Bay City is listed by Sister Cities International as having four sister cities: Ansbach in Germany, Goderich in Ontario, Poznan in Poland and Lome in Togo. Some of these ties are better documented than others, and this page sets out what we can confirm, what we cannot and how to see the partnership in town.
At a glance
• Ansbach, Bavaria, Germany: partnership began in 1961
• Goderich, Ontario, Canada: a Canadian town on Lake Huron
• Poznan, Poland: listed as a sister city
• Lome, Togo: listed as a sister city
• In Bay City: Ansbach Platz, in the Uptown area, commemorates the German partnership
What is a sister city?
A sister-city relationship is described as a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries. In practice it can mean student and delegation exchanges, cultural events, business contacts, gifts and mutual help in emergencies. The strength of each partnership depends on the people and volunteers who keep it going, and it can rise and fall over the years.
Ansbach, Germany
Ansbach, in Bavaria, is the best documented of Bay City's sister cities. The partnership began in 1961 and was largely spawned by German immigration to the area in the 1800s and 1900s and the strong German heritage of the surrounding towns. Our history page notes that Bay City once had a largely German neighborhood called Salzburg.
Ups and downs. The relationship has ebbed and flowed. In 2016, around the 50th anniversary by one count, a culture official in Ansbach told The Bay City Times that the American partners had been "quiet" and suggested ending the partnership if nothing was happening. Bay City officials responded, and the City Commission held a moment of silence in solidarity with Ansbach after a violent incident there. Both cities later worked to reconnect.
The 60th anniversary. The 60th anniversary fell in 2021, but celebrations were delayed by COVID-19. In early July 2022 a Bay City delegation, including city, university and school representatives, traveled to Ansbach for the official celebration. Ansbach dedicated one of its walking bridges to Bay City, naming it "Bay City Bridge," and a flag commemorating the relationship hangs in its business district. A delegation from Ansbach was scheduled to visit Bay City in mid-September 2022 to sign a formal sister-city agreement and unveil a sculpture.
Ansbach Platz: the sculpture in Bay City
The partnership is commemorated at Ansbach Platz, a 30-foot circular plaza in Uptown Bay City, just north of the Rivers Edge Apartments. Its centerpiece is a sculpture called "Two Cities Connected": a split globe with a bridge linking the two halves, one end reflecting Bay City's Liberty Bridge and the other mirroring a major bridge in Ansbach. Copper countries from each city's hemisphere decorate the globe.
The project was raised, designed and managed by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce's 2022 Leadership Bay County class, with a matching donation from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and low-cost services from local businesses. Students from five programs at the Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center, including engineering and drafting, graphics, marketing, precision machining and welding, helped develop the design. A fundraising 5K was planned to support an endowment for maintaining the plaza. See our neighborhood guide for what else is nearby.
Goderich, Ontario
Goderich is a Canadian town on Lake Huron, across the lake from Bay City's own shoreline. A 2011 item from the Salvation Army identified Bay City as a sister city to Goderich and described Bay City's mayor offering help after a tornado hit Goderich. A Goderich newspaper also covered a visit to its sister city in 2018. Goderich is Bay City's other long-running partner, and during Ansbach's quiet period it was described as the only other sister city.
Poznan, Poland
Poznan is a major city in western Poland, in the Greater Poland region. A historical marker at St. Stanislaus Kostka church notes that many of Bay City's Polish settlers came from Wielkopolska, the Polish name for that region. A public encyclopedia article lists Poznan as one of Bay City's four sister cities. We could not find details of the partnership's start or activities, so we do not claim any. For the Polish side of the city's story, see our Polish heritage guide.
Lome, Togo
Lome is the capital of Togo, on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. A public encyclopedia article lists it among Bay City's four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International. As with Poznan, we could not find reliable details of the partnership's history or current activity.
A note on the list
Different sources list different numbers of sister cities. The main encyclopedia article on Bay City names four, as does our history page, but a separate encyclopedia list of Michigan sister cities shows only Ansbach and Goderich. The partnerships also vary in how active they are. If you know more about these ties, tell us and we will update the page.
Explore the connections
- German heritage: see the immigrant communities section of our history page.
- Polish heritage: Polish Bay City and the festivals guide.
- The Liberty Bridge: read about the river's bridges in our history by decade.
- City info: the City Info page lists government contacts.
Sources
Facts come from a 2022 Route Bay City feature on the 60-year Ansbach partnership, a 2016 Route Fifty article, the City of Bay City's Ansbach Platz page, a Salvation Army report on Goderich and public encyclopedia entries on Bay City and Michigan sister cities. This guide is independent and is not run by the city.