Battle Creek, Michigan

Information about Battle Creek, Michigan

“Battle Creek” redirects here. For other uses, see Battle Creek (disambiguation).
Battle Creek, Michigan
Nickname: The Cereal City
Location of Battle Creek within Michigan
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Michigan
County Calhoun
Settled 1831
Incorporation 1859
Government
 - Type Council-Manager
 - Mayor John Godfrey III
 - City Manager Wayne D. Wiley
Area
 - City  43.7 sq mi (113.1 km)
 - Land  42.8 sq mi (110.9 km)
 - Water  0.8 sq mi (2.2 km)
Elevation  840 ft (256 m)
Population (2000)
 - City 53364 (city proper)
 - Density 1,246.0/sq mi (481.1/km)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 49014-49018
Area code(s) 269
FIPS code 26-05920GR2
GNIS feature ID 0620755GR3
Website: ci.battle-creek.mi.us
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Calhoun county. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,364.

Battle Creek known as the "Cereal City" is the world headquarters of Kellogg Company, founded by brothers, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and William Keith Kellogg, who invented cold breakfast cereal as an alternative to the traditional meat based breakfast. It is also the home of Post Cereals, which was part of General Foods Corporation and is now part of Kraft Foods.

Battle Creek was featured in the T.C. Boyle novel The Road to Wellville and the movie of the same name.

In 1982, the Battle Creek Township merged with the city of Battle Creek, under pressure from Kellogg Company, which threatened to move its headquarters away from Battle Creek if the city and township did not merge.

Name Origin

The Name Battle Creek is named for a skirmish between a government land surveyor (Sands McCamly) and two Indians which took place seven miles away in 1824. When the city charter was obtained the name of Waupakisco was put to a vote and rejected in favor of Battle Creek. [1] [2]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 113.1 km² (43.7 sq mi). 110.9 km² (42.8 sq mi) of it is land and 2.2 km² (0.8 sq mi) of it (1.92%) is water, making Battle Creek the third largest city in Michigan by area, and one of only three incorporated municipalities in the state over 40 sq mi in size. Of this area, part of the Fort Custer Army National Guard Base/Industrial Park takes up 4.96 sq mi (0 km) or approximately 10.6% of the total land area of the city.

Demographics

Enlarge picture
Battle Creek, Michigan
As of the census² of 2000, there were 53,364 people, 21,348 households, and 13,363 families residing in the city. The population density was 481.1/km² (1,246.0/sq mi). There were 23,525 housing units at an average density of 212.1/km² (549.3/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 74.65% White, 17.80% black or African American, 1.94% Asian, 0.77% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.11% from other races, and 2.72% from two or more races. 4.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 21,348 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,491, and the median income for a family was $43,564. Males had a median income of $36,838 versus $26,429 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,424. About 10.7% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The City of Battle Creek has a commission/manager form of government. Cities that follow this plan of government have an elected commission (or council) that appoints a professionally trained and experienced manager to administer the day-to-day operations of the city and to make recommendations to the city commission. Battle Creek also appoints a City Attorney, who provides legal council to the City Manager and City Commission.

The City Commission makes all policy decisions, including review, revision and final approval of the annual budget, which is proposed annually by the City Manager. The City Manager serves as an "at-will" employee and he works under an employment contract with the commission. All other city employees, with the exception of the City Attorney’s staff, are under the supervision of the City Manager.

There are five ward commissioners. Residents cast votes for a ward representative, who must live within the area they are representing, as well as for four at-large commissioners. These candidates may live anywhere in the city. All commissioners serve two-year terms and all terms begin and end at the same election. The next commission election will be fall of 2007.

Each November, the commission holds a special meeting to decide which commissioners serve as Mayor and Vice Mayor for the next year. The Mayor presides over the commission meetings and appoints commissioners and residents to special committees. He may also form special committees to explore community challenges or potential policies. The Vice Mayor stands in if the Mayor is unavailable. [3]

Print Media

  • The local daily newspaper is the Battle Creek Enquirer.
  • The Battle Creek Shopper is a weekly publication that provides classified adds as well as community news.
  • Scene Magazine is a monthly publication that provides community information.
  • Senior Times is a monthly publication providing community information for seniors.

Fort Custer Army National Guard Base

Founded in 1917, Camp Custer, as it was then known, began construction. Over the next decades it would serve as a training ground for WWI, WWII and the Korean War. The base was closed in 1964. A large part of the base later became the Fort Custer Industrial Park in the late 1970s. This industrial Park contains more than 90 different companies. The United States Government still owns the land, but it is now administered and managed by the State of Michigan. The base, which is still mostly vacant, wooded land takes up a sizable portion of Battle Creek's land area. The part of the base in Battle Creek that is now the industrial park measures 4.69 sq mi (0 km) in area, which is approximately 10.6% of the city's area. A much larger part of the base lies in Kalamazoo County.

Education

Colleges and universities

Public school districts

High schools (public)

High schools (private)

Primary and middle schools (public)

  • Arbor Academy (charter school)
  • Harper Creek Middle School
  • Lakeview Middle School
  • Pennfield Dunlap Middle School
  • Prarieview Elementary School
  • Northwestern Middle School
  • W.K. Kellogg Middle School
  • Beadle Lake Elementary School
  • Sonoma Elementary School
  • Wattles Park Elementary School
  • Westlake Elementary School
  • Urbandale Elementary School
  • Springfield Middle School
  • Minges Brook Elementary School
  • Riverside Elementary School
  • Endeavor Charter Academy(NHA School)

Primary and middle schools (private)

  • Adventurous Beginnings for Children
  • Battle Creek Academy (Seventh-day Adventist)
  • Battle Creek Christian School and Day Care Center
  • Crosscreek School (Lutheran)
  • Calhoun Christian School
  • St. Joseph Elementary School
  • St. Philip Elementary/Middle School

Secondary schools

  • Battle Creek Area Mathematics and Science Center, an accelerated secondary school that focuses primarily on math and science education.

Points of interest

Festivals

  • World's Longest Breakfast Table
  • Battle Creek's Field of Flight Entertainment Festival
  • International Festival of Lights

Sports

The Battle Creek Knights are a charter member of the International Basketball League (IBL). They went 21-0 during the league's first season in 2005 and won the championship. The team's home is Kellogg Arena.

The Battle Creek Bombers, a member of the Northwoods League began play in 2007. The Team's home is C.O. Brown Stadium.

Former Sports Teams

The Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, Battle Creek Yankees, Michigan Battle Cats, were a Class A minor league baseball team, that played in the Midwest League Through 2006. The Team's home was C.O. Brown Stadium.

The Battle Creek Crunch, were a member of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIFL),that began play in 2006. They played only one season in Battle Creek before ceasing operations due to financial trouble. The Team's home was Kellogg Arena.

Transportation

Battle Creek is situated on the historic U.S. 12 route, largely replaced in Michigan by I-94.

Kalamazoo's Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport serves Battle Creek. Locally, W.K. Kellogg Airport serves the general aviation needs of the community. The airport is also home to Western Michigan University's College of Aviation and the Michigan Air National Guard's 110th Fighter Wing which flies the A-10 and O/A-10 aircraft.

Notable persons

Sister cities

Battle Creek has city partnerships with the following cities: Battle Creek's official Sister City is Takasaki, Japan, a relationship that is more than 25 years old. Takasaki later established Sister City relationships with Santo Andre, Brazil, Chengde, China, Pilsen, Czech Republic and, in 2006, Muntinlupa City, the Philippines. These cities take turns hosting an environmental conference each year to allow technical and administrative staff to share ideas and projects for addressing environmental concerns.

Battle Creek and Takasaki also organize junior high and high school student and teacher exchanges each summer.

External links

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ [3]


Kalamazoo
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Jackson
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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State of Michigan
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Battle Creek may refer to:

Populated places in the United States:
  • Battle Creek, Iowa
  • Battle Creek, Michigan
  • Battle Creek, Nebraska
Streams

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State of Michigan

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The Automotive State,
Winter Water Wonderland
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Motto
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"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
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State of Michigan

Flag of Michigan Seal
Nickname(s): The Wolverine State,
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Winter Water Wonderland
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The boundaries of counties in the U.S. state of Michigan have not changed since 1897. However, throughout the 19th century, the state legislature frequently adjusted county boundaries.
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Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population was 137,985. The county seat is Marshall6.
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18th century - 19th century - 20th century
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18th century - 19th century - 20th century
1820s  1830s  1840s  - 1850s -  1860s  1870s  1880s
1856 1857 1858 - 1859 - 1860 1861 1862

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Subjects:     Archaeology - Architecture -
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The council-manager government is one of two main variations of representative municipal government in the United States. This system of government is used in the majority of American cities with populations over 12,000. (for contrast, see Mayor-Council government).
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A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "larger", "greater") is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer.

In many systems, the mayor is an elected politician who serves as chief executive and/or ceremonial official of many types of
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Units for measuring surface area include:
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elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, often the mean sea level. Elevation, or geometric height, is mainly used when referring to points on the Earth's surface, while altitude or geopotential height
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The metre or meter[1](symbol: m) is the fundamental unit of length in the International System of Units (SI).
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city is an urban settlement with a particularly important status which differentiates it from a town.

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Area code 269 is the telephone area code serving the southwest portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Cities served by this area code include Allegan, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo/Portage, Otsego/Plainwell, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, and South Haven.
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