Battle Creek, Michigan

Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River. 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.

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]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 43.7 square miles (113.1 km²), of which, 42.8 square miles (110.9 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.2 km²) 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 (12.85 km²) or approximately 10.6% of the total land area of the city.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Rec High °F	68	68	82	90	95	100	104	103	99	90	80	66
Norm High °F	31	33	43	58	70	80	85	82	75	62	46	34
Norm Low °F	17	17	25	36	47	57	61	59	52	42	31	21
Rec Low °F	-19	-24	-11	10	24	35	42	39	28	18	-6	-16
Precip (in)	2.1	2.1	2.4	2.8	3.6	4.0	2.9	3.0	3.2	2.9	2.5	2.1
Source: weatherbase.com [4]

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	13,197	—
1900	18,563	40.7%
1910	25,267	36.1%
1920	36,164	43.1%
1940	43,453	—
2000	53,364	—
Est. 2003	53,827	0.9%

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 53,364 people, 21,348 households, and 13,363 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.0 per square mile (481.1/km²). There were 23,525 housing units at an average density of 549.3/sq mi (212.1/km²). 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.

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 2009.

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]

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.

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 square miles (12.15 km²) in area, which is approximately 10.6% of the city's area. A much larger part of the base lies in Kalamazoo County.

Kellogg Community College, a 2-year college founded in 1956.
Robert B. Miller College, a 4-year institution which shares KCC's facilities
Western Michigan University's Battle Creek Branch - The Kendall Center
Spring Arbor University Battle Creek Branch

Battle Creek Public Schools
Harper Creek Schools
Lakeview School District
Pennfield Schools [5]

Battle Creek Area Mathematics and Science Center
Battle Creek Central High School
Harper Creek High School
Lakeview Alternative Education, better known as Calhoun Community High School
Lakeview High School
Michigan Youth Challenge Academy
Operation Graduation
Pennfield Senior High School
South Hill Academy

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

Art Center of Battle Creek
Battle Creek Sanitarium (now the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center)
Binder Park Zoo
Full Blast Indoor/Outdoor Water Park and Arcade
Harper Creek Village (Shopping Plaza)
Ira A. Beck Masonic Lodge #503
Kimball House Museum
Kingman Museum
Lakeview Square Mall
Leila Arboretum
The Rink (ice skating)
Willard Library

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

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.

See also: Battle Creek (Amtrak station)

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.

Lyman James Briggs, engineer, physicist and administrator, best known for heading the Uranium Committee or the Advisory Committee was born in Assyria -- near Battle Creek
Julius Houseman, a former mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan, member of the Michigan House of Representatives, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Erastus Hussey, abolitionist
Betty Hutton, one of the most-original and most-colorful singers in twentieth century American pop music
Marion Hutton, best-known for her vocals with Glenn Miller's orchestra
John Harvey Kellogg, Battle Creek Sanitarium founder, inventor of corn flakes
Will Keith Kellogg, founder of Kellogg Company, John Harvey's brother
Dick Martin (comedian), co-host of the popular comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968-1973)
Josh McDowell, leading Evangelical Christian apologist and author
Jason Newsted, best known as former bassist for heavy metal band Metallica and Rock Star Supernova.
Ray Overholt, writer of the famed gospel song "Ten Thousand Angels."
C. W. Post, founder of Postum Cereal Company
Del Shannon, (rock singer) while living in Battle Creek formed his first band and appeared at the Hi-Lo Club where he wrote Runaway with Max Crook in 1960. A State Historical Marker located at the site of the Hi-Lo was dedicated to Shannon in 1990.
Sojourner Truth, ex-slave and ardent abolitionist
Frederick Upton, co-founder of Whirlpool Corporation (born in Battle Creek)
Louis Upton, co-founder of Whirlpool Corporation (born in Battle Creek)
Rob Van Dam, professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW)
Junior Walker, of the famous R&B Motown group Junior Walker & the All-Stars, became a resident of Battle Creek in the 1950s
Ellen G. White, Prophetess, co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and among the most translated of all US authors
James Springer White, co-founder of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Fred Zinn, World War I aviator and aviation reconnaissance pioneer

Battle Creek has city partnerships with the following cities:

Santo André, Brazil
Takasaki, Japan

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.


Kalamazoo		Jackson
	Battle Creek

	Fort Wayne, Indiana

Battle Creek, Michigan is at coordinates 42°19′N 85°11′W / 42.32, -85.18Coordinates: 42°19′N 85°11′W / 42.32, -85.18

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