| Belleville, Michigan | |
| Official Name: | City of Belleville |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Motto: | "Quality Living"[1] |
| Flag Size: | 125px |
| Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Label: | Belleville |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the State of Michigan##Location within the United States |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Wayne |
| Government Type: | Council–manager |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Ken Voigt |
| Leader Title1: | Clerk |
| Leader Name1: | Briana Hootman |
| Leader Title2: | Manager |
| Leader Name2: | Jason Smith |
| Established Title: | Platted |
| Established Date: | 1847 |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated |
| Established Date1: | 1905 (village) 1946 (city) |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.07 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.18 |
| Area Land Km2: | 2.93 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.13 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.14 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.05 |
| Elevation Ft: | 673 |
| Elevation M: | 205 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 4008 |
| Population Metro: | 4285832 (Metro Detroit) |
| Population Density Km2: | 1366.73 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 3540.64 |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Coordinates: | 42.2047°N -83.4853°W |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 48111, 48112 |
| Area Code: | 734 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-07020 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0621058 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
Belleville is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Belleville is located roughly 29miles southwest of downtown Detroit, and 18miles southeast of Ann Arbor, and is completely surrounded by Van Buren Township. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 3,991.[3]
Belleville Lake is the city's principal geographic feature, and the city is also home to the National Strawberry Festival.
The community was named in honor of landowner James Bell by adroitly choosing the French word for "beautiful town".[4] The hamlet was platted in 1847 with the main thoroughfares still used today designated Main, Liberty, and High Street. About 1881, the Belleville depot on the Detroit line of the Wabash Railroad began serving travelers from across the region and the country.
Belleville was established as a village in 1905,[1] when its governance separated from Van Buren Township by an act of the State Legislature. Located on the Huron River which was a natural trade route, the village had long been a thriving center for lumber businesses with saw mills located along the shores of the river. The large expanses of woodlands were removed to make way for farmland, industry and increasing population.
To generate more electrical power in the region, in early 1926 the Detroit Edison Company built the French Landing Dam on the river east of Belleville, thereby creating Belleville Lake. Belleville Lake is the largest inland lake in Wayne County, stretching 6 miles and covering 1,200 acres. The traditional downtown is nestled on the southern shore of Belleville Lake. Belleville achieved city status on 14 May 1946.
Techno music produced in the mid-to-late 1980s by Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson (collectively known as The Belleville Three), along with Eddie Fowlkes, Blake Baxter, James Pennington and others is viewed as the first wave of techno from Detroit.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2sqmi, of which 1.14sqmi is land and 0.06sqmi (5.00%) is water.[5]
Belleville Lake was created by damming the Huron River when the French Landing Dam and Powerhouse was built in 1925 in neighboring Van Buren Township.
As of the census[6] of 2010, there were 3,991 people, 1,755 households, and 1,005 families living in the city. The population density was 3500.9PD/sqmi. There were 1,965 housing units at an average density of 1723.7/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 80.6% White, 14.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.8% of the population.
There were 1,755 households, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.7% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.95.
The median age in the city was 40 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 28.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,997 people, 1,842 households, and 1,022 families living in the city. The population density was 3520.3sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,931 housing units at an average density of 1700.7sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 87.54% White, 7.88% African American, 0.40% Native American, 1.18% Asian, 0.95% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.53% of the population.
There were 1,842 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,196, and the median income for a family was $56,071. Males had a median income of $47,759 versus $30,145 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,927. About 3.5% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 and over.
Belleville hosts an annual festival, called the National Strawberry Festival. The Strawberry Festival generates considerable media coverage. People from all over Wayne County come to celebrate Belleville's economic supporter, the strawberry.[7]
In the 1930s, Belleville had a reputation as a resort community where the wealthy of Detroit maintained getaway estates. Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh once owned summer cottages on Belleville Lake, in the neighborhood of Harmony Lane.
The city has been called the birthplace of techno music, namely having been home to Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, commonly known as The Belleville Three, who were instrumental in its creation.[8]
Belleville is in the Van Buren Public Schools district. Belleville High School, Owen Intermediate, and Edgemont Elementary are located within the city limits of Belleville.
The city is twinned with Machynlleth, Wales.[9] [10]