Battle Creek, Michigan, United States

🇺🇸 Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in north-west Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which encompasses all of Calhoun County. It is best known as the home of the Kellogg Company, best known for its Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Special K cereals, and the founding city of Post Consumer Brands cereal.

History In about 1774, the Potawatomi and the Ottawa Native American tribes formed a joint village near the future Battle Creek, Michigan. The first permanent European settlements in Battle Creek Township, after the removal of the Potawatomi to a reservation, began about 1831. Westward migration from New York and New England had increased to Michigan following the completion of the Erie Canal in New York in 1824. Most settlers chose to locate on the Goguac prairie, which was fertile and easily cultivated. A post office was opened in Battle Creek in 1832 under Postmaster Pollodore Hudson. The first school was taught in a small log house about 1833 or 1834. Asa Langley built the first sawmill in 1837. A brick manufacturing plant, called the oldest enterprise in the township, was established in 1840 by Simon Carr and operated until 1903. The township was established by act of the legislature in 1839.

In the antebellum era, the city was a major stop on the Underground Railroad, used by fugitive slaves to escape to freedom in Michigan and Canada. It was the chosen home of noted abolitionist Sojourner Truth after her escape from slavery.

Battle Creek figured prominently in the early history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was the site of a Protestant church founding convention in 1863. The denomination's first hospital, college, and publishing office would also be constructed in the city. When the hospital and publishing office burned down in 1902, the church elected to decentralize, and most of its institutions were relocated. The first Adventist church (rebuilt in the 1920s) is still in operation.

World Heavyweight Champion Jack Johnson was once arrested here for marrying his White wife and transporting her across state lines. He was detained in Battle Creek, where he visited a former acquaintance, went for a sleigh ride and spent the night at the house of patrolman John Patterson, Battle Creek's first African American police officer. Federal authorities from Chicago took him into custody the next day.

The city was noted for its focus on health reform during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Battle Creek Sanitarium was founded by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. In addition to some of his sometimes bizarre treatments that were featured in the movie The Road to Wellville, Kellogg also funded organizations that promoted eugenics theories at the core of their philosophical agenda, which was seen as a natural complement to euthenics. The Race Betterment Foundation was one of these organizations. He also supported the "separate but equal" philosophy and invited Booker T. Washington to speak at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in order to raise money. Washington was the author of the speech "The Atlanta Compromise", which solidified his position of being an accommodationist while providing a mechanism for southern Whites (and their sympathizers), to fund his school (the Tuskegee Institute).

W. K. Kellogg had worked for his brother in a variety of capacities at the B.C. Sanitarium. Tired of living in the shadow of his brother John Harvey Kellogg, he struck out on his own, going to the boom-towns surrounding the oilfields in Oklahoma as a broom salesman. Having failed, he returned to work as an assistant to his brother. While working at the sanitariums' laboratory, W.K. spilled liquefied cornmeal on a heating device that cooked the product and rendered it to flakes. He tasted the flakes and added milk to them. He was able to get his brother to allow him to give some of the product to some of the patients at the sanitarium, and the patients' demand for the product exceeded his expectations to the point that W.K made the decision to leave the sanitarium. Along with some investors, he built a factory to satisfy the demand for his "corn flakes".

It was during this time of going their separate ways for good that Dr. John Harvey Kellogg sued his brother for copyright infringement. The U.S. Supreme court ruled in W.K. Kellogg's favor, due to the greater sales and public profile of W.K. Kellogg's company.

Inspired by Kellogg's innovation, C. W. Post invented Grape-Nuts and founded his own cereal company in the town. Battle Creek has been nicknamed "the Cereal City".

In the turbulent 1960s, Battle Creek was not immune to the racial issues of the day. Dr. Martin Luther King spoke here, as did Sen. Hubert Humphrey, President L.B. Johnson, and Heavyweight Champion of the world Muhammad Ali. African Americans were subjected to "stop and frisk" procedures while walking, and housing covenants were in full force. No Blacks worked in the school systems, and only a few Blacks held mid-level manager posts in the local corporate sector. The Federal government sector was better at the Federal Center, and less so at the local Veterans' Administration Hospital.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 43.73 square miles (113.26 km²), of which 42.61 square miles (110.36 km²) is land and 1.12 square miles (2.90 km²) 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 (100 km²) in size. • Approximately 60% of the city's land is developed. Of the undeveloped land, 38% is zoned agricultural, 26% is zoned general industrial, 17.5% is zoned residential, 16% is the Fort Custer Army National Guard Base/Industrial Park, and 2.5% is zone commercial. • After Battle Creek Township merged into the city of Battle Creek in 1983, the city's declining population rose by nearly 18,000 new residents. Prior to the merge, the city measured 18.6 square miles (48.17 km²). • Battle Creek is variously considered to be part of West Michigan or Southern Michigan.

Nearby municipalities • Bedford Charter Township • Emmett Charter Township • Pennfield Charter Township • City of Springfield • Urbandale.

Largest employers According to a recent Battle Creek Unlimited update, the largest employers in the city include: 1 Denso Manufacturing Michigan, Inc.; 2 Kellogg Company (World Corporate Headquarters); 3 FireKeepers Casino Hotel; 4 Battle Creek VA Medical Center; 5 Hart, Dole, Inouye Federal Center; 7 Bronson Healthcare Battle Creek; 8 Battle Creek Public Schools; 9 Fort Custer Training Center; 10 II Stanley Company, Inc.; 11 TRMI, Inc. (A subsidiary company of Tokai-Rika Co. LTD); 12 Michigan Air National Guard; 13 Musashi Auto Parts Michigan, Inc.; 14 Duncan Aviation, Inc.; 15 Calhoun County, MI; 16 Kellogg Community College; 17 Post Consumer Brands (Post Foods); 18 City of Battle Creek; 19 Lakeview School District; 20 Adient (Johnson Controls); 21 Prairie Farms Dairy; 22 Motus Integrated Technologies; 23 Hi-Lex Corporation; 24 Harper Creek Community Schools; 25 Magna Cosma Castings; 26 Graphic Packaging International; 27 Systex Products Corporation; 28 EPI Marketing Services; 29 Advantage Sintered Metals, Inc.; 30 Denso Manufacturing North Carolina, Inc. (DMNC) Michigan Plant; 31 Nexthermal Corporation.

Education: Universities • Kellogg Community College, a two-year college founded in 1956 • Robert B. Miller College, a four-year institution which shared KCC's facilities. The college closed in 2016. • Western Michigan University's Battle Creek Branch — The Kendall Center • Western Michigan University's College of Aviation, located at W.K. Kellogg Airport • Spring Arbor University Battle Creek Branch • Davenport University Battle Creek Campus. This campus of the college closed in 2015. • Central Michigan University, Battle Creek Campus on Air National Guard Base, W.K. Kellogg Airport

Foreign-language education[edit] The Battle Creek Japanese School (バトルクリーク補習授業校 Batoru Kurīku Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a supplementary weekend Japanese school, holds its classes at the Lakeview School District building.[49] In 1980 the Western Michigan University Center for International Programs developed a program for Japanese expatriate K-12 students that was sponsored by Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU); the classes were held in the company facility at Fort Custer Industrial Park.[50] [edit]

Print media[edit] • The local daily newspapers are The Battle Creek Shopper and the newspaper of record is the Battle Creek Enquirer, owned and operated by Gannett Company.[51][52]

Radio[edit] FM radio stations that originate or can be heard over the air in Battle Creek: • WSPB 89.7 - Battle Creek - Holy Family Radio Roman Catholic Radio[53] • WCSG 91.3 - Grand Rapids - Christian Adult Contemporary • WZUU 92.5 - Mattawan/Kalamazoo - Classic Rock • WBCT 93.7 - Grand Rapids - Country • WWDK 94.1 - Jackson/Lansing/Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - Classic Country • WBCK 95.3 - Battle Creek - News/Talk • WZOX 96.5 - Portage/Kalamazoo - Alternative Rock • WNWN 98.5 - Coldwater/Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - Country • WFPM 99.1 - Battle Creek - Gospel • WBCH-FM 100.1 - Hastings - Country • WBFN 101.1 - Battle Creek - Christian (FM translator for AM 1400) • W274AQ 102.7 - Battle Creek - Classic Hits • WKFR 103.3 - Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - CHR/Top 40 • WBXX 104.9 - Marshall/Battle Creek - Alternative Rock • WSRW 105.7 - Grand Rapids - Adult Contemporary • WJXQ 106.1 - Jackson/Lansing/Battle Creek - Mainstream Rock • WVFM 106.5 - Kalamazoo - Adult Contemporary • WRKR 107.7 - Portage/Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - Classic Rock AM radio stations that originate or can be heard over the air in Battle Creek: • WKZO 590 - Kalamazoo - News/Talk - (FM translator at 106.9) • WFAT 930 - Battle Creek - Classic Hits • WILS 1320 - Lansing - News/Talk • WKMI 1360 - Kalamazoo - News/Talk • WBFN 1400 - Battle Creek - Christian • WQLR 1660 - Kalamazoo - Sports

Television[edit] • WWMT, a CBS affiliate licensed to Kalamazoo and also serving Battle Creek, Grand Rapids and western Michigan • WOOD-TV, an NBC affiliate licensed to Grand Rapids and the default NBC station for Battle Creek. • WOTV, an ABC affiliate serving Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and southwestern Michigan, and also serving as a secondary ABC affiliate for Grand Rapids • WXMI, the FOX affiliate from Grand Rapids. • WZPX, an ION affiliate serving all of western Michigan • WLLA, an independent station largely broadcasting religious programming from Kalamazoo. • WGVU, the PBS channel from Grand Rapids but broadcasting from a satellite broadcaster in Kalamazoo. • AccessVision, public-access television on Comcast channels 16 and 17; broadcasts to all municipalities within Battle Creek, and Newton Township[54]

Festivals[edit]

2010 World's Longest Breakfast Table • The World's Longest Breakfast Table • The Battle Creek Field of Flight Entertainment Festival is an air show and balloon event held yearly in Battle Creek.[55] • International Festival of Lights[56]

Music[edit] Battle Creek is home to the Music Center,[57] which serves South Central Michigan. The Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra is based at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium in downtown Battle Creek.[58] The symphony is conducted by Anne Harrigan. It is Michigan's longest-running symphony orchestra.[59] The Brass Band of Battle Creek is composed of 31 brass players and percussionists from around the United States and Europe. "Created in 1989 by brothers Jim and Bill Gray, podiatrists and amateur brass players from Battle Creek, MI, the BBBC has grown to cult status in Battle Creek, where BBBC concerts are regularly sold out and waiting lists are created weeks in advance."[60] Leilapalooza - The Leila Arboretum Music Festival is a free summer music festival held at the Leila Arboretum. Proceeds benefit the Leila Arboretum Society and Kingman Museum.[61]

Sports[edit] Battle Creek hosts the annual Michigan High School Athletic Association team wrestling, volleyball, baseball, and softball state championships. The town receives quarterly boosts to its economy from the fans who flock there to follow their teams.[62] Each year, Battle Creek hosts the Sandy Koufax 13S World Series, for 13-year-old baseball players. In August 2010, Battle Creek was host to the eighth edition of the International H.K.D. Games.

Sports teams[edit]

The Battle Creek Battle Jacks (formerly Bombers) are a collegiate baseball team, a member of the Northwoods League, who began play in 2007. After a last-place finish in 2010, the Bombers went 47–26 in 2011 and won their first NWL championship.[63] It was the first championship in Battle Creek since 2000, when the Michigan Battle Cats won the Midwest League championship. The team's home is C.O. Brown Stadium. In 2011, the team signed a five-year lease, which guarantees the team's ten-year anniversary in Battle Creek in 2017. Actor Tyler Hoechlin, who starred alongside Tom Hanks in the critically acclaimed film Road to Perdition, previously played for the Battle Creek Bombers.

Points of interest[edit]

•   Art Center of Battle Creek[73]
•   Bailey Park & C.O. Brown Stadium[74]
•   Battle Creek Sanitarium (now the Hart–Dole–Inouye Federal Center)[75]
•   Battle Creek Tabernacle (Seventh-day Adventist Church)
•   Binder Park Zoo
•   Fort Custer Recreation Area[76]
•   Historic Adventist Village
•   Kimball House Museum[77]
•   Battle Creek Reginal History Museum
•   Kingman Museum and Planetarium[78]
•   Leila Arboretum
•   Linear Park[79]
•   Willard Beach and Park
•   Willard Library[80]

Fort Custer Army National Guard Base[edit] Founded in 1917, Camp Custer, as it was then known, served over the next decades as a training ground, from World War I until the present. Parts of the base were spun off and developed as the Battle Creek Veteran's Hospital, Fort Custer National Cemetery, Fort Custer Recreation Area and Fort Custer Industrial Park. This industrial park contains more than 90 different companies. The United States Government still owns the land, under an arrangement by which the state of Michigan administers and manages the property. The base, which is still mostly undeveloped, 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. The adjoining W.K. Kellogg Airport is a joint civilian-Air National Guard facility.

Transportation[edit] Battle Creek is situated on Interstate 94 (I-94) midway between Detroit and Chicago.

**Railroad and bus lines[edit] ** The Battle Creek Amtrak Station serves Amtrak trains on the south end of the station and Greyhound and Indian Trails bus lines on the north side of the station. The Canadian National Railway and Norfolk Southern Railway provide freight service to the city.

Public transportation[edit] Battle Creek Transit provides public transit services to Battle Creek area residents. Regular route bus service is provided throughout the City of Battle Creek.

Major highways[edit] • I-94 • BL I-94 • I-194 • M-37 • M-66 • M-89 • M-96

Aviation[edit] 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, Duncan Aviation, WACO Classic Aircraft Corp. a bi-plane manufacturer,[81] and formerly, the Michigan Air National Guard's 110th Attack Wing, which flies the MQ-9 Reaper UAV.