Niles, Michigan

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Niles, Michigan

Niles is a city in Berrien

Berrien County, Michigan

Berrien County is a Counties of the United States located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles, Michigan-Benton Harbor, Michigan, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Cass

Cass County, Michigan

Cass County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 51,104. It is part of the South Bend, Indiana–Mishawaka, Indiana, Indiana-MI, South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area which has a total population of 316,663, and is sometimes considered part of Greater...
counties in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
of Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a Midwestern United States U.S. state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Anishinaabe language term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, near South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

South Bend is a city on the St._Joseph_River_ and a Twin cities of Mishawaka, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total of 107,789 residents; its South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area had a population of 316,663....
, Indiana

Indiana

The State of Indiana was the 19th U.S. state admitted into the union. It is located in the Midwestern United States of the United States of America....
. The population was 12,204 at the 2000 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor

Benton Harbor, Michigan

Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County, Michigan in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 11,182 at the 2000 United States Census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles, Michigan-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Located primarily in Berrien County, Niles lies at the site of the French

French colonization of the Americas

The French colonization of the Americas began in the 16th century, and continued in the following centuries as France established a French colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere....
Fort St. Joseph

Fort St. Joseph (Niles)

Fort Saint Joseph was a fort originally established on land granted to the Jesuits by King Louis XIV located on what is now the south side of the present day town of Niles, Michigan....
, first established in 1691. After 1761, it was held by the British

British colonization of the Americas

British colonization of the Americas began in the late 16th century, before reaching its peak after colonies were established throughout the Americas, and a protectorate was established over the Kingdom of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean....
and was captured on May 25, 1763, by Native Americans

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii....
during Pontiac's Rebellion

Pontiac's Rebellion

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Geography

The city is situated on the St. Joseph River

St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)

United States Census Bureau

The 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 5.9 square mile

Square mile

The square mile is an Imperial system and US customary system of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared....
s (15.3 km²), of which, 5.8 square miles (15.0 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (2.36%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census

Census

A 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....
of 2000, there were 12,204 people, 5,096 households, and 3,052 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
was 2,109.5 per square mile (813.8/km²). There were 5,531 housing units at an average density of 956.0/sq mi (368.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.19% White, 12.36% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 2.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.97% of the population.

There were 5,096 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,208, and the median income for a family was $38,870. Males had a median income of $31,395 versus $22,991 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
for the city was $16,584. About 9.9% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve
Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve

The Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is an arboretum, botanical garden, and nature preserve located at 13988 Range Line Road in Buchanan Township, Michigan....

Downtown Niles is an improving area of small shops, entertainment and services. It is built on a hill to avoid flood

Flood

A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land, a deluge. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide....
ing from the St. Joseph River

St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)

The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately 210 mi long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan....
. In 2003, the City of Niles was awarded a MEDC Community Development Block Grant which, together with private and city funds allowed for the removal of aluminum fronts from two blocks of main and basic facade restoration along with streetscape improvements. Seasonal events are held in the park and nearby areas, including the Niles Riverfest, the Bluegrass Festival, the Hunter Ice Festival, and the Apple Festival Parade. Also they have the best skatepark in the area.

Downtown Niles Points of Pride

2003 March Niles receives designation as 30th National LISC Neighborhood Main Street Initiative community.

2004 June Niles is chosen as one of 7 MEDC (MSHDA) Michigan Main Street Communities.

2005 June Niles receives the Governors Award for Historic Preservation for the work done restoring the building facades on Main Street.

2006 MayNiles Michigan ranks 159th on Forbes list of Best Small Places forBusiness.

2006 November Niles becomes the first MSHDA Michigan Main Street program to receive accreditation through the National Trust for Historic Preservations National Main Street Center. There are currently 28 Main Street programs in the State of Michigan 8 of which are nationally accredited programs. All of the accredited Main Street programs in Michigan except Niles are in Oakland County.

2007 April Niles Michigan ranks 140th on Forbes list of Best Small Places for Business (the highest ranking Michigan city on the list).

2007 June The Downtown Niles Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

2007 September Niles DDA Main Street was chosen the Michigan Main Street Community of the Year.

2007 December The Niles DDA Main Street program receives accreditation through the National Trust for Historic Preservations National Main Street Center for the second consecutive year.

2008 March Niles Michigan ranks 110th on Forbes list of Best Small Places for Business (the highest ranking Michigan city on the list).

Transportation

Rail

The only rail line currently serving Niles is Amtrak's Blue Water Service. This line serves the Port Huron-Chicago route. Freight service provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway

Norfolk Southern Railway

The Norfolk Southern Railway is a major Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada....
. However, it was once served by several other lines. The Amtrak line was the Michigan Central Railroad

Michigan Central Railroad

The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada....
's main line, opened through Niles in 1848 and 1849. The St. Joseph Valley Railroad opened in 1870 as the Michigan Central's South Bend Branch

South Bend Branch

The South Bend Branch was a Pennsylvania Railroad line that ran from South Bend, Indiana to Logansport, Indiana. The line was built in 1883 and was then a part of the Vandalia Railroad....
, and the Michigan Air-Line Railroad

Michigan Air-Line Railroad

The Michigan Air Line Railroad was a planned railroad across southern Michigan, connecting the Canada Southern Railway to Chicago, Illinois. Only part of the line was built, and it was split between the Michigan Central Railroad and the Grand Trunk Railway....
, leased to the Michigan Central, opened a line heading east from Niles in 1871, known as the Air Line Branch. The final line through Niles was the southeast-northwest Benton Harbor Branch of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway

The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, also known as the Big Four Railroad and commonly abbreviated CCC&StL, was a railroad company in the Midwestern United States....
(also known as the Big Four), originally opened by the Elkhart, Niles and Lake Michigan Railroad in 1881. All of these lines were part of the New York Central Railroad

New York Central Railroad

The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States....
system. The Air Line Branch was abandoned at Niles in 1937, and the Benton Harbor Branch (Big Four) was removed north of Niles in 1980. The South Bend Branch was removed later that decade.

Cincinnati Wabash and Michigan Railway Company

This company was incorporated by the purchasers of the Cincinnati Wabash and Michigan Railroad Company, certificate of incorporation being filed with the Secretary of the State of Indiana under date of April 16, 1880. The original Cincinnati Wabash and Michigan Railroad Company was incorporated June 30, 1871, and the line opened from Goshen, Indiana, to Anderson, Indiana, May 21, 1876. The reorganized Cincinnati Wabash and Michigan Railway Company consolidated August 11, 1882, with the Elkhart Niles and Lake Michigan Railroad Company, chartered as a revival of the Elkhart and Lake Michigan Railroad Company in Michigan June 19, 1880; this latter consolidation making a complete line from Benton Harbor, Michigan, to Anderson, Indiana. The entire stock of the Cincinnati Wabash and Michigan Railway Company is owned by The Cleveland Cincinnati Chicago and St Louis Railway Company, which has operated the line as a part of its road since November 1, 1890; formal lease to the latter having been executed April 1, 1891, lease effective July 1, 1891, running one hundred years.

The Amtrak station is located along the main line east of the former Benton Harbor Branch crossing and west of the former junctions with the South Bend and Air Line Branches. Amtrak uses the old Michigan Central station; the current structure was built in 1892 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation....
. Scenes in films such as Continental Divide
Continental Divide (film)

Continental Divide is a 1981 in film United States romantic comedy. It was film director by Michael Apted from an original screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and film producer by Steven Spielberg and stars John Belushi and Blair Brown....
, Midnight Run
Midnight Run

Midnight Run is a 1988 in film Cinema of the United States action film/comedy film/buddy film film starring Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter and Charles Grodin as his prisoner....
and Only the Lonely
Only the Lonely (film)

Only the Lonely is a 1991 in film romance film comedy-drama film written and directed by Chris Columbus . It starred John Candy, Ally Sheedy, Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn....
were shot here. Baggage cannot be checked at this location; however, up to two suitcases in addition to any "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment are allowed on board as carry-ons.

Major Highways

Interstates

I-80
Interstate 80

Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States . It connects downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City....
/I-90
Interstate 90

Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate. Its western terminus is in Seattle, Washington, at 4th Avenue S....
is routed along the Indiana Toll Road
Indiana Toll Road

The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East-West Toll Road and part of Interstate 90, is a toll road highway running east-west across the northernmost part of Indiana....
, just across the Indiana
Indiana

The State of Indiana was the 19th U.S. state admitted into the union. It is located in the Midwestern United States of the United States of America....
state line.

US highways

US 12
U.S. Route 12

U.S. Route 12 or US 12 is an east-west United States Numbered Highways, running from Grays Harbor on the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Washington, to downtown Detroit, Michigan, for almost 2500 miles ....
on the south side of Niles is a lightly-used bypass highway that approaches freeway status; it has exits for US 12 (east toward Edwardsburg
Edwardsburg, Michigan

Edwardsburg is a village in Cass County, Michigan in the U.S. state of Michigan, northeast of South Bend, Indiana. The population was 1,147 at the 2000 United States Census....
to the southeast of town and M-51 south of town. It was the first stage of construction of a freeway along the former US-12 that would have connected Detroit to Chicago (known as the Sauk Trail during the fur trading days), a project abandoned after the Indiana Toll Road and Interstate 94
Interstate 94

Interstate 94 is the northernmost east-west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. Its western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S....
made such an expressway unnecessary.
US 31
U.S. Route 31

U.S. Route 31 is a long north-south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with termini at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, Michigan, and U.S....

Michigan State Trunklines

M-51
M-51 (Michigan highway)

M-51, is a north-south highway in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Michigan. The northern terminus is on Interstate 94 west of Paw Paw, Michigan, where it continues north for less than a mile to W Red Arrow Highway as Van Buren CR 671, and the southern terminus is at the Indiana state line between Niles, Michigan and South Bend,...
M-60
M-60 (Michigan highway)

M-60 is an east-west trunkline and state highway in the U.S. state of Michigan. Like all state roads, an easement-for-public-use exists in each direction from the centre of the road into properties....
BUS M-60
M-140
M-140 (Michigan highway)

M-140 is a short Michigan Highway System in the U.S. state of Michigan. the route is entirely within Berrien County, Michigan and Van Buren County, Michigan counties....

Indiana Highways

SR 933

Notable people

Jake Cinninger
Jake Cinninger

Jacob Alan Cinninger is an American musician, one of two guitar for Chicago-based jamband Umphrey's McGee. His style is a fusion of speed and soul , and resembles artists as varied as Eddie Van Halen to Jeff Beck....
, musician, Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock/jam band originally from South Bend, Indiana, now based in Chicago, Illinois whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation."...
Horace Elgin Dodge
Horace Elgin Dodge

Horace Elgin Dodge was an United states automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge....
, automobile industry pioneer
John Francis Dodge
John Francis Dodge

John Francis Dodge was an United states automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge....
, automobile industry pioneer
Thomas Fitzgerald, U.S. Senator and probate judge
Tommy James
Tommy James

Tommy James is an United States pop-rock musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as leader of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells....
, musician, Tommy James and the Shondells
Ring Lardner
Ring Lardner

Ringgold Wilmer Lardner was an United States sports columnist and short story writer best known for his satirical takes on the sports world, marriage, and the theatre....
, Sr., satirist, short story writer and sports columnist
Tommy Shaw
Tommy Shaw

Tommy Roland Shaw is an United States guitarist, best known for his work with the Rock music band Styx . In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
, musician, Styx
Styx (band)

Styx is an American Rock band. Their hit songs have included "Come Sail Away", "Mr. Roboto", "Babe ", "Lady ", "Blue Collar Man" and "The Best of Times ." Styx is the first band to have four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA....
Aaron Montgomery Ward
Aaron Montgomery Ward

Aaron Montgomery Ward was an United States businessman notable for the invention of mail order.The mail-order industry was started by Aaron Montgomery Ward in 1872 in Chicago....
, founder, Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward

Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that is somewhat connected to the former American department store chain, founded as the world's first mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward....
Guy Murray
Guy Murray

Guy Murray is the current men's and women's Cross country running and Athletics head coach at the University of Detroit Mercy. Murray was one of the top runners in U of D history as a distance runner and he was also a marathon runner....
, college runner at Detroit
Detroit Titans

The Detroit Titans are the NCAA Division I team of the University of Detroit Mercy . The school competes in the Horizon League.On April 12, 2008, UDM announced the hiring of Ray McCallum as Men's Basketball Coach....
, Detroit head cross country/track coach
Dave Schmidt
Dave Schmidt

David Joseph Schmidt , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched twelve seasons in the majors from until .External links...
, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between them since 1903 ....
pitcher
Jason Newsted
Jason Newsted

Jason Curtis Newsted is an American bass guitar best known as the former bassist of Metallica. He was also a member of Voivod after leaving Metallica....
, musician, Metallica
Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal music band that formed in 1981 in Los Angeles. Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, Metallica's line-up has primarily consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, while going through a number of bassists....
Henry "Jim" Payne, musician, Tommy James and the Shondells