Nashville, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Nashville is a village
in Barry County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 1,684 at the 2000 census
.
, the village has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (4.11%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,684 people, 647 households, and 447 families residing in the village. The population density
was 802.8 per square mile (309.6/km²). There were 685 housing units at an average density of 326.6 per square mile (125.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.62% White, 0.59% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% from other races
, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 648 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $32,857, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $31,311 versus $22,760 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $14,147. About 8.4% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
for Nashville was on land originally purchased by John R. Pettibone on February 15, 1836. The land was part of Barry Township
and then Hastings Township until February 16, 1842 when the land became Section 36 of the newly formed Castleton Township
. By 1865, Robert B. Gregg owned the land and platted 127 lots on the south side of the Thornapple River. The survey was done by Joshua Martin and certified on October 2, 1865. Gregg's first lot sale was to Enos Kuhlman. By 1875, seven additions had been made to the original plat.
In 1852, Henry Feighner and his brother Solomon arrived from Ohio seeking to buy land. In addition to 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) purchased from Horace Butler, Henry bought the property of Hiram Hanchett, including Hanchett’s sawmill located on the west side of the Thornapple. Solomon managed the sawmill until Henry sold the property to Phillip Holler in about 1865.
In 1867, across the river from Holler's sawmill, a gristmill was built by Eli and M. V. B. Mallett, and G. W. Johnson. Holler bought the new gristmill from the Mallett's and Johnson in 1868. Holler continued to use the original sawmill as a feedmill.
Some time after 1869, probably 1873-74, Griffith and Grant built a grain elevator alongside the new Grand River Valley Division of the Michigan Central Railroad. In 1874 Ainsworth and Brooks bought the elevator and 3 years later added a steam powered feedmill. It was at that time that Holler initiated a new patent process for making flour. Holler's mill became known as the Nashville Roller Mills. And by 1916, when Louis Lass and son Otto bought the mill, flour was sold as Red-eye Flour.
Until 1869 the community had remained nameless. In 1866 the chief engineer for the Grand River Valley Railroad began a survey for a route from Jackson to Grand Rapids. Garaudus Nash suggested that his name be used. Without objection, the community was named Nashville. On March 26, 1869 Michigan Governor Henry Baldwin signed into law the incorporation of the Village of Nashville.http://nashvillemi.us/id157.html
Commencing in 1920 Nashville was used as the half-way stopping point between the Jackson and Grand Rapids railroad terminals. It took the trains one day (the trains did not travel at night) to reach Nashville from either the Jackson or Grand Rapids terminals. Prior to 1920 trains had stopped in Hastings overnight. These "stop-overs" required a hostler http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hostler to tend the locomotives while the train crew spent the night in town. In 1920 Nashville became the stop-over point and the hostler's job was moved to Nashville.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Barry County
Barry County, Michigan
-Highways:* M-37* M-43* M-50* M-66* M-78* M-79* M-89* M-179-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 56,755 people, 21,035 households, and 15,986 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 23,876 housing units at an average density of...
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"....
. The population was 1,684 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (4.11%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,684 people, 647 households, and 447 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 802.8 per square mile (309.6/km²). There were 685 housing units at an average density of 326.6 per square mile (125.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.62% White, 0.59% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 648 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $32,857, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $31,311 versus $22,760 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $14,147. About 8.4% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
Early history
The initial platPlat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
for Nashville was on land originally purchased by John R. Pettibone on February 15, 1836. The land was part of Barry Township
Barry Township, Michigan
Barry Township is a civil township of Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,489. It is also the home of NBA All Star Chris Paul -Communities:...
and then Hastings Township until February 16, 1842 when the land became Section 36 of the newly formed Castleton Township
Castleton Township, Michigan
Castleton Township is a civil township of Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,475 at the 2000 census. Castleton Township was formed on February 16, 1842.-History:...
. By 1865, Robert B. Gregg owned the land and platted 127 lots on the south side of the Thornapple River. The survey was done by Joshua Martin and certified on October 2, 1865. Gregg's first lot sale was to Enos Kuhlman. By 1875, seven additions had been made to the original plat.
In 1852, Henry Feighner and his brother Solomon arrived from Ohio seeking to buy land. In addition to 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) purchased from Horace Butler, Henry bought the property of Hiram Hanchett, including Hanchett’s sawmill located on the west side of the Thornapple. Solomon managed the sawmill until Henry sold the property to Phillip Holler in about 1865.
In 1867, across the river from Holler's sawmill, a gristmill was built by Eli and M. V. B. Mallett, and G. W. Johnson. Holler bought the new gristmill from the Mallett's and Johnson in 1868. Holler continued to use the original sawmill as a feedmill.
Some time after 1869, probably 1873-74, Griffith and Grant built a grain elevator alongside the new Grand River Valley Division of the Michigan Central Railroad. In 1874 Ainsworth and Brooks bought the elevator and 3 years later added a steam powered feedmill. It was at that time that Holler initiated a new patent process for making flour. Holler's mill became known as the Nashville Roller Mills. And by 1916, when Louis Lass and son Otto bought the mill, flour was sold as Red-eye Flour.
Until 1869 the community had remained nameless. In 1866 the chief engineer for the Grand River Valley Railroad began a survey for a route from Jackson to Grand Rapids. Garaudus Nash suggested that his name be used. Without objection, the community was named Nashville. On March 26, 1869 Michigan Governor Henry Baldwin signed into law the incorporation of the Village of Nashville.http://nashvillemi.us/id157.html
Commencing in 1920 Nashville was used as the half-way stopping point between the Jackson and Grand Rapids railroad terminals. It took the trains one day (the trains did not travel at night) to reach Nashville from either the Jackson or Grand Rapids terminals. Prior to 1920 trains had stopped in Hastings overnight. These "stop-overs" required a hostler http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hostler to tend the locomotives while the train crew spent the night in town. In 1920 Nashville became the stop-over point and the hostler's job was moved to Nashville.