What do Detroit residents think of Saginaw- Bay City?

[EMG]

My wife was born in Bay City and grew up in Pinconning before eventually getting a nursing license and coming to Royal Oak to advance her career. Most of my in-laws still live in the Pinconning area and before we left the state entirely for Arizona my wife and I made a lot of visits to the area and spent many a weekend up there.

My bottom line opinion of it is - great place to visit as an occasional escape from the city, but I wouldn't want to live there. Chief problem is there's no work! [[Drifting from one closed-up employer to another is unfortunately the story of many of my in-laws' lives). Another issue is the dearth of quality hospitals and health care. The family's had bad experiences with Bay Medical and now goes at all costs to Midland whenever possible.

That said, though, like I said, it's a great place to visit. And it was/is a reasonable place to live for anyone who's retired and enjoys all four seasons. And while it is true that some of these areas may not be much in and of themselves, they offer the great advantage of being much closer to destinations that many Michiganders DO appreciate.

I and my relatives greatly enjoyed walking the trail system in Bay City, as well as the proximity to Bay City State Park as well as many other more northern areas of Michigan. It was very common for us to drive up to the in-laws early on a Saturday morning, and then from there take day trips just about everywhere in the northern Lower Peninsula - even going to the other side of the state to Ludington state park, or up to Tawas or even further. The point is, when you're already halfway up, there are a lot more "tourist destinations" you can so much more easily decide to go to on the spur of the moment any weekend you like - without saving them up for a one-time-a-year week's vacation.

And, yes, having only a half hour's drive to Frankenmuth is a nice added bonus.

[Big Dog]

Going thru Bay City, in the 50's,60's and 70's. We would be headed up north and there used to be an artesian well, on a side street in town. We would stop and drink some of that cold refreshing water, everytime we went north.

[Laurent]

I lived in Old Town Saginaw for a year in the early '90s. I met lots of good people through my job at the courthouse, and it was a good experience, but finally decided no one would really choose to live there without some other reason [[family, a specific job, etc.). If you did have some such reason, it wouldn't be the worst place. Sometimes I swing through on the way up north for nostalgia's sake.

[Mikeg]

Delta College’s student newspaper recently published a cartoon strip that apparently reflects their stereotypical view of Midland, Bay City and Saginaw - and it's drawn some negative reaction.

[Retroit]

Delta College’s student newspaper recently published a cartoon strip that apparently reflects their stereotypical view of Midland, Bay City and Saginaw - and it's drawn some negative reaction.

I feel sorry for anyone that doesn't find that cartoon funny. The response is typical: wasting time discussing how offended they are instead of addressing the truthfulness of the cartoon. Reminds me of people from another place.

[princealbert]

Spent some time in Bay City when I was a kid.. visiting my great-uncle. He used to own a cigar factory in downtown Bay City. In fact, his place was the last cigar making shop in Michigan, which harkened back to the time when Michigan was one of the largest cigar producing states.

Saginaw has the Marshall Fredericks Museum. That's pretty cool.

[Retroit]

Really, can you stop this trolling, already? You've offered nothing of any value to this board since you've been here.

This in response to comments on a CARTOON?!?! Lighten up.

[Ocean2026]

Mich - sorry I hadn't checked back to see what happened to this thread. Basically I was reading some local complaints from Saginaw and Bay City and wondered how people in Detroit felt about those places. Empathic,competitive? Had many people from Detroit gone there? Just curiosity.

I once started a thread Compare Buffalo & Detroit and that was fascinating with many responses. Thanks for all the replies.

[wolverine]

Before I left, I went around and took some photos of Saginaw and Bay City. Looking at them makes me a bit homesick. I''ll skip the blight we are all familiar with for some nicer ones:

[wolverine]

[wolverine]

[DetroitDad]

SUGAR BEETS!

The entire town smells of sugar beets when they are in season.

[Isle_of_fun]

What can I say...about three Michigan cities connected Saginaw, Bay City and Midland the Tri-city area.

The most important fact ..every person I have ever met in these areas have been willing to give a person in need the shirt off their back..
When and where there has been extreme trouble the people have come together and held meetings and through these meetings have increased items for food pantries, clothing drives and activated people to reduce crime.
In almost all areas of these cities the neighborhoods are safe to walk in at any hour.
All have great housing, great music, art and theater programs, great schools, great churches, great medical, great transportation, great sports for people of all ages from baseball, soccer, football, basketball. hockey, swimming, volleyball, tennis and let us not forget the new curling center in Midland.
From a community college to some specialty colleges along with two Universities the possibilities of educational growth are endless. Along with the access to CMU in Mt Pleasant what more could you ask for.
A Public park system that most people dream of.
These areas are clean, safe and well maintained. Midland county has the largest county park system in the whole state of MI. Bay and Saginaw also have wonderful county and state parks.
All these cities have renovated active downtown areas with weekend summer spring & fall activities, concerts, parades etc.
Companies are moving to all three areas for our as stated by some other poster " our boring way of life".
Yes there has been blithe, unemployment, building decay,
and an overall feeling of sadness for the people leaving for jobs elsewhere, or loss of homes due to loss of income.
We have community members who work and some who volunteer countless hours to help attract new business to this area. So far they have been very successful. Now that is a positive attitude!
Last but not least we have to mention the great farms, farm markets and great boating, fishing and hunting areas.
So whatever all of you DY posters think I really just touched on
some of the tri-city specialties.
The most important aspect is that these three cities have more volunteers who will come to your aid faster then any other city that we have lived in. To us thats what makes a community and thats what makes a community strong.

[6nois]

Isle of fun you are largely correct in your post and being from there I would agree with most of what you said. However if you are in anyway different, it is very hard to live in the tricities. Diversity is hardly one of this areas strong suits. And as much as there are race issues and a lack of understand in Detroit. I think it is worse in the Saginaw Valley because everyone claims to be open and understanding but is actually neither. So if you are having a family and want to expose them to morally conservative values then the area is for you. If you don't fit that lifestyle then it probably isn't going to work out.

[lalynch]

Those photos are wonderful. I've heard great things about the historic parts of Bay City. I had a college roommate who was from Bay City but she lived in a 1940's/1950's neighborhood. My brother worked in Midland for an exhibit design company until it closed this summer. He went to work in N. Kentucky in October, doubling his salary, while his family is still in Mt. Pleasant. He's the only one I know whose been offered 3 jobs while the rest of us [[me!) don't get calls for interviews. A friends husband suprised her a few summers ago on her birthday by whisking her away to Saginaw for a pig festival. They both enjoyed it.

[R8RBOB]

I worked with a guy who lived in Saginaw at one time but personally I have never been to the Tri-Ciites. I suppose I never had a reason to go. Never was on the radar.



http://r8rbob.wordpress.com

[East Detroit]

Bay City is an excellent investment opportunity for the resident carpetbagger. I highly recommend it to him.

[wolverine]

Diversity is hardly one of this areas strong suits. And as much as there are race issues and a lack of understand in Detroit. I think it is worse in the Saginaw Valley because everyone claims to be open and understanding but is actually neither.

I doubt people 30 and younger from that area would agree with you. The scene at any mall, restaurant, or bar would be the complete opposite of what you are saying. I'm not accusing you of making things up, but I'm curious how you make these assumptions.

[Ocean2026]

Wolverine -thanks so much for those wonderful photos! There are some great buildings there.

[EMG]

Yes, thanks! I showed this thread to my wife yesterday and she, too, appreciated these memory-joggers and had a great time identifying most of them!

[6nois]

Wolverine its because I am only 22 and I lived there for the first 18 years of my life, and I still go back quite frequently to visit my family. They are not assumptions, its an entire life of living in an environment. And if anything most progressive people are leaving that area in droves and it is getting worse.

[Lombaowski]

We left Detroit for Bay City and I went to High School there. It was a nice town then, and still is to be honest. Saginaw was a nice town then, now it's an absolute hellhole. It's Detroit without culture, the sports teams, or the skyscrapers. I worked in Flint and Saginaw a few years back mostly int he bad neighborhoods. I'd say without a doubt Saginaw is more on edge and generally more dangerous. People living there just don't give a shit. Saginaw township blows and the the funny thing is the people living there seem to think its some sort of paradise because there are no "blacks" and they can eat at Applebees 5 times a week. I think it's the worst place in Michigan besides maybe Inkster.

[Lombaowski]

Wolverine its because I am only 22 and I lived there for the first 18 years of my life, and I still go back quite frequently to visit my family. They are not assumptions, its an entire life of living in an environment. And if anything most progressive people are leaving that area in droves and it is getting worse.

I don't think "leaving in droves" is the right terminology. People grow up and out of things. I'd never live in Bay City again because people are too "local" but that also makes it a nice place for most living there.

And although they are not 'assumptions" your perspective is quite incomplete. I've lived all over the world and I can tell you that the longer you are away, the more you will appreciate where you are from. Essentially since you are criticizing those from the tri-cities for being different based on 4 years of experience living outside the area. People leave the tri-cities because there are no jobs, been that way for three decades.