BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN

'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.
It 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.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Fort Custer Army National Guard Base

Education

Colleges and universities

Public school districts

High schools (public)

High schools (private)

Primary and middle schools (public)

Primary and middle schools (private)

Secondary schools

Points of interest

Festivals

Sports

Transportation

Notable persons

Sister cities

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 113.1 km² (43.7 mi²). 110.9 km² (42.8 mi²) of it is land and 2.2 km² (0.8 mi²) 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 mi² in size. Of this area, part of the Fort Custer Army National Guard Base/Industrial Park takes up 4.96 mi² or approximately 10.6% of the total land area of the city.

Demographics

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/mi²). There were 23,525 housing units at an average density of 212.1/km² (549.3/mi²). 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

Battle Creek's government is a council-manager system. Battle Creek City Commissioners serve two-year terms. Each November, the Mayor and Vice Mayor are selected by their fellow commissioners to serve one-year terms. The next election of the City Commission will be held in November 2007. The Commission includes five Ward commissioners, representing specific wards within the City and four at-large commissioners. The city council is responsible for hiring a city manager, who oversees the day-to-day business of running the city, preparing and recommending a budget, and making policy recommendations. The council also approves the city budget, sets city policies and ordinances.

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 square miles 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

★ 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

Public school districts

★ Battle Creek Public Schools

★ Harper Creek Schools

★ Lakeview School District

★ Pennfield Schools [1]

High schools (public)

★ 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

High schools (private)

★ Battle Creek Academy

★ Bedford Bible Church School

★ Calhoun Christan School

★ St. Philip Catholic High School

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

★ Leila Arboretum

★ Ira A. Beck Masonic Lodge #503

★ Binder Park Zoo

★ Battle Creek Sanitarium (now the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center)

★ Full Blast Indoor/Outdoor Water Park and Arcade

★ The Rink (ice skating)

★ Lakeview Square Mall

★ Harper Creek Village (Shopping Plaza)

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

★ Lyman James Briggs, engineer, physicist and administrator, best known for heading the ''Briggs Advisory Committee on Uranium'' -- widely known as 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

★ C. W. Post, founder of Postum Cereal Company

★ Rock singer Del Shannon, 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

★ 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

★ Ray Overholt, writer of the famed gospel song "Ten Thousand Angels."

★ Jason Newsted, best known as former bassist for heavy metal band Metallica and Rock Star Supernova.

★ Frederick Upton, co-founder of Whirlpool Corporation (born in Battle Creek)

★ Louis Upton, co-founder of Whirlpool Corporation (born in Battle Creek)

Sister cities

Battle Creek has city partnerships with the following cities:

★ Santo André, Brazil

★ Takasaki, Japan

External links

★ Official website

★ Official Tourism Website