This is the current conditions weather report for Frankenmuth. The report was made 26 minutes ago, at 03:55 UTC. The wind was blowing at a speed of 13 miles per hour / 20.4 kilometers per hour from the northeast (050°). The temperature was 63°F / 17°C, with a dew-point at 63°F / 17°C. The temperature felt like 61°F / 16°C. The atmospheric pressure was 29.71 inHg / 1007 hPa. The relative humidity was 94%. The skies were overcast with rain.
Frankenmuth is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,838 at the 2000 census. The city is located within Frankenmuth Township, but is politically independent. Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, which bills itself as the World's Largest Christmas Store, is located in Frankenmuth. The most popular nickname is "The Muth", but the city is also nicknamed "Little Bavaria".
The area was settled and named by conservative Lutheran immigrants from Franconia, (now part of Bavaria) in 1845. The German word "Franken" represents the Province of Franconia in the Kingdom of Bavaria, and the German word "Mut" means courage, thus the city name Frankenmuth means "courage of the Franconians".
The nearby villages of Frankenlust, Frankentrost, and Frankenhilf illustrate that the area remained a magnet for other Germans from the same region even after it lost its original purpose as a mission post for the spread of Christianity to the Chippewa tribe.
Tourism drives the local economy. Frankenmuth draws over three million tourists annually to its Bavarian-themed shops and restaurants. The most well known of these are Zehnder's and Bavarian Inn restaurants, and Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. Frankenmuth also attracts tourists with festivals and other events throughout the year. The other major employer is Frankenmuth Insurance. It was once the site of a brewery that offered tours to visitors, which has since closed down.
As a tourism measure, the City uses German style signage for roads.
The strong influence of Franconian-style architecture can be found in most areas of the city. Most buildings in the commercial district, as well as many homes, feature stylistic interpretations of the timber-framed buildings found in the Franconia region of Germany. This style is marked by the use of timbers in "square" and "X" patterns on the outside of buildings, as well as the use of "X" patterns on windows, doors, and other building features. The City currently requires Franconian-style facades for the majority of new commercial construction within the main tourist areas.