Battle Creek is a city in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

, in northwest 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 In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

(MSA), which encompasses all of Calhoun County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 52,731. Nicknamed "Cereal City", it is best known as the home of the Kellogg Company and the founding city of

Post Consumer Brands Post Consumer Brands (previously Post Cereals and Postum Cereals; also known as simply "Post") is an American breakfast cereal manufacturer headquartered in Lakeville, Minnesota. The company, founded in 1895 by C. W. Post, owns a large portfoli ...

Toponym

One local legend says Battle Creek was named after an encounter between a federal government land survey party led by Colonel

John Mullett John Mullett (1786–1862) was a prominent surveyor based in Detroit, Michigan in the early 19th century. Under the Public Land Survey System, he was surveyor-general for the Northwest Territories and as such, assisted or led "in many of the gover ...

and two Potawatomi in March 1824. The two Potawatomi had approached the camp asking for food because they were hungry as the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

was late delivering supplies promised to them under the

1821 Treaty of Chicago The Treaty of Chicago may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in the settlement that became Chicago, Illinois between the United States and the Odaawaa (anglicized Ottawa), Ojibwe (anglicized Chippewa), and Bodéwadmi (anglicized ...

. After a protracted discussion, the Native Americans allegedly tried to take food. One of the surveyors shot and seriously wounded one Potawatomi. Following the encounter, the survey party retreated to

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

. Surveyors would not return to the area until June 1825, after Governor Lewis Cass had settled issues with the Native Americans. Early white settlers called the nearby stream Battle Creek River and the town took its name from that. Another folk etymology is attributed to the local river, which was known as ''Waupakisco'' by Native Americans. The ''Waupakisco'' or ''Waupokisco'' was supposedly a reference to a battle or fight fought between indigenous tribes before the arrival of Europeans. However, Virgil J. Vogel, professor emeritus of history and social science at Harry S. Truman College in Chicago, believes the native name has "nothing to do with blood or battle".

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 The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...

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 A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

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 The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

, used by fugitive slaves to escape to freedom in Michigan and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. 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. 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 John Harvey Kellogg (February 26, 1852 – December 14, 1943) was an American medical doctor, nutritionist, inventor, health activist, eugenicist, and businessman. He was the director of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan. The ...

. 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 Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior o ...

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 Separate but equal was a legal doctrine in United States constitutional law, according to which racial segregation did not necessarily violate the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which nominally guaranteed "equal protec ...

" 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). July 7 1908 Battle Creek MI

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 Corn flakes, or cornflakes, are a breakfast cereal made from toasting flakes of corn (maize). The cereal, originally made with wheat, was created by Will Kellogg in 1894 for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium where he worked with his bro ...

". 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 Grape-Nuts is a brand of breakfast cereal made from flour, salt and dried yeast, developed in 1897 by C. W. Post, a former patient and later competitor of the 19th-century breakfast food innovator Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. Post's original product ...

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 Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

spoke here, as did Sen.

Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Mi ...

, 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. The Black Recondos, a group formed from the local young adult council of the NAACP, forced the local board of education to hire Black teachers and administrative personnel, under the threat of removing every black student from their public schools. They also forced the chief of police to allow Black Recondos to intervene in arrests and gave them the authority to take black law breakers into their custody instead of the local police. This caused the second strike of a police force in U.S. history. The officers were fired and the strike was ended.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water, making Battle Creek the third largest city in Michigan by area, and one of only three incorporated municipalities in the state over 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 National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

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, but the city continues to decline in population. Prior to the merge, the city measured . *Battle Creek is variously considered to be part of

Western Michigan West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for an arbitrary region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Most narrowly it refers to the Grand Rapids- Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Pen ...

or Southern Michigan.

Climate

Nearby municipalities

* Bedford Charter Township * Emmett Charter Township * Pennfield Charter Township * City of Springfield * Orchard Park, Michigan *

Urbandale, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest 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 enco ...

Washington Heights, Michigan Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

* Park Hill, Michigan * Verona Park, Michigan

Demographics

In 1982, at the insistence of the Kellogg Company, the city annexed Battle Creek Township, nearly doubling the city's population. Kellogg's even went so far as to threaten to move their headquarters if the annexation failed to occur.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 53,364 people, 21,348 households, and 13,363 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 23,525 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 74.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 17.8% Black or African American, 1.9% Asian, 0.8% Native American, <0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.1% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.7% from two or more races. 4.6% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race. In the 21,348 households 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, 27.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,491, and the median income for a family was $43,564. Males had a median income of $36,838 versus $26,429 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $18,424. About 10.7% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 52,347 people, 21,118 households, and 12,898 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 24,277 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 71.7%

, 18.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.7% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 2.7% from

, and 4.3% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 6.7% of the population. In the 21,118 households 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 26.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female. As of April 2013, Battle Creek had the fifth largest

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

national population in the state of Michigan, with 358.Stone, Cal.
State's Japanese employees increasing
"
Archive
''Observer & Eccentric''. Gannett Company. April 11, 2013. Retrieved on May 5, 2013.

2020 census

Nick Buckley wrote in the ''

Battle Creek Enquirer The ''Battle Creek Enquirer'' is a daily newspaper in Battle Creek, Michigan. The newspaper, owned by the Gannett, is the only daily paper serving Calhoun County, Michigan Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2 ...

'': "The 2020 Census is critical for Battle Creek. Falling below the 50,000-resident threshold would mean a change from "urbanized area" to "urban cluster" and a loss of federal entitlement funding." Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Battle Creek's population grew from 52,347 to 52,731. There were 20,690 households and 2.40 residents per house, giving Battle Creek a

(per square mile) of 1,228.6. 89.0% of those households had a computer and 82.8% had broadband internet connection. The city's racial makeup was 68.2%

, 17.3%

, .6% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 8.1% from two or more races, and 7.9%

or Latino. The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 7.0% of residents were under the age of 5; 25.8% were under 18; 15.2% were 65 and older. 51.5% of residents were female and 6.6% were foreign-born. 10.8% of people ages 5 and up speak at least one language other than English at home. Of persons 25 and up, 89.9% had a

high school degree A school leaving qualification is an academic qualification awarded for the completion of high school. Depending on the country or region, it may alternatively be known as a high school diploma, senior secondary leaving certificate, high school ge ...

and 21.1% had a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

or higher. Of those under 65, 11.2% had a disability and 6.1% lacked health insurance. Median household income in 2020 dollars was $42,285, which works out to a $25,270

. 22.7% of the population lives in poverty. Median gross rent was $770 and the median value of the houses occupied by people who owned them was $91,700.

Government

The City of Battle Creek has a commission-manager form of government. Cities that follow this plan of government have an elected commission (or council) that appoints a professionally trained and experienced manager to administer the day-to-day operations of the city and to make recommendations to the city commission. Battle Creek also appoints a City Attorney, who provides legal counsel to the city manager and City Commission. The City Commission makes all policy decisions, including review, revision, and final approval of the annual budget, which is proposed annually by the City Manager. The City Manager serves as an "at-will" employee and they work under an employment contract with the commission. All other city employees, except for the City Attorney's staff, are under the supervision of the City Manager. There are five ward commissioners. Residents cast votes for a ward representative, who must live within the area they are representing, as well as for four at-large commissioners. These candidates may live anywhere in the city. All commissioners serve two-year terms and all terms begin and end at the same election. Before November 2020, the commission held a special meeting to decide which commissioners served as the mayor and vice mayor for the next year. In March 2020, Battle Creek residents voted on a proposal that would change how the city selects its mayor position. This proposal (which passed) amended the city charter to allow residents to directly vote for the mayor. Residents will be able to vote for the mayor starting in the November 2020 general election. The mayor presides over the commission meetings and appoints commissioners and residents to special committees. He may also form special committees to explore community challenges or potential policies. The vice mayor stands in if the mayor is unavailable. The city levies an income tax of 1 percent on residents and 0.5 percent on nonresidents.

Economy

Largest employers

Kellogg World Headquarters (battlecreekcvb) 001

According to the Battle Creek Unlimited October 2020 update, the thirty largest employers in the city are:

Education

Colleges and 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 Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

's Battle Creek Branch — The Kendall Center * Western Michigan University's College of Aviation, located at W.K. Kellogg Airport *

Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor University (SAU) is a private Free Methodist university in Spring Arbor, Michigan. Developing from an earlier academy and junior college, in 1963 it began offering bachelor's degrees. Attaining university status in 1994, it is the ...

Battle Creek Branch *

Davenport University Davenport University is a private university with campuses throughout Michigan and online. It was founded in 1866 by Conrad Swensburg and currently offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees; diplomas; and post-grad certification progra ...

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

Public school districts

* Battle Creek Public Schools * Harper Creek Community Schools * Lakeview School District * Pennfield School District

High schools (public)

Battle Creek Central High School Battle Creek Central High School (BCCHS) is a public high school in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. It is the sole high school in the Battle Creek Public Schools district, and one of four public high schools in Battle Creek. Demographics ...

* Harper Creek High School *Battle Creek Area Learning Center, better known as Calhoun Community High School * Lakeview High School, including Lakeview High School Library, a 2008

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...

award recipient *Michigan Youth Challenge Academy * Pennfield Senior High School

High schools (private)

* Battle Creek Academy *

Bedford Bible Church School Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst th ...

* Calhoun Christian School *

St. Philip Catholic Central High School St. Philip Catholic Central High School, located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo, is a Roman Catholic high school in Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the c ...

Secondary schools

* Battle Creek Area Mathematics and Science Center, an accelerated secondary school that focuses primarily on STEM education * Calhoun Area Career Center, provides career and technical education to primarily 11th and 12th grade students

Foreign-language education

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. In 1980 the

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.

Culture

Print media

* The local daily newspapers are ''The Battle Creek Shopper'' and the newspaper of record is the ''

'', owned and operated by Gannett Company.

Radio

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 * WCSG 91.3 - Grand Rapids - Christian Adult Contemporary * WZUU 92.5 - Mattawan/Kalamazoo - Classic Rock *

WBCT WBCT (93.7 MHz, "B-93") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan and owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are located at 77 Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids. The station has had a country music radio ...

93.7 - Grand Rapids - Country * WWDK 94.1 - Jackson/Lansing/Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - Classic Country *

WBCK WBCK (95.3 FM) is a radio station in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, owned by Townsquare Media. WBCK has a news-talk format. History WBCK began broadcasting at 1000 watts on AM 930 in Battle Creek and surrounding areas of West Michigan. ...

95.3 - Battle Creek - News/Talk *

WZOX WZOX (96.5 FM) is a radio station in Portage, Michigan. The station currently broadcasts a modern adult contemporary format branded as "Hits 96.5". History Early history 96.5 FM signed on in December 1988 as WLWJ owned by Larry Langford, Jr. La ...

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 WFAT (930 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, owned by Midwest Communications. Established in 1948 as WBCK, the station airs a classic hits/oldies format. History WBCK began broadcasting July 9, 194 ...

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 WVFM, known simply as 106.5 Jack FM and formerly WQLR, is an adult hits outlet serving the Kalamazoo, Michigan radio market. The station's frequency is 106.5 MHz on the FM dial with an ERP of 33 kW. They are owned by Midwest Communicati ...

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 WFAT (930 AM) is a radio station in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, owned by Midwest Communications. Established in 1948 as WBCK, the station airs a classic hits/oldies format. History WBCK began broadcasting July 9, 1948, with a Detroi ...

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

WWMT WWMT (channel 3) is a television station licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan as an affiliate of CBS and The CW. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and maintains studios on West Maple Street in Kal ...

, a CBS affiliate licensed to Kalamazoo and also serving Battle Creek, Grand Rapids and western Michigan *

WOOD-TV WOOD-TV (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for West Michigan. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Battle Creek–licensed ABC affiliate WOTV (channel 41 ...

, an NBC affiliate licensed to Grand Rapids and the default NBC station for Battle Creek. *

WOTV WOTV (channel 41) is a television station licensed to Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Grand Rapids–licensed NBC affiliate WOOD-TV (channel 8) ...

, an ABC affiliate serving Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and southwestern Michigan, and also serving as a secondary ABC affiliate for Grand Rapids *

WXMI WXMI (channel 17) is a television station licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan as an affiliate of the Fox network. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, the station maintains studios on Plaza Drive (near M-37) ...

, the FOX affiliate from Grand Rapids. * WZPX, an ION affiliate serving all of western Michigan *

WLLA WLLA (channel 64) is a religious independent television station licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan. Owned by Christian Faith Broadcast, Inc., it is a sister station to WGGN-TV in Sandusky, Ohio. WLLA's studios ...

, an independent station largely broadcasting religious programming from Kalamazoo. * WGVK, the PBS channel from Grand Rapids but broadcasting from a satellite broadcaster in Kalamazoo. * AccessVision,

public-access television Public-access television is traditionally a form of non-commercial mass media where the general public can create content television programming which is narrowcast through cable television specialty channels. Public-access television was creat ...

on Comcast channels 16 and 17; broadcasts to all municipalities within Battle Creek, and Newton Township

Festivals

* 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. * International Festival of Lights

Music

Battle Creek is home to the Music Center, which serves South Central Michigan. The Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra is based at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium in downtown Battle Creek. The symphony is conducted by Anne Harrigan. It is Michigan's longest-running symphony orchestra. 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." 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.

Sports

Battle Creek hosts the annual Michigan High School Athletic Association team wrestling,

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

, and

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

state championships. The town receives quarterly boosts to its economy from the fans who flock there to follow their teams. 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

The

Battle Creek Battle Jacks The Battle Creek Battle Jacks are a baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. All players on the team must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. Their home games are played at the ...

(formerly Bombers) are a collegiate baseball team, a member of the

Northwoods League The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not paid, so as to maintain their college el ...

, 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. It was the first championship in Battle Creek since 2000, when the Michigan Battle Cats won the

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

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 Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

in the critically acclaimed film ''Road to Perdition'', previously played for the Battle Creek Bombers.

Former sports teams

The Michigan Battle Cats/

Battle Creek Yankees The Michigan Battle Cats of the Midwest League became the Battle Creek Yankees for the 2003 season. In 2005, their affiliation with the New York Yankees ended. They became an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays known as the Southwest Michigan D ...

/ Southwest Michigan Devil Rays were a Class A minor league baseball team that played in the

from 1995 through 2006. The team's home was C.O. Brown Stadium. The Battle Creek Crunch were a member of the

Great Lakes Indoor Football League The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) was an indoor football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLI ...

(GLIFL), that began play in 2006. They played one season in Battle Creek before ceasing operations due to financial trouble. The team's home was Kellogg Arena. The Battle Creek Belles, a member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, played two seasons, 1951 and 1952, before relocating to

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expans ...

. The

Battle Creek Revolution The Battle Creek Revolution was a professional ice hockey team which played in the All American Hockey League (2008–2011), All American Hockey League. The team played its home games at Revolution Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan. The team was ini ...

were a member of the All American Hockey League, a low-level professional minor league, from 2008 to 2011. The team's home was Revolution Arena. The organization also started a

junior hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

team called the Battle Creek Jr. Revolution in 2010. The junior team was sold renamed to the West Michigan Wolves in 2014 before relocating to Lansing in 2017. The Battle Creek Blaze is a not-for-profit, adult football team that plays NFL rules football as a member of the IFL (Interstate Football League). The Blaze organization raises funds and community awareness in the fight against cancer. They are in their sixth season of operation, and won the IFL North Division Championship in 2010. The Battle Creek Cereal Killers roller derby team began in 2011. The Battle Creek Knights are a minor league

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

team. They were a charter member of the International Basketball League (IBL) and went 21-0 during the league's first season in 2005, winning the championship. The team's home is Kellogg Arena. After announcing in July 2009 that they would sit out the 2009 season, that October the team announced that they would return to play in the International Basketball League. In June 2019, the

Federal Prospects Hockey League The Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league with teams in the Midwestern, Southern, and Northeastern United States. The FPHL began operations in November 2010 as the Federal Hockey League. D ...

(FPHL) announced it had added a tenth team for the 2019–20 season and it would be in Michigan. On July 23, the Battle Creek Rumble Bees were announced with Adam Stio as the general manager after previously serving in the same role with the Southern Professional Hockey League's Evansville Thunderbolts. The FHL had played multiple neutral site games in Battle Creek over the previous seasons before placing an expansion team there. The Rumble Bees hired Clint Hagmaier as their first head coach, however, he was released after a 0–9 start to the season with Stio taking over as interim head coach. The Rumble Bees had a 1–45–0–2 record when the league's 2019–20 season was cancelled due to the

coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...

. Their losing streak led to them being named "the worst team in professional hockey". After the season, the team's players went to different teams in the FPHL as part of a dispersal draft.

Points of interest

* Art Center of Battle Creek * Bailey Park & C.O. Brown Stadium *

Battle Creek Sanitarium The Battle Creek Sanitarium was a world-renowned health resort in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. It started in 1866 on health principles advocated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and from 1876 to 1943 was managed by Dr. John H ...

(now the Hart–Dole–Inouye Federal Center) * Battle Creek Tabernacle (Seventh-day Adventist Church) *

Binder Park Zoo The Binder Park Zoo is a zoo that opened in 1977 near Battle Creek, Michigan, in the United States. Binder Park Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Michigan, and features a large array of animals and plants, including the Wild Africa Exhibit. It i ...

* Fort Custer Recreation Area * Historic Adventist Village * Kimball House Museum *Battle Creek Reginal History Museum * Kingman Museum and Planetarium * Leila Arboretum * Linear Park * Willard Beach and Park * Willard Library

Fort Custer Army National Guard Base

Founded in 1917, Camp Custer, as it was then known, served over the next decades as a training ground, from

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

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 The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

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 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 W. K. Kellogg Airport is a city-owned, public-use, joint civil-military airport located three nautical miles (6 kilometre, km) west of the central business district of Battle Creek, Michigan, Battle Creek, a city in Calhoun County, Mich ...

is a joint civilian-Air National Guard facility.

Transportation

Battle Creek is situated on Interstate 94 (I-94) midway between

and

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Railroad and bus lines

The Battle Creek Amtrak Station serves

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

trains on the south end of the station and

Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgenc ...

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

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

* * * * * * *

Aviation

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

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

Notable people

''See also People from Battle Creek, Michigan'' * Lepha Eliza Bailey (1845−1924) - author and lecturer * Frankie Ballard - country music singer * Lance Barber - television actor * Johnny Bristol - Motown singer, songwriter and producer *

Nate Huffman Nate or NATE may refer to: People and fictional characters *Nate (given name) *A nickname for Nathanael *A nickname for Nathaniel Organizations *National Association for the Teaching of English, the UK subject teacher association for all aspects ...

- professional basketball player, 2001

Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP The Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP, or Israeli Basketball Super League MVP, is an annual basketball award that is presented to the most valuable player in a given season of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, which is the top-tier level ...

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 11, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. Early life and education Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 2 ...

- film actress *

- doctor and health food advocateThe Kelloggs: The Battling Brothers of Battle Creek by Howad Markel 2017 * Will Keith Kellogg - cereal mogul * John Kitzmiller - film actor * Tony McGee - National Football League lineman * Dick Martin - comedian and actor * S. Isadore Miner (1863–1916), American journalist, poet, teacher, feminist *

Jason Newsted Jason Curtis Newsted (born March 4, 1963) is an American musician who was the bassist of Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Metallica from 1986 to 2001. He first performed with thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam (band), Flotsam and Jetsam from ...

- Bassist, played for Metallica from 1986 to 2001 * Lisa Rainsberger - Boston/Chicago Marathon winner. * Mike Reilly - former Major League Baseball umpire * Bob Rush - Major League Baseball pitcher * John Schwarz - Former

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

* Emma L. Shaw, editor * Rick Snyder - former Governor of Michigan * Sojourner Truth - abolitionist and women's rights activist *

Rob Van Dam Robert Alexander Szatkowski (born December 18, 1970) is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam (frequently abbreviated to RVD). He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling ...

- professional wrestler * Junior Walker - Motown saxophonist and singer * Tauren Wells - Grammy nominated Christian pop singer

Sister cities

Battle Creek has

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

relationships with Santo André, Brazil and Takasaki, Japan. Battle Creek's relationship with Takasaki is more than 25 years old. Takasaki later established sister city relationships with Santo Andre; Chengde, China; Pilsen, Czech Republic and, in 2006,

Muntinlupa Muntinlupa, officially the City of Muntinlupa ( fil, Lungsod ng Muntinlupa), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the ...

, Philippines. These cities take turns hosting annual environmental conferences where technical and administrative staff share ideas and projects about environmental concerns. Battle Creek and Takasaki organize junior high and high school student and teacher exchanges each summer.

References

External links

*
Official tourism website
* {{Authority control 1831 establishments in Michigan Territory Adventism in Michigan Cities in Calhoun County, Michigan Populated places established in 1831 Populated places on the Underground Railroad