Coldwater is a city in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of
MichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of the
2010 censusThe Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the city population was 10,945. It is the
county seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of
Branch County-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 45,787 people, 16,349 households, and 11,575 families residing in the county. The population density was 90 people per square mile . There were 19,822 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile...
.
The city is located at the center of
Coldwater TownshipColdwater Township is a civil township of Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,678 at the 2000 census.The city of Coldwater is at the center of the township, though it is administratively autonomous. However, the Coldwater urban area extends well into the surrounding...
, though it is politically independent. Coldwater is at 41°56′25"N 85°00′02"W. The
ZIP codeZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 49036 and the FIPS place code is 17020. The elevation is 969 feet (295.4 m) above
sea levelMean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
Geography and climate
The
Coldwater RiverColdwater River is a stream in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in Branch County, the river rises in Ovid Township at as the outflow of Coldwater Lake. Flowing north and west, it is joined by the outflow from the Lake of the Woods and continus north for several miles...
flows into the city from the south, originating from Coldwater Lake. The Coldwater chain of lakes also has an outlet called the Sauk River, which flows from its north end (near Quincy) and then through the south side of the city of Coldwater. Both combine to form a series of shallow, connected lakes on the city's west side.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²), of which 8.1 square miles (21 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), or 2.63%, is water.
National Weather ServiceThe National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
records show that average January temperatures are a maximum of 28.9°F and a minimum of 14.3°F. Average July temperatures are a maximum of 81.4°F and a minimum of 59.9°F. There are an average of 8.5 days with highs of 90°F (32°C) or higher and an average of 145.2 days with lows of 32°F (0°C) or lower. The record high temperature of 108°F was on July 24, 1934, and the record low temperature was -23°F on January 4, 1981.
Precipitation averages 35.66 inches annually. There is measurable precipitation on an average of 142.1 days. The wettest year was 1905 with 46.12 inches and the dryest year was 1930 with 18.01 inches. The most precipitation in one month was 10.90 in May 1989. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 5.37 inches on June 26, 1978.
Snowfall averages 54.5 inches annually. There is measurable snowfall on an average of 34.6 days. The snowiest season was 1977-78 when 84.8 inches fell, including 50.7 inches in January 1978. A blizzard that month included 17.0 inches of snow on January 26, 1978.
Major highways
 |
I-69Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
. Coldwater is accessible from exits 10 (BL I-69-Coldwater, Michigan:Business Loop I-69, or BL I-69, is a route formed from part of the old US 27 route near and through Coldwater and from part of US 12 through Coldwater. Starting at the southern end, it begins at Exit 10 of I-69, which is where Fenn Rd. crosses the Interstate. It follows Fenn Rd...
)(Fenn Road), 13 (US-12U.S. Route 112 was a largely east–west state trunkline highway across the southern portion of the US state of Michigan between New Buffalo and Detroit...
)/BL I-69, and 16 (Jonesville Road). The city has expanded since 1967 when I-69 was completed in the area to incorporate the urban sprawlUrban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
at Exit 13. |
 |
I-69 Business Loop runs through downtown Coldwater. |
 |
US 12 U.S. Route 12 or US 12 is an east–west United States highway, running from Grays Harbor on the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Washington, to downtown Detroit, for almost . As a thoroughfare, it has mostly been supplanted by I-90 and I-94, but remains an important road for local travel.The...
continues west to SturgisSturgis, is a city in St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,994 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the northeast corner of Sturgis Township and at the intersection of US 12 and M-66....
and east toward the HillsdaleHillsdale is a city in the state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,305. It is the county seat of Hillsdale County, and is run as a council-manager government....
area. |
 |
M-86M-86 is a east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the southern portion of the Lower Peninsula. The highway starts at Business US Highway 131 and M-60 in Three Rivers and ends at US Highway 12 near Coldwater. In between, it crosses farm country and runs along a section of...
runs west to Three RiversThree Rivers is a city in St. Joseph County in the US state of Michigan. The population was 7,811 at the 2010 census.Three Rivers derives its name from the confluence of the St. Joseph River with its tributaries the Rocky and Portage Rivers. It is the home of St...
. |
Mass transit
Coldwater public bus transportation is provided by Branch Area Transit Authority (BATA).
Rail
Coldwater has an east-west railroad, but this is practically a relic of one that led to Chicago and Detroit,MI
Education
- Coldwater Community Schools, public school district for Coldwater
- Pansophia Academy, charter school, grades K-12
- St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School, grades K-5
- Legg Middle School, grades 6-8
- Branch Area Career Center
Branch Area Career Center is a public school offering Career and Technical Training for High School students in Coldwater Michigan the county seat of Branch County. It is an extension of Bronson, Coldwater, and Quincy High Schools offering programs not offered in traditional schools...
, vocational training to high school students
- Coldwater High School
Coldwater High School is a public high school in Coldwater, Michigan with approximately 1000 students. It is part of the Coldwater Community School district and is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.-Mission:...
, grades 9-12
Aside from the usual public and parochial schools, Coldwater has a branch of
Kellogg Community CollegeKellogg Community College , is a public college, which was founded in 1956, is a two-year institution of higher learning which provides academic, occupational, general, and lifelong learning opportunities on campus in Battle Creek, Michigan, as well as at off-campus sites and online. The college...
and
Baker CollegeBaker College is a private not-for-profit American college in Michigan, founded in 1911. Its campuses are located throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan....
.
Notable residents
- Scott Brayton
Scott Everets Brayton was a race car driver from Coldwater, Michigan, on the American open-wheel circuit. He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s, beginning with the 1981 event...
, Indycar driver who was killed in practice at the Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayThe Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
in 1996
- Hawley Harvey Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen , usually known as Dr. Crippen, was an American homeopathic physician hanged in Pentonville Prison, London, on November 23, 1910, for the murder of his wife, Cora Henrietta Crippen...
, convicted of murdering his wife and executed
- Samuel Etheridge
Samuel Etheridge was a state senator for the seventh district of the state of Michigan in 1838.Etheridge was born in Adams, Massachusetts, on April 15, 1788 to parents of English lineage. He received a common-school education and excelled in mathematics...
, one of MichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's first state senators, representing the Seventh Senatorial District from 1838-1840
- Jad
Jad Fair is an American singer, guitarist and graphic artist, most famous for being a founding member of lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese.-Biography:In 1974, with his brother David, Jad Fair founded the lo-fi group Half Japanese...
and David Fair, musicians; founders of the band Half JapaneseHalf Japanese is a punk rock band formed by brothers Jad and David Fair in their Coldwater, Michigan bedroom around 1975. Their original instrumentation included a small drum set, which they took turns playing; vocals; and an out of tune guitar...
- Alice Haylett
Alice Haylett [Al or Sis] was a female pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 155 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....
, AAGPBLThe All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
All-Star pitcher
- Jack Joseph Heeney (known as Jack Healy), circus clown
- Jeff Kellogg
Jeffrey William Kellogg is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000...
, current MLB umpire
- Cyrus G. Luce
Cyrus Gray Luce was the 21st Governor of the US state of Michigan.-Early life in Ohio and Indiana:Luce was born in Windsor, Ashtabula County, Ohio. His father, a veteran of the War of 1812 from Tolland, Connecticut, settled in the Connecticut Western Reserve after the war...
, Michigan governor
- Ruth McDevitt
Ruth McDevitt was an American stage, film, radio and television actress.-Career:She was born Ruth Thane Shoecraft in Coldwater, Michigan. After attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she married Patrick McDevitt and decided to devote her time to her marriage. After her husband's death in...
, actress
- Harriet Quimby
Harriet Quimby was an early American aviator and a movie screenwriter. In 1911 she was awarded a U.S. pilot's certificate by the Aero Club of America, becoming the first woman to gain a pilot's license in the United States. In 1912 she became the first woman to fly across the English Channel...
, aviation pioneer, the first US woman to receive a pilot's license
- Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler
- Bill Welke
William Anthony "Bill" Welke is an umpire in Major League Baseball. He joined the major league staff in 1999 and wears uniform number 52....
, current MLB umpire
- Tim Welke
Timothy James Welke is an umpire in Major League Baseball who was named to the American League staff prior to the 1984 season, and has worked throughout both major leagues since 2000. He has been a crew chief since 2000, and currently wears uniform number 3...
, current MLB umpire
Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 12,697 people, 4,058 households, and 2,520 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,562.5 per square mile (603.0/km²). There were 4,370 housing units at an average density of 537.8 per square mile (207.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.35% White, 8.42% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.52% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.52% of the population.
There were 4,058 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,913, and the median income for a family was $41,107. Males had a median income of $31,577 versus $22,088 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,833. About 6.0% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Tibbits Opera House
The
Tibbits Opera HouseTibbits Opera House is the second oldest theatre in Michigan, having been built in 1882. Rich in history and ambiance, even today the theatre offers theatre-goers nearly perfect acoustics, an intimate 499-seat setting, and a fine array of performances throughout the year. Barton S. Tibbits...
in Coldwater was built in 1882 and is the second-oldest theater in Michigan. It was converted to a movie theater in the 1930's. In the 1960's a campaign began to restore its original use as a theater with the eventual goal of restoring its French Empire architecture. It is now a venue for a variety of cultural activities.
Media
The newspaper published in Coldwater is the
Coldwater Daily Reporter.
Coldwater has radio stations
WTVBWTVB, AM 1590, is a regional radio station located in Coldwater, Michigan. It carries largely oldies music and local news and sports, with the ABC Radio Network as its source for national news, and carries Dial Global's "Kool Gold" oldies format...
and
WNWN-FMWNWN-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Coldwater, Michigan with studios in Battle Creek, it first began broadcasting in 1950 under the WTVB-FM call sign at 98.3 on the FM dial and spent most of its early existence as a simulcast of sister station WTVB before...
, whose studios are located south of town on Business Loop 69 that are part of the
KalamazooThe area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
radio area. There are no television stations broadcasting from within the county; Coldwater gets its television signals from the Kalamazoo-Grand Rapids-Battle Creek and Lansing-Jackson SMSAs in Michigan.
External links