Brooklyn, Michigan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brooklyn (formerly Swainsville) is a village in Jackson County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,176. It is located just off U.S. Highway 12 (formerly U.S. Highway 112).

The Michigan International Speedway is located just south of the village, in NW Lenawee County.

Brooklyn is located in a portion of central lower Michigan known for its lush, rolling green landscapes called the Irish Hills. The area was primarily a summer vacation spot for residents of metropolitan Detroit who owned cottages near lakes in the area. In recent years -- and with the addition of Michigan International Speedway (in NW Lenawee County) and Interstate 94 -- Brooklyn and other nearby cities have established year-round populations.

Brooklyn has become a popular destination for 4th of July celebrations. A number of notable fireworks displays take place in the area, including those at Lake Columbia and Clark Lake. The most prominent display, though, takes place at the middle school football field in downtown Brooklyn. Tourists and locals alike flock to watch the always-impressive show. Celebrities who have enjoyed the Brooklyn Independence Day festivities include Katie Holmes, Chris Klein, and NBA star Chucky Atkins.^{[citation needed]}

1 Discovery
2 Notable residents
3 Geography
4 Demographics
5 External links

[edit] Discovery

The village was founded by Calvin Swain, who filed the first land claim on June 16, 1832 and named his settlement Swainsville. A vote of the town meeting on August 5, 1836 changed the name to Brooklyn.

A sign marking Swain's historical discovery currently stands in the town square.

Descendants of Swain remain in the area. One descendant is the sixth great-grandson of Swain, Jacob Howland.

[edit] Notable residents

In 1990, the Brooklyn area was home to a Little League World Series participant. The Columbia Little League All-Stars, under the tutleage of head coach David "Diamond Dave" Slusher, won the United States Central Region Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana by first defeating teams from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Ironton, Ohio before a 5-4 championship victory over the Franklin National All-Stars from Franklin, Wisconsin. Their run through the youth baseball tournament was ended at the apex in Williamsport, Pennsylvania where they fell to teams from Cypress, California and Tamaulipas, Mexico. The Columbia All-Stars won the Michigan State Championship in 1991.

The Brooklyn area's athletic tradition is not limited to Little League Baseball, however. Vivian Kellogg (born November 6, 1922 in Jackson, Michigan) is a famous alumnus of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League having played for the Minneapolis Millerettes and the Fort Wayne Daisies between 1944 and 1950. At the conclusion of her baseball career, she became a dental receptionist and continued her active life of sport, playing golf, tennis, basketball, and bowling for recreation. She moved to Brooklyn in 1968. On May 17, 1992, she was inducted into the Jackson Bowling Hall of Fame. On May 1, 1994, Vivian Kellogg Field was dedicated at the Columbia Little League complex. Kellogg remains a Brooklyn resident and the field containing her namesake is the current home of the Columbia Central High School softball program.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²). 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.98% is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 1,176 people, 507 households, and 297 families residing in the village. The population density was 454.1/km² (1,171.1/mi²). There were 534 housing units at an average density of 206.2/km² (531.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.96% White, 0.26% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.

There were 507 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the village the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $31,964, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $32,727 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,933. About 9.7% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.