Bitely, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Bitely is an unincorporated community
within Newaygo County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is within Lilley Township
about one mile west of M-37
in the Manistee National Forest. It is near Bitely Lake, Lamoreaux Lake, Isaac Lake and several smaller lakes.
It was a station on the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad (later the Pere Marquette, then the Chesapeake and Ohio
, now Marquette Rail) in 1889, and given a post office on September 13, 1889, with Archer D. Martin as its first postmaster. It was named for Steven Bitely, who built a sawmill here, but due to a typographical error, the post office was initially spelled as Biteley.
Bitely is at 43°44′49"N 85°51′42"W. The Bitely ZIP code
is 49309, and the same ZIP code also serves all of Lilley Township, most of Troy Township
to the west, Home Township
to the east, portions of Beaver Township
to the southwest, Merrill Township
to the south, Monroe Township to the southeast, Pleasant Plains Township
to the north, and Yates Township
to the northeast.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
within Newaygo County
Newaygo County, Michigan
Newaygo County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,460. The county seat is White Cloud. Newaygo County was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Saginaw...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is within Lilley Township
Lilley Township, Michigan
Lilley Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 788 at the 2000 census.The unincorporated communities of Bitely and Lilley are within the township.-Geography:...
about one mile west of M-37
M-37 (Michigan highway)
M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
in the Manistee National Forest. It is near Bitely Lake, Lamoreaux Lake, Isaac Lake and several smaller lakes.
It was a station on the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad (later the Pere Marquette, then the Chesapeake and Ohio
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
, now Marquette Rail) in 1889, and given a post office on September 13, 1889, with Archer D. Martin as its first postmaster. It was named for Steven Bitely, who built a sawmill here, but due to a typographical error, the post office was initially spelled as Biteley.
Bitely is at 43°44′49"N 85°51′42"W. The Bitely ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 49309, and the same ZIP code also serves all of Lilley Township, most of Troy Township
Troy Township, Michigan
Troy Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 243 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
to the west, Home Township
Home Township, Newaygo County, Michigan
Home Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 261 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.6 square miles , of which, 35.6 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles...
to the east, portions of Beaver Township
Beaver Township, Newaygo County, Michigan
Beaver Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 608.-Geography:...
to the southwest, Merrill Township
Merrill Township, Michigan
Merrill Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 590 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
to the south, Monroe Township to the southeast, Pleasant Plains Township
Pleasant Plains Township, Michigan
Pleasant Plains Township is a civil township of Lake County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,535 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
to the north, and Yates Township
Yates Township, Michigan
Yates Township is a civil township of Lake County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 714 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water...
to the northeast.