Zilwaukee, Michigan
Zilwaukee is a city of 1,609 people in Saginaw County, Michigan, founded in 1848.
Why visit Zilwaukee
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Saginaw Valley State University, Temple Theatre, Charles Peters Sr. House and East Saginaw Historic Business District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 41 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Zilwaukee
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Zilwaukee
Zilwaukee is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 census places the population at 1,534. The city is adjacent to and was created from Zilwaukee Township. It is the home of the Zilwaukee Bridge.
From the Wikipedia article Zilwaukee, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Saginaw Valley State University
School · 2.8 mi
University in Michigan
Temple Theatre
Cinema and theater · 3.5 mi
Theatre and movie theater in Saginaw, Michigan, United States
Museums and landmarks6
Charles Peters Sr. House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
House in Saginaw, Michigan
East Saginaw Historic Business District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Primarily commercial historic district in Saginaw, Michigan, United States
Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad East Saginaw Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Railway station in Saginaw, the United States of America
North Jefferson Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic district in Saginaw, Michigan
Bearinger Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
,_MI.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum
Museum · 2.9 mi
Art museum in Michigan
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
William H. Haithco Recreation Area
Park · 1.9 mi
Park in United States of America
Churches and places of worship3
Old St Matthew Church
Church · Catholic · 0.4 mi
511 West Cornell Street, Zilwaukee
St John Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 0.6 mi
318 South Franklin Street, Zilwaukee
History
Zilwaukee was founded in 1848 when Daniel and Solomon Johnson, two brothers from New York City, built a saw mill there.
The provenance of the town's name is unknown, but local legends hold that it was a deliberate attempt to attract immigrants who thought they were heading for the larger Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
From the History section of Zilwaukee, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries32
Map of Zilwaukee
49 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 2.2 in | 11.4 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 17°F | 1.9 in | 9.1 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 5.0 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 35°F | 3.6 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 41°F | 2.9 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 31°F | 2.6 in | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 23°F | 2.0 in | 11.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Saginaw #3 (5 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
Saginaw County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-07-09: Severe Storms And Flooding (Dam/Levee Break)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-06-18: Flooding (Flood)
- 2008-07-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Harry W Browne Airport (HYX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Saginaw 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Bay City 8 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Essexville 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Auburn 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Hemlock 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Birch Run 17 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Midland 18 mi northwest, about 29 min by car
- St. Charles 18 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Vassar 19 mi southeast, about 31 min by car
- Montrose 21 mi south, about 34 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
- Zilwaukee Bridge, Phillip L Hofmeister, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zilwaukee Bridge over the Saginaw River (53873546501), Chris Rycroft from Madison, Wisconsin, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Zilwaukee Bridge over the Saginaw River (53872641002), Chris Rycroft from Madison, Wisconsin, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Zilwaukee Township Hall (Saginaw), MI, Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC0
- Flint & Pere Marquette Union Station, East Saginaw, Michigan, Dfcoe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saginaw Club - E Saginaw HBD - Saginaw Michigan, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historic Downtown Saginaw buildings, Saginaw Future Inc., CC BY 2.0
- MuseumInterior, Geoffehaney, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Temple Theater-Masonic temple - E Saginaw HBD - Saginaw Michigan, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Zilwaukee-Bridge-September-, Myself, CC BY 2.5
- Saginaw Valley State University's Living Center (4331105928), Saginaw Future Inc., CC BY 2.0
- ISS007-E-12943 - View of Michigan, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.