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.

[5] 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[5][7] in then Flint Township at its original size of 9 township survey areas.

[8] 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.

[5] in 1842, a post office was set up in the community called Swartz Creek after the stream.

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.

A private bank, which was managed by Ira T. Sayre as part of a chain, was also open at that time.

The tornado destroyed the fire hall, knocking down power lines and taking roofs off homes while only injuring two.

On August 27, 1887, Charles F. Shumway assumed the position of postmaster for the post office upon its opening.

[13] In 1957, a Chevrolet plant, which was also referred to as Otterburn, was built in this area[14] for its service and parts operations moved from the west Flint Chevy in the Hole complex.

The city included parts of Gaines (Winchester Village), Clayton and Flint Townships (Otterburn).

[19] The city received about $425,000 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 allowed the state to contribute less: from $126,000 to $118,000 by the mid-2000s.

The Monarchs then moved its games to the Cage Field House in Swartz Creek from its previous location at Flint Northern High School.

Construction started in September 2012, and on May 16, 2013, the store opened on Morrish Road north of I-69.

[25] In January and February 2014, the city and Gaines Township were contacted by Mundy Township Supervisor David L. Guigear with the intent of regionalizing their building departments, code enforcement activities, janitorial services and police departments.

The city council accepted Bueche's recommendation and hired Zettel effective January 1, 2014.

[30] On May 3, 2016, a smaller, 4.22-mil property-tax levy for street improvements was finally approved by city residents.

[31] Fourth-precinct council member Michael Shumaker died on March 2, 2016, with his appointed temporary replacement being Jim Florence.

A council member considered the city charter to have conflicting provisions thus bring into question an interim election in November.

[33] On January 9, 2016, the Swartz Creek City Council voted to disband its police department by merging the department with Mundy Township's into the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County effective February 1, 2017.

[45] The west branch of the Swartz Creek flows from west to east through the city, generally as the southern border for the east most third, toward the Flint River, leaving the southeast corner of Clayton Township separated from the rest of the township.