Alma, Michigan
Alma is a city of 9,396 people in Gratiot County, Michigan, founded in 1853.
Why visit Alma
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 20 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Wright Opera House, Alma Cinemas Ncg, Alma Downtown Historic District and Brown Site.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 15°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Alma
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Alma
Alma is the largest city in Gratiot County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,488 at the 2020 census. It was incorporated as the Village of Alma in 1872 and became a city in 1905.
From the Wikipedia article Alma, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Wright Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Theater in Alma, Michigan
Museums and landmarks8
Alma Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Michigan, United States
Brown Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Place in Michigan listed on National Register of Historic Places
Conservation Park Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Place in Michigan listed on National Register of Historic Places
Holiday Park Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Place in Michigan listed on National Register of Historic Places
Saint Louis Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Commercial historic district located on North Mill Street, West Saginaw Avenue, and West Center Avenue in Saint Louis, Michigan
Republic Street School
Monument and historic site · 0.7 mi
School built in 1919 is closed, property sold to private parties
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes20
Block House
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
107 East Superior Street, Alma
Tu-We 11:00-22:00; Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.5 mi
7642 North Alger Road, Alma
Mo-We 06:00-14:00; Fr-Su 06:00-14:00
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.7 mi
7967 North Alger Road, Alma
Mo-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-24:00; Su 10:00-23:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.9 mi
1380 Wright Avenue, Alma
Mo-Th 10:00-01:00; Fr 10:00-02:00; Sa 10:00-24:00; Su 00:00-02:00
8 more on the map.
History
Alma was founded in 1853 by Ralph Ely. Perhaps first known for the Alma Springs Sanitarium, built and promoted in the 1880s by millionaire lumberman and capitalist Ammi W. Wright, it achieved its greatest prominence nationally in the 1910s and 1920s as home of the Republic Motor Truck Company, briefly the largest exclusive truck manufacturer in the world. At one point, Republic was the maker of one out of every nine trucks on the roads in the United States. It was one of the major suppliers of "Liberty trucks" used by American troops during World War I.
Alma was the home of Leonard Refineries which sold gasoline and other petroleum products throughout the lower peninsula of Michigan from its founding in 1936 until about 1966, when it became Total Refineries until its closing in 1999 and demolition in 2003. In 1953 Alma became the first place that high-octane gas, 96 octane, was produced.
From the History section of Alma, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship6
Resurrection Life Church Mid Michigan
Church · Nondenominational · 2.3 mi
715 South Main Street, St. Louis
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging14
Schools, colleges and libraries26
Carrie Knause Early Childhood Learning Center
School · 3.2 mi
121 I And K St, Saint Louis
Central Michigan Correctional Facility
School · 3.6 mi
8201 N Croswell Rd, Saint Louis
Healthcare2
Map of Alma
106 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 15°F | 2.2 in | 10.7 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 15°F | 1.8 in | 9.9 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 23°F | 2.1 in | 5.4 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 34°F | 3.5 in | 2.1 in |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 59°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 39°F | 3.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 2.7 in | 2.7 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 22°F | 2.0 in | 8.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Alma Hcn (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Gratiot County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2001-01-10: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gratiot Community Airport (AMN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Ithaca 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Breckenridge 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Shepherd 10 mi north, about 16 min by car
- Mount Pleasant 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Carson City 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Edmore 19 mi west, about 31 min by car
- Hemlock 21 mi east, about 34 min by car
- Stanton 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Elsie 24 mi southeast, about 39 min by car
- Midland 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Alma MI South side Superior St 1913, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
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