Albion, Michigan

Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,616[6] at the 2010 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area. The earliest English-speaking settlers also referred to this area as The Forks, because it is situated at the confluence of the north and south branches of the Kalamazoo River. The Festival of the Forks has been held annually since 1967 to celebrate Albion's ethnic heritage.

Albion
City
Location of Albion, Michigan
Albion
Location of Albion, Michigan
Albion
Albion (the United States)
Albion
Albion (North America)
Coordinates: 42°14′48″N 84°45′12″W
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountyCalhoun
Area
 • Total4.50 sq mi (11.66 km2)
 • Land4.41 sq mi (11.42 km2)
 • Water0.09 sq mi (0.24 km2)
Elevation
951 ft (290 m)
Population
 • Total8,616
 • Estimate 
(2019)[3]
8,402
 • Density1,905.65/sq mi (735.85/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
49224
Area code(s)517
FIPS code26-00980[4]
GNIS feature ID0619906[5]

Since the 19th century, several major manufacturers gave Albion the reputation of a factory town. This has changed with the closure of several manufacturers. In the 21st century, Albion's culture is changing to that of a college town whose residents have a strong interest in technology and sustainability issues. Albion College is a private liberal arts college with a student population of about 1,250. Albion is a sister city with Noisy-le-Roi, France.

History

The first European-American settler, Tenney Peabody, arrived in 1833 along with his brother-in-law Charles Blanchard, and another young man named Clark Dowling. Peabody's family followed soon after. In 1835, the Albion Company, a land development company formed by Jesse Crowell, platted a village. Peabody's wife was asked to name the settlement. She considered the name "Peabodyville", but "Albion" was selected instead, after the former residence of Jesse Crowell. Crowell was appointed in 1838 as the first US postmaster here. . Albion incorporated as a village in 1855 and as a city in 1885.[7][8]

In 1835, Methodist settlers established Albion College, which was known by a few other names before 1861. It was then fully authorized to confer four-year degrees on both men and women. The first classes were held in Albion in 1843.

The forks of the Kalamazoo River provided power for mills, and Albion quickly became a mill town as well as an agricultural market. A railroad line arrived in 1852, fostering the development of other industries.

In 1973 Albion was named an All-America City by the National Civic League. It celebrated winning the award on May 15, 1974, when the Governor of Michigan, William Milliken, and many dignitaries came to town. In 1975 the closure of a major factory began a difficult period of industrial restructuring and decline in jobs and population.

Since that time citizens have mobilized, founding the Albion Community Foundation in 1968, and the Albion Volunteer Service Organization in the 1980s, with support from Albion College, to address the challenge of diminishing economic opportunity.

Albion's historic brick main street—first laid in 1903 and reconstructed with hand-laid, kiln-fired clay bricks in 1993.

Key to the City Honor Bestowed:

  • 1964: Aunt Jemima visited Albion on January 25.[9]
  • 1960s: Ann Landers was presented with a key upon her visit to Starr Commonwealth for Boys.[9]

Law and government

Albion has a Council-Manager form of government. City residents elect a Mayor at-large and City Council members from each of six single-member districts. The council in turn selects a City Manager to handle day-to-day affairs of the city. The mayor presides over and is a voting member of the council. Council members are elected to four-year terms, staggered every two years. A mayor is elected every two years.[10] The city levies an income tax of 1 percent on residents and 0.5 percent on nonresidents.[11]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.51 square miles (11.68 km2), of which 4.41 square miles (11.42 km2) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[12] Albion is positioned 42.24 degrees north of the equator and 84.75 degrees west of the prime meridian.

Climate
Climate data for Albion
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 33.6
(0.9)		 31.8
(−0.1)		 41.6
(5.3)		 55.5
(13.1)		 70.0
(21.1)		 79.8
(26.6)		 85.6
(29.8)		 82.3
(27.9)		 74.2
(23.4)		 60.5
(15.8)		 44.0
(6.7)		 36.5
(2.5)		 58.0
(14.4)
Average low °F (°C) 19.8
(−6.8)		 17.2
(−8.2)		 26.6
(−3.0)		 38.3
(3.5)		 49.8
(9.9)		 59.6
(15.3)		 63.8
(17.7)		 61.3
(16.3)		 54.6
(12.6)		 43.0
(6.1)		 31.0
(−0.6)		 24.8
(−4.0)		 40.8
(4.9)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.0
(51)		 1.7
(43)		 2.4
(61)		 3.2
(81)		 3.7
(94)		 3.7
(94)		 3.3
(84)		 3.1
(79)		 3.3
(84)		 2.7
(69)		 2.6
(66)		 2.3
(58)		 33.9
(860)
Source: Weatherbase [13]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1850881—
18802,716—
18903,76338.5%
19004,51920.1%
19105,83329.1%
19208,35443.2%
19308,324−0.4%
19408,3450.3%
195010,40624.7%
196012,74922.5%
197012,112−5.0%
198011,059−8.7%
199010,066−9.0%
20009,144−9.2%
20108,616−5.8%
2019 (est.)8,402[3]−2.5%
Source: Census Bureau. Census 1960- 2000, 2010.

2010 population by gender/age
Male4,01346.6%
Female4,60353.4%
Under 181,87221.7%
18 and over6,74478.3%
20-241,36415.8%
25-348429.8%
35-491,25114.5%
50-641,36815.9%
Boomers1,12413.0%

2010 population by ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino5005.8%
Non Hispanic or Latino8,11694.2%

2010 population by race
White5,47763.6%
African American2,57929.9%
Asian911.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native290.3%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander170.2%
Other901.0%
Identified by two or more3333.9%

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides daily service to Albion, operating its Wolverine both directions between Chicago, Illinois and Pontiac, Michigan, via Detroit.

Bus

Greyhound Lines provides daily intercity city bus service to Albion between Chicago, Illinois and Detroit.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: Albion, MI". 2010.census.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  7. "Festival of the Forks", Frank Passic, Morning Star, September 10, 2000, pg. 9
  8. "The Passing Scene", Frank Passic, Morning Star, September 9, 2001, pg. 3
  9. "The Key To The City". Albionmich.com. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  10. "Mayor". City of Albion. May 25, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  11. Gibbons, Lauren (August 16, 2017). "Michigan State University, city of East Lansing at odds over proposed income tax". MLive Lansing. Mlive Media Group. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  12. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  13. "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Albion, Michigan". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
  14. Gary Lee Nelson's home page
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