Belleville, Michigan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Belleville, Michigan

City

City of Belleville

Aerial view of Belleville

Flag

Seal

Motto(s):

"Quality Living"

Location within Wayne County

Belleville, Michigan

Location in Michigan

Belleville, Michigan

Location in the United States

United States

1847

Incorporated

1905 (village)
1946 (city)

Government

• Type

Council–manager

Area

• City

1.18 sq mi (3.07 km²)

• Land

1.13 sq mi (2.93 km²)

• Water

0.05 sq mi (0.14 km²)

Elevation

673 ft (205 m)

Population

(2020)

• City

4,008

• Density

3,540.64/sq mi (1,366.73/km²)

• Metro

4,285,832 (Metro Detroit)

Time zone

UTC-5 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP code(s)

48111, 48112

Area code(s)

734

FIPS code

26-07020

GNIS feature ID

0621058

Welcome to Belleville Sign

Belleville is a city in Wayne County, Michigan. It's a western suburb of Detroit, located about 29 miles (47 km) southwest of downtown Detroit. It's also about 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Ann Arbor. The city is completely surrounded by Van Buren Township. In 2020, about 4,008 people lived there.

Belleville Lake is a major natural feature of the city. Belleville is also famous for hosting the National Strawberry Festival every year.

Belleville's Early History
- Becoming a Village and City
Belleville's Location and Lake
People Living in Belleville
- Who Lives in Belleville?
Fun Things in Belleville
Famous People from Belleville
Gallery
See also

Belleville's Early History

The community was named after a landowner, James Bell. Its name means "beautiful town" in French. The town was first planned out in 1847. Its main streets, Main, Liberty, and High Street, are still used today. Around 1881, the Belleville train station on the Wabash Railroad line started serving travelers.

Becoming a Village and City

Belleville officially became a village in 1905. This meant it had its own government, separate from Van Buren Township. Since it was on the Huron River, a natural trade route, it was a busy center for lumber businesses. Sawmills were located along the river. Over time, large forests were cleared for farms, industries, and more people.

To create more electricity, the Detroit Edison Company built the French Landing Dam in 1926. This dam created Belleville Lake. Belleville Lake is the biggest inland lake in Wayne County. It stretches 6 miles (9.7 km) and covers 1,200 acres (4.9 km²). The main downtown area of Belleville is located on the southern shore of this lake. Belleville officially became a city on May 14, 1946.

Belleville's Location and Lake

According to the United States Census Bureau, Belleville covers about 1.20 square miles (3.11 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Belleville Lake was formed when the French Landing Dam and Powerhouse was built in 1925. This dam was built on the Huron River in the nearby Van Buren Township.

Belleville skyline from Columbia Court

People Living in Belleville

Belleville has grown steadily over the years. In 1880, only 314 people lived here. By 2020, the population had grown to 4,008.

Who Lives in Belleville?

In 2010, there were 3,991 people living in Belleville. About 80.6% of the people were White, and 14.1% were African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 3.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the city was 40 years old. About 21.9% of residents were under 18. Many households were families, but also many individuals lived alone.

Fun Things in Belleville

Festivals and Events

Belleville hosts a popular event called the National Strawberry Festival every year. This festival gets a lot of attention and brings people from all over Wayne County. It celebrates the strawberry, which is important to Belleville's economy.

Interesting Places to See

In the 1930s, Belleville was known as a resort town. Wealthy people from Detroit had vacation homes here. Famous people like Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh once owned summer cottages on Belleville Lake. These homes were in a neighborhood called Harmony Lane.

Music History

Belleville is also famous in music history. In the mid-to-late 1980s, a new type of electronic music called techno was created in Detroit. Some of the pioneers of this music, known as The Belleville Three, were Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson. They, along with others, created what is known as the first wave of Detroit techno music.

Education in Belleville

Students in Belleville attend schools in the Van Buren Public Schools district. Belleville High School, Owen Intermediate, and Edgemont Elementary are all located within the city.

Sister City Connection

Belleville has a special connection with another town far away. It is twinned with Machynlleth in Wales. This means they share a friendly relationship and often exchange cultural ideas.