, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|2.89|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|2.67|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.22|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/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 12, 2012 }}</ref>

==Major highways==
*{{jct|state=MI|I|94}}
*{{jct|state=MI|M|40}}
*[https://k1025.com/red-arrow-highway/ Red Arrow Highway]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 1428
|1880= 1482
|1890= 1391
|1900= 1465
|1910= 1643
|1920= 1556
|1930= 1684
|1940= 1910
|1950= 2382
|1960= 2970
|1970= 3160
|1980= 3211
|1990= 3169
|2000= 3363
|2010= 3534
|2020= 3362
|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===
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 3,534 people, 1,499 households, and 862 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1323.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,674 housing units at an average density of {{convert|627.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 92.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.9% of the population.

There were 1,499 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.5% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% 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 2.91.

The median age in the village was 36.4 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,363 people, 1,417 households, and 855 families living in the village.  The population density was {{convert|1,262.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,511 housing units at an average density of {{convert|567.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the village was 92.83% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.85% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.83% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.27% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.96% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|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 [[Marriage|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.

== Education ==
[[Paw Paw Public Schools]] is the school district serving the community.

==In popular culture==
Paw Paw, Michigan is the primary setting of the popular children's musical [[Dear Edwina]].

== Notable people ==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2023}}
* [[Jason Babin]], football player for [[Western Michigan Broncos football|Western Michigan]], first-round NFL draft pick
* [[John Bonamego]], football head coach at [[Central Michigan University]]; previously assistant coach with NFL's Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions
* [[Frank R. Gooding]], [[Governor of Idaho]] 1905–09, U.S. Senator 1921–28; raised in Paw Paw
* [[Doane Harrison]], Oscar-nominated film editor, best known for his long collaboration with director [[Billy Wilder]]
* [[Bill Killefer|Bill]] and [[Red Killefer|Wade Killefer]], early 20th-century baseball players
* [[Ricky Knotts]], racecar driver killed attempting to qualify for [[1981 Daytona 500]]
* [[Joseph Labadie]], labor leader and political activist
* [[Ron Labadie]], head of scouting for NFL's [[Miami Dolphins]]
* [[Loretta Long]], actress and educator, best known as "Susan Robinson" on ''[[Sesame Street]]''
* [[Charlie Maxwell]] ("Old Paw Paw"), a [[Detroit Tigers]], [[Boston Red Sox]], [[Baltimore Orioles]] and [[Chicago White Sox]] baseball player
* [[Jerry Mitchell]], [[Tony Award]]-winning choreographer
* [[Don Moorhead]], football player for  [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]] 1969–1970, [[Canadian Football League]] quarterback
* [[Malinda Russell]], cookbook author
* [[Frederick S. Strong]], US Army major general<ref>{{cite web |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/2837*.html |title=Frederick Smith Strong in Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy |volume=III-VIII |last=Thayer |first=Bill |website=Bill Thayer's Web Site |publisher=Bill Thayer |location=Chicago, IL |date=May 5, 2015 |access-date=June 27, 2020 |ref={{sfnRef|"Biographical Register"}}}}</ref>
* [[A. W. Underwood]], a 19th-century Paw Paw native with the purported ability to [[pyrokinesis|set items ablaze]]. [[Brian Eno]]'s 1974 song about Underwood, "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", references the village.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eno |first1=Brian |last2=Mills |first2=Russell |year=1986 |title=More Dark Than Shark |publisher=Faber & Faber |location=London |isbn=0-571-13883-7 }}</ref>
* [[Abraham Wechter]], master [[luthier]] of Wechter Guitars
* [[Shayne Whittington]], [[NBA]] basketball player for the [[Indiana Pacers]]

== See also ==
* [[Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railway]]
* [[List of reduplicated place names]]

== References ==
===Citations===
{{reflist|2}}

===Bibliography===

*{{cite book|last=Ferris|first=Marcie Cohen|title=The Edible South: The Power of Food and the Making of an American Region|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Fg7BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA89|year=2014|publisher=University of North Carolina Press|location=Chapel Hill, North Carolina|isbn=978-1-4696-1768-8}}
*{{cite book|ref={{harvid|Longone|2007}}|last1=Longone|first1=Janice Bluestein|last2=Russell|first2=Malinda|title=A domestic cook book: containing a careful selection of useful receipts for the kitchen|date=2007|publisher=Longone Center for American Culinary Research, William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan|location=Ann Arbor, Michigan|isbn=978-1-425-58881-6|pages=vii-xiii|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015073926647;view=1up;seq=9|chapter=Introduction: Malinda Russell—An Indomitable Woman—An American Story}}
*{{cite news|last1=O'Neill |first1=Molly |title=A 19th-Century Ghost Awakens to Redefine 'Soul' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/dining/21cook.html |access-date= November 9, 2016 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107140308/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/dining/21cook.html |archive-date= November 7, 2016 |location=New York City, New York |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book|last1=Sorensen|first1=Leni|editor-last1=Katz-Hyman|editor-first1=Martha B.|editor-last2=Rice|editor-first2=Kim|title=World of a Slave: Encyclopedia of the Material Life of Slaves in the United States|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iU8GyhJ1veEC&pg=PA150|volume=1: A-I|year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, California|isbn=978-0-313-34942-3|chapter=Cooking and Cooks}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|https://www.pawpaw.net/}}

{{Van Buren County, Michigan}}
{{Michigan county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Paw Paw, Michigan|*]]
[[Category:Villages in Van Buren County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Villages in Michigan]]
[[Category:County seats in Michigan]]
[[Category:Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan area]]