Bellaire, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bellaire, Michigan
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Village
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| Village of Bellaire | |
Antrim County Courthouse in Bellaire
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Location within Antrim County
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 Bellaire, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Bellaire, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Antrim |
| Townships | Forest Home and Kearney |
| Settled | 1879 |
| Incorporated | 1891 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Village council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.01 sq mi (5.21 km2) |
| • Land | 1.87 sq mi (4.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.37 km2) |
| Elevation | 627 ft (191 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,053 |
| • Density | 563.70/sq mi (217.69/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49615
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| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-06980 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2398074 |
Bellaire (/ˈbɛlɛər/ BEL-air) is a small village in Michigan, United States. It is the main town, or "county seat," for Antrim County. In 2020, about 1,053 people lived there. Bellaire is split between two areas called Forest Home and Kearney townships. You can find the historic Antrim County Courthouse and the local newspaper, the Antrim Review, in Bellaire.
Contents
A Look Back: Bellaire's History
Bellaire started as a place called Keno on June 20, 1879, when its first post office opened. The name changed to Bellaire on May 26, 1880. In that same year, Bellaire became the county seat of Antrim County. Before this, another town called Elk Rapids held that title.
Railroads and Industry
Railroads were very important for Bellaire's growth. The Chicago & West Michigan Railroad built a train station here in 1891. Later, the East Jordan & Southern Railroad added another line in 1901. For many years, Bellaire was a busy railroad hub in Antrim County. This made it a great place for businesses to set up. For example, a company that made wooden bowls built a factory in Bellaire. It was easy to transport their products by train.
Changes Over Time
Bellaire remained a transportation center until 1962. That's when the East Jordan and Southern railroad stopped using its tracks through the village. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which used the old Chicago and West Michigan line, also left in 1982. Today, Bellaire is known for being home to the Short's Brewing Company.
Exploring Bellaire: Geography
Bellaire is located where Forest Home Township (to the west) and Kearney Township (to the east) meet. The Intermediate River flows between these two areas. Most of Bellaire is within Kearney Township.
Roads and Nearby Towns
The main road, M-88, goes through the village. From Bellaire, you can travel about 8 miles north to Central Lake. Or, you can go about 10 miles southeast to Mancelona. The Bellaire ZIP code, 49615, covers a large area. It includes parts of both Forest Home and Kearney townships. It also reaches into nearby Central Lake, Chestonia, Custer, and Helena townships.
Land and Water
The United States Census Bureau says that Bellaire covers a total area of about 1.97 square miles (5.10 square kilometers). Out of this, about 1.84 square miles (4.77 square kilometers) is land. The remaining 0.13 square miles (0.34 square kilometers) is water.
Who Lives in Bellaire: Population and People
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 65 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,157 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,050 | −9.2% | |
| 1920 | 624 | −40.6% | |
| 1930 | 517 | −17.1% | |
| 1940 | 652 | 26.1% | |
| 1950 | 693 | 6.3% | |
| 1960 | 689 | −0.6% | |
| 1970 | 897 | 30.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,063 | 18.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,104 | 3.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,164 | 5.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,086 | −6.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,053 | −3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Snapshot
In 2010, the census counted 1,086 people living in Bellaire. There were 456 households, and 277 of these were families. The village had about 590 people per square mile. There were 549 housing units, which are places where people live.
Most of the people in Bellaire were White (97.2%). A small number were African American (0.1%), Native American (0.7%), or Asian (0.6%). Some people were from other races (0.5%) or from two or more races (0.9%). About 2.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Age
About 29.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. Nearly half (45.0%) were married couples living together. Some households had a female head without a husband (11.0%). A smaller number had a male head without a wife (4.8%). About 39.3% of households were not families.
Many households (33.8%) were made up of just one person. About 14.9% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone. The average household had 2.29 people, and the average family had 2.91 people.
The average age in the village was 42.2 years. About 23.8% of residents were under 18. People aged 45 to 64 made up the largest group at 30.7%. About 16.3% of residents were 65 years or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (48.4%) and females (51.6%).
