Bay City is located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. Situated in the Great Lakes Bay region, Bay City once was home to shipbuilders who built vessels for the U.S. Navy, along with some of the largest freighters on the Great Lakes.
While no longer in business today, these shipbuilders supplied the region with a rich maritime history, preserved today in area museums like the Kantzler Maritime Gallery at the
Bay County Historical Museum. Some of the city's most popular annual events -- the
Bay City River Roar, the
Tall Ship Celebration, and the
Bay City Fireworks Festival -- also are centered around the city's waterfront.
The Bay City State Recreation Area, a 2,100-acre state park located on the shore of Saginaw Bay, also is a destination point in the area. It boasts a one-mile-long sandy beach, and is home to Tobico Marsh -- one of the largest remaining freshwater, coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes.
The Bay Area also is home to the
Dow Corning Corporation's international headquarters. Other companies -- like
S.C. Johnson & Son,
General Motors Powertrain, and
Carbone of America -- also have locations in the Bay Area. A couple of higher education institutions --
Delta College and
Saginaw Valley State University -- also are located in nearby University Center.
For trivia buffs, the Bay City Rollers -- a Scottish band -- was named after this city. Notable Bay City natives also include Madonna and Warren Avis, founder of Avis Rent-A-Car. Bay City also was home to the now-defunct Defoe Shipbuilding Company, which built a number of vessels, including a presidential yacht that was used by three American presidents -- Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Richard Nixon.
Jeff Barr
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Social media has turned into a two-headed beast for many companies. On one side, they have an easy way to market to a large variety of people. On the other, if they do it wrong, they find it may work against them. One local business owner knows the value of a good social media strategy, as writer Jeff Barr explains.
Sam Eggleston
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Local businesses are the lifeblood of a community. Be it the gas station down the road, the mom-and-pop's diner or the painter who advertises via bulletin boards, local entrepreneurs not only work here, they often live here as well. What's more is that dollars spent at our local businesses stay local, as managing editor Sam Eggleston discusses in his first of an ongoing column.
Kim North Shine
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
It's getting pretty chilly outside, so why not treat yourself with a nice cup of warmth from Frankenmuth's Sue and Esther's American Tea Room? And it's more than just a place to get some Earl Grey, too--it's somewhere to escape the chaos of the holidays, the stress of work and the rush of everyday life. Sue and Esther's might as well be a world away from the hustle and bustle, but the owners wouldn't want it any other way.
Sam Eggleston
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
This time of year, everyone starts to look back at the months that have come and gone and the accomplishments that they, and those around them, have achieved. Here at Mid Michigan Second Wave, we do the same--but we also begin to look ahead at what is to come and what the new year will offer us in the way of opportunity. To that end, we'll be taking a hiatus from publishing over the holidays and into the new year with a return January 10. We hope that, too, makes you begin to look forward at what Mid Michigan and our publication will offer in 2012.
Cynthia J. Drake
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Sometimes, it's just not easy keeping life organized. Just ask freelance writer Cynthia J. Drake, who juggles her career with her family life and discovered recently she needed a bit of a reboot when it came to how she handled it all. That's where The Organizing Lady, Janet Felling, came in--and just in the nick of time.
Lisa McCartney
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Social media helps businesses and organizations engage consumers in conversations, but not everyone is aware of how to best make it work for their needs. Social Media Club Great Lakes Bay organized a conference to help those who are not so social-media-savvy find the right tools to make the connection and ignite conversations. Writer Lisa McCartney stopped by the conference and reports this week on what she discovered.
Jeff Barr
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Bees are a foodie's best friend. Not only do they make honey, which is great on its own, but that honey can be turned into mead. Second Wave writer Jeff Barr recently chatted with the folks at Bardic Wells Meadery about making honey wine and a Michigan business with real buzz.
Jane Parikh
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Mid Michigan small business will be at the advantage when a new business leads bikers through the area. Jane Parikh talks to the owner of Bike Tour Vacations about the business of biking and how the beauty of local scenery fits into his plans.
Jeff Barr
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
We've heard about alternative energy, agri-tourism and moviemaking as bright spots heading forward into a new economy for Michigan--but, golf? Turns out it's true. Second Wave's Jeff Barr takes a look at the long-lasting and still-growing industry.
Jeff Barr
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Ann Westover's Caro poultry-processing business opened in 2009, and the plucking pace increased last season. After a hectic 2010, Westover Wild Wings expects an even busier summer this year.
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