Onondaga, Michigan Explained

Onondaga, Michigan
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Pushpin Map:Michigan#USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States
Pushpin Label:Onondaga
Pushpin Label Position:left
Coordinates:42.4442°N -84.5622°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Michigan
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Ingham
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Onondaga
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1870
Unit Pref:Imperial
Elevation Ft:902
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Postal Code Type:ZIP code(s)
Postal Code:49264
Area Code:517
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:634074

Onondaga is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is located within Onondaga Township in Ingham County. As an unincorporated community, Onondaga has no legally defined boundaries or population statistics of its own but does have its own post office with the 49264 ZIP Code. The Onondaga 49264 ZIP Code serves the majority of the township, as well as smaller areas in Hamlin Township to the west and Tompkins Township to the south.

The community is centered along the Grand River approximately 20miles south of Lansing and 15miles northwest of Jackson.

History

European-American settlement began in the mid-19th century, with most migrants coming from New England and New York. The township and community were named after the Iroquois nation of Onondaga, historically based in New York. A post office was first established at the place about 1844, with Perez Howland as the first postmaster. In 1847, Perez Howland built a grocery. A post office was operated from the grocery. Cyrus Baldwin subsequently purchased the building and converted it into the "Onondaga Hotel".

The first store of any consequence in the place was established in 1867 by John Sherman. The European-American plat of the village of Onondaga was laid out by John Sherman and others, on July 13, 1870. Several buildings had previously been erected, but the place dates its permanent growth from this time.

It was also about that date that the Grand River Valley division of the Michigan Central Railroad was built through the town, which brought more settlers and businesses Sherman donated land for the depot.

The first church, called the First Congregational Church of Onondaga, was built in 1877.

Onondaga is the city of license for Lansing's NBC affiliate WILX-TV, and has its transmitter just west of the community.

External links