Owosso, Michigan

48867

Owosso, the largest city in Shiawassee County is centrally located there. Its diverse economic base is supported by significant auto industry- related manufacturing, plastics, furniture and electrical parts production. Owosso is the home of several famous people: author James Oliver Curwood, whose stories about the Yukon and Northwest Territories, have been made into movies (his "castle" can be visited in the park by the Shiawassee River), designer of the Jefferson nickel, Felix Schlag, and Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York and Republican presidential candidate.

Owosso was named after Shiawassee Indian Chief Wasso who presided over the area and was removed with his tribe to a reservation following the Treaty of 1836. First settlers to the area were Benjamin and Alfred Williams in 1833. First named Big Rapids, it was officially given a post office with the name changed to Owosso in 1838. It was incorporated into a city in 1859.