Berrien County, Michigan#Metropolitan Statistical Area

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Berrien County

| state = Michigan

| ex image = St Joseph North Pier Lights.jpg

| ex image size = 300px

| ex image cap = Lighthouse at St. Joseph

| seal = Berrien County mi seal.png

| founded date = October 29

| founded year = 1829 (created)
1831 (organized)

| seat wl = St. Joseph

| largest city wl = Niles

| area_total_sq_mi = 1581

| area_land_sq_mi = 568

| area_water_sq_mi = 1014

| area percentage = 64%

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 154316

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 152261 {{loss}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Eastern

| district = 4th

| named for=John M. Berrien

| district2 = 5th

| web = www.berriencounty.org/ }}

Berrien County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located at the southwest corner of the state's Lower Peninsula, located on the shore of Lake Michigan and sharing a land border with Indiana. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 154,316.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/berriencountymichigan/POP010220|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 15, 2021}} The county seat is St. Joseph.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}} Berrien County is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka, IN-MI Combined Statistical Area. The county is part of the Michiana region.

History

As one of the Cabinet counties, Berrien County was named for John M. Berrien of Georgia, US Attorney General (1829–1831) under US President Andrew Jackson.{{cite web|url=http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/berrien.html|publisher=Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University|title=Bibliography on Berrien County|access-date=January 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313091248/http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/berrien.html|archive-date=March 13, 2012}} The county was founded in 1829, and was organized in 1831, before Michigan was accepted into the Union as a state.{{cite web|url=http://www.swmidirectory.org/History_of_Berrien_County.html|title=The History of Berrien County, Michigan|publisher=Southwest Michigan Business & Tourism Directory|access-date=October 2, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006084611/http://www.swmidirectory.org/History_of_Berrien_County.html|archive-date=October 6, 2014}}

When Michigan Territory was established in 1805, the area of present Berrien County was included in the boundary of Wayne County.

About 1780, New Jersey resident William Burnett established a trading post at the mouth of the St. Joseph River (present-day site of St. Joseph) to serve indigenous peoples and French Canadian residents. Also during that time, Joseph Bertrand established a trading post on the river, in present–day Niles Charter Township.Coolidge, Orville W. (1906). [https://books.google.com/books?id=3G0Qo9lf4nsC A Twentieth Century History of Berrien County Michigan], pp. 19-20. The Lewis Publishing Company. In December 1822, missionary Isaac McCoy moved his family and 18 Indian students from Indiana to the St. Joseph River near present-day Niles, Michigan, to open a religious mission (the Carey Mission) to the Potawatomi Indians, 160 km from the nearest White settlement.”Rev. Isaac McCoy” {{cite web|url=http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/mccoy.isaac.1st.indn.miss.html|title=Rev. Isaac McCoy - First Baptist Missionary to the Indians, by Carl C. Rister|access-date=February 27, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120181226/http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/mccoy.isaac.1st.indn.miss.html|archive-date=November 20, 2010}}, accessed February 19, 2011

In 1827 St. Joseph Township was organized as part of Wayne County, It included all lands acquired from the Native Americans by the 1821 Treaty of Chicago.

The boundary of Berrien County was delineated by the Michigan Territory Legislature on October 29, 1829, with its present limits. For purposes of revenue, taxation and judicial matters, it was attached to Cass County, and was designated as Niles Township. This assignation was terminated in 1831 when Berrien County's government was organized and initiated.

Berrien County began with three townships:

Berrien Township – consisted of present-day townships of Berrien, Oronoko, Baroda and Lake plus a two-mile strip north of that territory
St. Joseph Township – consisted of the area north of Berrien Township
Niles Township – consisted of the area south of Berrien Township.Coolidge (1906), p. 24.

In recent times, Berrien County, especially the coastal cities of New Buffalo and Lakeside, has received notice as a vacation destination for Chicago area residents and other Midwesterners. It has earned multiple nicknames in this capacity, including "Harbor Country" and "the Hamptons of the Midwest", with the latter recognized by the Wall Street Journal.{{cite web |last1=De Zutter |first1=Hank |last2=Little De Zutter |first2=Pamela |title=Invasion of the FIPs: boom time in southwestern Michigan |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/invasion-of-the-fips-boom-time-in-southwestern-michigan/Content?oid=872836 |website=Chicago Reader |access-date=September 21, 2019 |language=en |date=October 6, 1988}}{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Al |title=Report: The Wall Street Journal calls the Southwest Michigan shoreline the Hamptons of the Midwest |url=https://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/2013/04/wall_street_journal_report_cal.html |access-date=September 21, 2019 |website=mlive |language=en |date=April 6, 2013}}

Politics

Berrien County has favored a Republican Party candidate in all but five elections since 1884.

{{PresHead|place=Berrien County, Michigan|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 5, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}}}}

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages and vital records, oversees public health, and participates with the state in welfare and social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws and ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police, fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

=Elected officials=

Prosecuting Attorney: Amy Byrd {{Cite web |title=Prosecuting Attorney {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/170/Prosecuting-Attorney |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}
Sheriff: Chuck Heit{{Cite web |title=About Us {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/333/About-Us |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}
County Clerk: Stacy Loar-Porter {{Cite web |title=County Clerk {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/152/County-Clerk |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}
County Treasurer: Shelly Weich {{Cite web |title=Treasurer {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/819/Treasurer |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}
Register of Deeds: Lora Freehling{{Cite web |title=Register of Deeds {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/296/Register-of-Deeds |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}
Drain Commissioner: Christopher J. Quattrin{{cite web |title=County of Berrien State of Michigan | BERRIEN COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/269/Drain-Commissioner |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023014902/http://www.berriencounty.org/DrainCommissioner |archive-date=October 23, 2017 |access-date=October 22, 2017}}
County Surveyor: John G. Kamer{{Cite web |title=County Surveyor {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/1077/County-Surveyor |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}
1st District County Commissioner: David Vollrath (R-Coloma)
2nd District County Commissioner: Jon Hinkelman (R-Watervliet)
3rd District County Commissioner: Chokwe Pitchford (D-Benton Harbor)
4th District County Commissioner: Mamie Yarbrough (D-Benton Harbor)
5th District County Commissioner: Rayonte Bell (D-St. Joseph)
6th District County Commissioner: Julie Wuerfel (R-St. Joseph)
7th District County Commissioner: Bob Harrison (R-Stevensville)
8th District County Commissioner: Teri Freehling (R-Baroda)
9th District County Commissioner: Alex Ott (R-Sawyer)
10th District County Commissioner: Mac Elliot (R-Buchanan)
11th District County Commissioner: Jim Curran (R-Niles)
12th District County Commissioner: Michael Majerek (R-Niles){{Cite web |title=Meet Your Commissioners {{!}} Berrien County, MI |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/735/Meet-Your-Commissioners |access-date=October 27, 2022 |website=www.berriencounty.org}}

(information as of March 2024)

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1581|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|568|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1014|sqmi}} (64%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_26.txt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113024015/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_26.txt |url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2013|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 19, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

The county borders the state of Indiana to the South and includes a portion of Lake Michigan to the West.

The St. Joseph River is a major geographical feature, flowing mostly north and west through the county from Niles to its mouth on Lake Michigan at St. Joseph. The southwest of the county is drained by the Galien River and its tributaries. Paw Paw Lake is in the north of the county, along with the Paw Paw River, which flows into the St. Joseph River just before it enters Lake Michigan. A tiny portion along the Indiana state line is drained by small tributaries of the Kankakee River, which ultimately flows into the Mississippi River. This is one of two areas of Michigan drained by the Mississippi River, the other being an area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula near the Wisconsin border.

=Major highways=

{{jct|state=MI|I|94}} – runs north along the western edge of the county near Lake Michigan. Turns inland to skirt the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor urban area. Runs east to Kalamazoo. Business Loop 94 passes through downtown Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.
{{jct|state=MI|BL|94|dab1=Benton_Harbor-St._Joseph}} – runs through St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.
{{jct|country=USA|I|196}} – from its intersection with I-94 east of Benton Harbor, runs north to Holland, then east to Grand Rapids.
{{jct|state=MI|US|12}} – runs east–west through the southern portion of the county from south of Niles through Three Oaks to New Buffalo and Michiana, Michigan. From Berrien County it connects with Michigan City, Indiana.
{{jct|state=MI|US|31}} – running north from South Bend, Indiana, enters the southeast county as the St. Joseph Valley Parkway, near Niles, and joins I-94 then I-196 before leaving the county.
{{jct|state=MI|M|51}} – enters from Indiana as a continuation of State Road 933. Runs north through Niles, then northeast toward Dowagiac, Michigan.
{{jct|state=MI|M|60}} – runs east from Niles to I-94 at Jackson.
{{jct|state=MI|M|62}} – from its intersection with M-140, runs east toward Dowagiac, Michigan.
{{jct|state=MI|M|63}} – from its intersection with M-139 (formerly US 31) in Scottdale, runs northwest into St. Joseph, then northeast to intersection with US 31/I-196 near the county line.
{{jct|state=MI|M|139}} – from its intersection with US 12 southwest of Niles, runs northeasterly into downtown Niles, then follows the former route of US 31/US 33 northwesterly through Berrien Springs to Scottdale, then north near St. Joseph and Benton Harbor to an intersection with Business Loop I-94.
{{jct|state=MI|M|140}} – from Niles, runs north through the eastern part of the county toward South Haven, Michigan.
{{jct|state=MI|M|239}} – its {{convert|1.1|mi|km}} length links I-94 at Exit 1 near New Buffalo to State Road 39 north of LaPorte, Indiana.
{{jct|state=MI|CDH|A-2}} – Berrien County's only signed county highway. Begins in Hagar Shores at M-63 and I-196. It follows the Lake Michigan shoreline and continues to South Haven, Michigan.

=Adjacent counties=

By land

Van Buren County – north and northeast
Cass County – east
St. Joseph County, Indiana – southeast
LaPorte County, Indiana – south

By water

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1830= 325

|1840= 5011

|1850= 11417

|1860= 22378

|1870= 35104

|1880= 36785

|1890= 41285

|1900= 49165

|1910= 53622

|1920= 62653

|1930= 81066

|1940= 89117

|1950= 115702

|1960= 149865

|1970= 163875

|1980= 171276

|1990= 161378

|2000= 162453

|2010= 156813

|2020= 154316

|estyear=2023

|estimate=152261

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 4, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=US Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 19, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=September 19, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|archive-date=August 11, 2012}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mi190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 19, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215142038/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mi190090.txt|archive-date=February 15, 2015}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 19, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218203824/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|archive-date=December 18, 2014}} 2010-2019

}}

The 2010 United States Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website| publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=March 11, 2012}} indicates Berrien County had a 2010 population of 156,813. This is a decrease of 5,640 people from the 2000 United States Census, or a 3.5% population decrease. In 2010 there were 63,054 households and 41,585 families in the county. The population density was 276.2 per square mile (106.6 square kilometers). There were 76,922 housing units at an average density of 135.5 per square mile (52.3 square kilometers). 78.3% of the population were White, 15.3% Black or African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.8% of some other race and 2.4% of two or more races. 4.5% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 29.0% were of German, 7.4% Irish, 6.8% English and 5.5% American ancestry.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 5, 2018}}

There were 63,054 households, 29.6% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were husband and wife families, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.0% were non-families, and 28.7% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.

The county population contained 23.4% under age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The 2010 American Community Survey 1-year estimate{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=March 11, 2012}} indicates the median income for a household in the county was $40,329 and the median income for a family was $51,305. Males had a median income of $26,745 versus $16,289 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,337. About 12.1% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.5% of those under the age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

=State parks=

=County parks=

Galien River County Park Preserve
Love Creek County Park
Madeline Bertrand County Park
Paw Paw River County Park
Rocky Gap County Park
Silver Beach County Park

= Other parks =

Expo Arena – at Berrien County Fairgrounds
Kiwanis Park – St. Joseph
Riverview Park – St. Joseph

=Resorts and beaches=

Hagar Park – Hagar Township
Jean Klock Park - Benton Harbor
Lion's Park Beach – St. Joseph
New Buffalo Beach Park – New Buffalo
Paw Paw Lake
Rocky Gap Beach Park - Benton Harbor
Silver Beach - St. Joseph
Tiscornia Park
Weko Beach - Bridgman

=Golf courses=

The Golf Club at Harbor Shores - Benton Harbor
Blossom Trails Golf Club – Benton Harbor
Brookwood Golf Course - Buchanan
Lake Michigan Hills Golf Club - Benton Harbor
Lost Dunes Golf Club - Bridgman
Milan Creek Golf Club - Baroda
Orchard Hills Country Club - Buchanan
Paw Paw Lake Golf Club - Coloma/Watervliet
Pebblewood Country Club - Bridgman
Pipestone Creek Golf Course - Eau Claire
Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club - Benton Harbor

Communities

File:Berrien County, MI census map2.png data map showing local municipal boundaries within Berrien County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.]]

=Cities=

=Villages=

=Charter townships=

=Civil townships=

=Census-designated places=

=Other unincorporated communities=

=Indian reservation=

File:Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians (Berrien County), MI location.png

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians has a reservation occupying a portion of the southeastern corner of Berrien County. The tribe also occupies areas in Allegan, Cass, and Van Buren counties, as well as extending south into the state of Indiana. The reservation headquarters are located in neighboring Cass County in the city of Dowagiac.{{cite web|last=Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians|title=Pokégnek Bodéwadmik (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi)|url=http://www.pokagon.com/|date=2019|access-date=January 3, 2019}} The Berrien County reservation surrounds the entire portion of the city of Niles that lies within the county, as well as portions of Bertrand Township and Niles Charter Township along the St. Joseph River.{{cite web|last=United States Census Bureau|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/general_ref/cousub_outline/cen2k_pgsz/mi_cosub.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609141604/http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/general_ref/cousub_outline/cen2k_pgsz/mi_cosub.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2011 |url-status=live|title=Michigan County Subdivision Outline Map|date=2000|access-date=April 13, 2018}}

References

External links

[http://www.berriencounty.org/ Berrien County government – official web site]
[http://www.bchdmi.org/ Berrien County Health Department]
[http://bcroad.org/ Berrien County Road Department]
[http://www.bcsheriff.org/ Berrien County Sheriff's Department]
[http://berrien.usaroots.com Berrien County GenGuide] for Berrien County Genealogy Information
{{cite web|url=http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/berrien.html|publisher=Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University|title=Bibliography on Berrien County|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313091248/http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/berrien.html|archive-date=March 13, 2012}}
[http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;view=toc;idno=ARH7541.0001.001 History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan] (Ensign, 1880)
[http://www.swmidirectory.org/History_of_Berrien_County.html History of Berrien County] (Southwest Michigan Directory)

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Berrien County, Michigan

|North = Van Buren County

|Northeast = Van Buren County

|East = Cass County

|Southeast = St. Joseph County, Indiana

|South = LaPorte County, Indiana

|Southwest = Porter County, Indiana

|West = Cook County, Illinois

|Northwest = Lake County, Illinois

}}

{{Coord|41.94|-86.59|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MI_source:UScensus1990}}