Swartz Creek is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,758 at the 2010 census. The city is a suburb of Flint and has incorporated land formerly within Flint Charter Township, Gaines Township, and Clayton Township, but is administratively autonomous from all three.Native Americans traveled the trail that paralleled the Swartz Creek to reach the maple trees, on what would later be the Crapo Farm, to fish, gather fruit, and hunt. This trail terminated in the Lansing area.The Miller Settlement, and future core Swartz Creek community, was founded in June 1836 when it was first settled by Adam Miller, a German, and his family of eleven children in then Flint Township at its original size of 9 township survey areas.On March 11, 1837, just weeks after Michigan became a state, the southern area that would make up the community was placed into Mundy Township.Flushing Township was formed on March 6, 1838, split off from Flint Township, and included the northern part of the settlement. Two settlers were buried on the Miller property before that acre was deeded to Flushing township by Adam Miller.In 1848, Miller Road was designed as a state road. in 1842, a post office was set up in the community called Swartz Creek after the stream. Soon, the community assumed that name. The Village of Swartz Creek subdivision was platted in 1877.In 1881, Swartz Creek had a rail station called Hamilton. Serving the station was the Goodyear and Miller elevator and Western Union Telegraph. The locality also had a hotel run by William Brown, a Methodist church and a district school. The creek powered a saw mill and a flour mill at the time. Sommers & Brewer business was a manufacturer of potash.The first Masonic Temple in the community was built in 1906 on Miller Road.By the 1910s, the unincorporated village's major industry was sugar beet farming with three beet weighing stations. An elevator and two churches were located there by 1916. A private bank, which was managed by Ira T. Sayre as part of a chain, was also open at that time.In 1927, the community's downtown roads were paved with gravel supplied by the Crapo Gravel Company, which created the now Winchester Lake. Electrical power was brought to the area that same year.On Wednesday April 7, 1954 at about 7:40 PM, a small tornado hit the community. The tornado destroyed the fire hall, knocking down power lines and taking roofs off homes while only injuring two.Otterburn as the rest of Flint Township was in Grand Blanc Township at its organized on March 9, 1833, then split off into Flint Township on March 2, 1836, then with the west half of the survey area was place in Flushing Township. The first land purchase in section 31, the general area of Otterburn, was on May 30, 1836, by John W. McNair.Otterburn was in Flint Township, had about 150 residents and had its own train depot that opened in 1882. The location was known as Otterburn as otters were generally seen there on the Swartz Creek, a burn. On August 27, 1887, Charles F. Shumway assumed the position of postmaster for the post office upon its opening. The post office closed on October 31, 1913. In 1957, a Chevrolet plant, which was also referred to as Otterburn, was built in this area for its service and parts operations moved from the west Flint Chevy in the Hole complex.Crapo Farm was sold in 1955 after parts were donated for St. Mary's Cemetery and Mary Crapo School.The Winchester Village subdivision was built on the former farm.Which was followed by another, Winchester Woods. All of the village and most of the woods were incorporated into the City of Swartz Creek in 1959 at its founding.In 1950s, GM executive started a "New Flint" regional/metropolitan government plan to incorporate the metropolitan area into Flint. The proposal was released in 1957 and petition began circulating the next year. Area residents were fearful of the New Flint would take the Otterburn plant into its borders. While New Flint proponents indicated that that would not be the case, area residents campaigned against New Flint while moving to incorporate the area.The city was incorporated on December 1, 1959. The city included parts of Gaines (Winchester Village), Clayton and Flint Townships (Otterburn).In 1986, Sports Creek Raceway opened. The raceway was a harness racing track.The city received about $425 thousand a year from wager dollars until 1993 when John Engler became Michigan governor. Engler reduced cash flow from the casinos for two years until a new distribution formula allow the state to pay less, $126 to 118 thousand in the mid-2000s.
Here is a local Business that supports the community
Google Map- https://goo.gl/maps/uvWiqrHLdaBrBNa76
6430 10th St, Otter Lake, MI 48464
Be sure to check out this attraction too!