<!-- Infobox begins -->

<!-- Infobox ends -->

Flushing is a city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States. The population was 8,411 at the 2020 census. Flushing is considered a suburb of Flint. It is situated within the survey area of Flushing Charter Township, but is administratively autonomous.

Flushing originated as a mill town in the mid-1830s. Its location along the Flint River, the county's largest river, was a decisive factor in its settlement. Water power potential was a significant determinant for the selection of the settlement areas throughout the nineteenth century. In addition to its water power, the area around Flushing was also well suited to agricultural pursuits.

History

Indigenous era

When European settlers first arrived, the area was primarily occupied by bands of the Chippewa (Ojibwa) and Ottawa nations, with the Chippewa being the more numerous and recognized as the original proprietors of the Saginaw Valley. According to Chippewa tradition, their occupation of the region was relatively recent, as the territory had previously been held by the Sauks and Onottoways, who were eventually expelled by a confederation of Chippewa and Ottawa warriors. The principal Sauk village was located on the west side of the Saginaw River, but their domain extended as far south as the headwaters of the Shiawassee and Genesee Counties. The Chippewa and their allies launched a surprise attack, now known as the Battle of Skull Island, resulting in the near destruction of the Sauk and Onottoway tribes, with only a remnant escaping westward. According to the tradition, a reinforcement of Sauk coming from Detroit was intercepted and defeated near Flushing. On the farm formerly owned by Mr. Bailey, large burial mounds were discovered; now the present day Flushing Valley Golf Club. The mounds in this area, when opened by early settlers, were found to be filled with bones, further supporting the oral history of a large-scale battle. Mounds were observed in 1833 or 1834 and about 20 mounds in total .After the defeat of the Sauk, the Chippewa and Ottawa did not immediately settle in the conquered territory, which was considered haunted by the spirits of the slain. Eventually, the Chippewa established themselves in the Saginaw Valley, and the indigenous inhabitants of the Flushing area became known as the Saginaw tribe of the Chippewa nation.

Archaeological evidence, such as ancient mounds and relics, indicates that the Saginaw Valley, including the Flushing area, was inhabited long before the arrival of white settlers. These mounds, often used for sepulture, contained human bones and artifacts, suggesting the presence of a settled population. Some skeletons found in the county were of unusually large size, though the exact identity of these early inhabitants remains uncertain. The mounds in Genesee County, including those near Flushing, were typically burial sites rather than defensive works. Jerome left Flushing after his wildcat bank, the Flint Rapids Bank, failed in 1838. A village plat on sections 26 and 27, bearing the name of Flushing and named after the township in which it was located, was laid out December 3, 1840 by Charles Seymour Sr. In 1843 Charles sold out to his brother James Seymour. James then made an additional plat, 31, in 1847.

in 1850, a flat-bottomed boat established early transportation between Flint and Flushing.

19th century

On January 10, 1868, a Masonic Lodge, Flushing Lodge No. 223 F. & A. M., was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Michigan.

In 1874, a subscription private fire department, the Wolverine Fire Company, was formed with 35 members and Arza N. Niles as first chief engineer. Wolverine paid for a small engine designed by Captain Haas of Flint of his own design and patent. The line is currently owned by Huron and Eastern Railway, while the restored 1888 depot is now the Flushing Area Museum and Cultural Center.

March 25, 1895 vote passes 215 to 30 for $20,000 bond to build a water works system and electric light plant. Water mains are first installed for use on Nov 1, 1895. Electricity was installed and ready for use on Nov 15, 1895, along with streetlights on Main St. By January 1897 there were 1600 incandescent lamps in the village.

20th century

thumb|Hart Mill Burning

The Hart Flour Mill is destroyed in a fire on March 19, 1918. It was the 3rd Mill on the site and the 3rd to burn. The mill provided electricity until it burned down in 1918, leaving the village without power for 14 months until a new power plant was built.

Main Street was paved in 1920. The first wood bridge was built on this site in 1839. A second wood bridge in 1856. A third wood bridge in 1872 and a double span iron bridge in 1880.

Tucker Memorial Pool was dedicated on July 1, 1956. The pool was built with money donated to the city from the will of Max Dealton Tucker who was born in Flushing.

Passengers service to the Flushing Depot ends in 1971.

Completed in 1975 by Michigan Bell Telephone at a cost of $2.2 million, the now AT&T building sits on the site of the former home of James Seymour, brother of Charles Seymour. The home was built in the 1850s and torn down prior to Bell selecting the site.

21st century

On Monday November 27, 2017, the northern loop set of municipalities, including Flushing, began receiving water from the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline which is treated by the Genesee County Drain Commission Water and Waste Division.

On January 15, 2020, District 2 councilwoman Karianne Martus resigned due to her new job at the Flint Farmers Market. With no decision of the council to fill the vacancy, three more councilors resigned at the beginning of the Covid Pandemic citing "discord". John Olson, long-time Planning Commission member, was appointed to serve as city councilman (temporary) in late March 2020 by Genesee County Election Commission. City Manager Brad Barrett was terminated April 20, 2020 at the city council meeting citing ethical concerns and Clarence Goodlein was immediately appointed interim City Manager. A special election was held on August 4, 2020, to fill the vacancies. Councilmen Dan Fralick, Eric Johnson, Dane Miller and councilwoman Danielle Smith were each elected to four year terms.

Government and politics

The city of Flushing is a Council-Manager form of government. The original city charter was adopted Nov 3, 1964 and updated Nov 2, 1993. The Flushing Fire Department is an on call fire fighting service for the city as well as Flushing Township. The command staff consists of a chief, an assistant chief, a battalion chief, two captains and three lieutenants and other firefighters for a total of 20. The City of Flushing Police Department provides police coverage 24 hours a day with Chief, Detective and fourteen (14) patrol officers including a fulltime school resource officer for city elementary schools. The City of Flushing and Flushing township police regularly cooperate to improve services for both communities. The township receives water from the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline treated by the Genesee County Drain Commission Water and Waste Division.

  • Genesee County Commissioner District 8
  • Michigan's 49th House of Representatives district
  • Michigan's 27th Senate district
  • 67th District Court Division 1
  • Michigan's 5th Congressional District
  • Flushing Area Library operated by the Genesee District Library

Education

Flushing Community Schools

Primary and secondary education are provided by Flushing Community Schools. Since 1954, Flushing is also home to Saint Robert Catholic School for Pre-K through 8th grade.

Library

History

The Flushing Ladies' Association was formally organized at the home of Mrs. James A. Button on July 30, 1873. The founding meeting was attended by a group of local women who sought to create a society dedicated to intellectual improvement and the advancement of community welfare. At this initial meeting, Mrs. George Button was elected as the first president, and Mrs. E. G. Bryant as secretary. The association quickly grew, with fifty-two women becoming members at the time of its founding. One of the association's earliest and most significant undertakings was the establishment of a circulating library for the village. The members raised funds through subscriptions, donations, and various fundraising events, such as socials and lectures. The association's library began with an initial fund of $67.60 and a first order of 41 books, costing $63. Over the next several years, the library expanded rapidly, and by 1876, it contained 480 volumes and had a membership of 102. The association also played a role in organizing social events, supporting local charitable causes, and fostering a sense of community among Flushing's women. Its meetings provided an opportunity for members to discuss literature, current events, and topics of mutual interest. The association disbanded in 1905. Library services resumed in 1913 when the Tuesday Club opened a reading room above the People’s State Bank. In 1933, the Flushing Township Board took over, renaming it the Flushing Township Public Library and relocating it to the old Presbyterian Church, now Goggins Hall. Renovations funded by Marian Packard in 1940 modernized the space, and in 1964 the Marian Packard Adult Reading Room was dedicated.

Flushing Area Library

The library joined the Genesee County Library System in 1966, later known as the Genesee District Library (GDL), expanding its resources. In 1991, it moved into the renovated Duramold building at Maple and Elm Streets, shared with the Flushing Senior Center, and embraced technology in the 2000s with public computers and digital services. The library relocated in October 2025 to the old Wendell W. Phelps DDS Building at address is 220 Boman Street, Flushing, MI 48433.

Starting in 2015, the Flushing View serves the area now under the Genesee County View.

Geography

The Flushing area is dominated by the Flint River Valley. The Flint River flows in a northerly direction along the southern and western portions of the city and continues north bisecting Flushing Township. The valley is characterized by rich sandy loam ideal for the growth of vegetation. As a result, the valley is characterized by dense woodlots containing many varieties of trees and providing scenic and natural settings for the area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Neighborhoods

thumb|alt=|Downtown Flushing looking west. Pre. 1891

The Main Street Historic District includes buildings on Main St from Maple to 628 (East) Main St and the Flushing Depot at 431 W Main St. Properties in this district are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 82 structures located on 22.4 acres of land create the district with commercial buildings reflecting ornate Italianate and early twentieth century styles constructed between 1850 and 1918 and residences exhibiting a wide variety of Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Bungaloid styles and their vernacular derivatives built from 1850 to 1932. Properties we added as part of the Main Street Historic Commercial District and the Genesee County MRA (Multiple Resource Area).

Environment

Flushing's wastewater treatment includes an activated sludge treatment system installed in 1972 and a batch reactor treatment system that was added in 1988. Sewage is split between the two systems. Cleaned water is disinfected with UV light before being discharged into the Flint river. The plant is on 140 Industrial Drive and adjacent to the Riverview Trail. The Waste Water Treatment Plant is undergoing a 5.25 million upgrade which began inn 2022 and is expected to be completed July 2023. Last upgrade was in 1986.

Pollution along the Flint river were once a problem but have vastly improved since the 1950s and 1960s after the Clean Water Act was enacted. The river is a now popular place for fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

The City of Flushing is supplied by surface water pumped from Lake Huron by the Karegnondi Water Authority and delivered by the Genesee County water supply system.

Parks and recreation

  • Flushing Riverview Trail is a city trail along the Flint River that connects to Flushing County Park

alt=Bridge over Flint River from Flushing Trail|thumb|Bridge over Flint River from Flushing Trail

City parks

  • Riverview Park is a 7.4 acre city park located along the Flint river between the Main Street bridge and the DPW.
  • Mutton (Bonnie View) Park is a 3.5 acre city park located on the corner of Coutant St and Chestnut St

Events

  • Cruise Nights - Third Saturday of the Month April through September at the Flushing A near Riverview Park.
  • Summer Festival - June. Starts with a parade and lasts five days with a carnival in Riverview Park, music, food and other activities.
  • Art in the Park - June. Art vendors at Riverview Park.
  • Concerts in the Park - Wednesday evenings June through August at Riverview Park.
  • Movies in the Park - Saturday Evenings June through August at Riverview Park.
  • Trail of Terror - October, Riverview Trail.
  • Candle Walk - December. Downtown Flushing.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Flushing had a population of 8,411. The population density was . The median age was 45.0 years, 21.0% of residents were under the age of 18, and 24.6% were 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,628 households, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.7% were married-couple households, 15.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 2.31 persons per household. of 2010, there were 8,389 people, 3,574 households, and 2,307 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,816 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White, 2.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 3,574 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.90.

The median age in the city was 45.1 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.4% were from 45 to 64; and 21.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.1% male and 53.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census

  • Tom Smallwood, (1977), professional ten-pin bowler

References

  • City of Flushing Official Website
  • Flushing Area Historical Society