Hillsdale, Michigan, United States

🇺🇸 Hillsdale is the largest city and county seat of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is the home of Hillsdale College, a private liberal arts college.

History This area is located in the rolling, fertile hills of South Central Michigan, bordering Indiana and Ohio, according to the boundaries set up under United States settlement. It was long occupied by the Potowatomi, an Algonquian-speaking people who were part of a long-term alliance, called the Council of Three Fires, with the Ojibwe and Odawa (Ottawa). A Potowatomi band of about 150 people, led by the chief known as Baw Beese, had a base camp near the large lake in the area.

The first European-American settler, Jeremiah Arnold, arrived in 1834 and encountered the band. They helped the early settlers. Arnold erected a cabin and moved in with his wife Percy (Round) Arnold. With the arrival of other settlers, the pioneers erected the first schoolhouse in 1838. Hillsdale was platted in 1839. In 1840, the US forced out Baw Beese and his people, as well as other Potowatomi in neighboring and more distant areas of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, making them remove to Indian Territory in present-day Kansas.

Founded in 1844 as Central Michigan College in Spring Arbor, Hillsdale College relocated to this city in 1853 and changed its name. It was the first American college to prohibit in its charter discrimination based on race, religion or sex, and became an early force for the abolition of slavery. It was the second college in the nation to grant four-year liberal arts degrees to women.

The city was chartered in 1869. In 1885 Hillsdale dedicated its first high school building, on what is now West Street. (It is now used as the middle school.) In the late 1800s, Hillsdale became a booming railroad town, served by both freight and passenger trains.

The railroad was used by tourists to enjoy cottages and other facilities on Baw Beese Lake, named after the Potowatomi chief. About 20 minutes from downtown, the area was developed as a lake resort by the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad. People could avoid dusty travel on unpaved roads by taking the train. At the turn of the 20th century, it began to attract tourists from a wider range of cities, such as Chicago, Toledo, Elkhart and others at what had been known as Archer's Landing. People swam in the lake and could rent two types of canoes.

After World War II, the construction of interstate highways encouraged use of automobiles, and passenger traffic declined on many lines. Railroads had to restructure and the last passenger train left Hillsdale in 1956. Dozens of fine Victorian homes had been built during the prosperity of the 19th century, many of which are still occupied as private residences, contributing to the city's historic fabric.

The 20th century brought additional improvements. In 1908 the city opened its first public library. In 1921 it opened its first hospital and in 1934 Hillsdale Municipal Airport opened.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.13 square miles (15.88 km²), of which, 5.69 square miles (14.74 km²) is land and 0.43 square miles (1.11 km²) is water.

The St. Joseph River begins in Hillsdale, flowing from Lake Baw Beese. Several parks and a beach are located around this major body of water in the city.

Demographics As of the census of 2010, there were 8,305 people, 2,970 households, and 1,686 families living in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 inhabitants per square mile (541.7/km²). There were 3,383 housing units at an average density of 571.5 per square mile (220.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 2,970 households, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.2% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% 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 3.03.

The median age in the city was 30.2 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 21.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 20.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

Education The Hillsdale Community School District serves the city of Hillsdale. The school district is composed of one high school, Hillsdale High School, one middle school, Davis Middle School, and two elementary schools. A private school, Hillsdale Academy, and two charter schools, Will Carleton Academy and Hillsdale Preparatory School, also serve the city of Hillsdale. The town is also home to Hillsdale College.

Attempt to ban books at the Hillsdale library In 2022, the Hillsdale Library Board met to discuss whether they should ban books created by and/or for LGBT people. One board member, a graduate student at Hillsdale College, proposed removing several books and puzzles from the library's children's section for LGBT content and promotion of political activism. The proposed ban failed, but the controversy led to the resignations of the library director, the children's library director and the president of the library board.

Transport: Road • US 12 passes about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Hillsdale • M-99 run diagonally north-west through the centre of the city

Transport: Air • Hillsdale Municipal Airport is a public use airport located just east of the city in Adams Township.

Railroad • Indiana Northeastern Railroad has a railway line running through Hillsdale.

Media: Radio AM • WCSR/1340 kHz; FM • WPCJ/91.1 MHz • WCSR-FM/92.1 MHz • WRFH-LP/101.7 MHz

Media: Print • Hillsdale Daily News • Imprimis, monthly speech digest of Hillsdale College • The Collegian, student paper for Hillsdale College.