Leslie, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leslie, Michigan
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| City of Leslie | |
Looking north along South Main Street
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Location within Ingham County
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 Leslie, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Leslie, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Ingham |
| Settled | 1836 |
| Incorporated | 1869 (village) 1968 (city) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.28 sq mi (3.33 km2) |
| • Land | 1.28 sq mi (3.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 935 ft (285 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,927 |
| • Density | 1,501.95/sq mi (579.76/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49251
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| Area code(s) | 517 |
| FIPS code | 26-47180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626610 |
Leslie is a small city in Ingham County, located in the state of Michigan in the United States. In 2010, about 1,851 people lived there. By 2020, the population grew slightly to 1,927. The city of Leslie is surrounded by Leslie Township, but they are managed separately.
Contents
Where is Leslie Located?
The city of Leslie is found in Ingham County. It is just east of US 127. The area has gently rolling hills, which means the land goes up and down softly. Leslie is about 28 miles (45 km) south of Lansing. It is also about 17 miles (27 km) north of Jackson. You can also find Meridian-Baseline State Park nearby.
Several small streams, called creeks, flow through Leslie. One of these is Huntoon Creek. It starts from Huntoon Lake and flows right through the center of Leslie. It even passes by the city's Little League Baseball fields. The city covers a total area of about 1.29 square miles (3.34 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
A Look at Leslie's History
Leslie was first settled in 1836 by a person named Elijah Woodworth. He built the very first log cabin in the area. The place was first called Meekerville. This name came from an early settler named Benjamin Meeker.
Later, Jerry G. Cornell named the town Leslie. He named it after a well-known family from his home state of New York. The name Leslie became official in 1841. That's when a post office was set up in the area. Leslie became an official village in 1869. Almost 100 years later, in 1968, it became a city.
Learning and Sports in Leslie
The Leslie Public School District is a small school system. It serves almost 1,400 students from the area. The new Leslie High School was built in 1996. It is located at 4141 Hull Road. The old high school building was then changed into the middle school. The school district's mascot is the Leslie Blackhawk. Their school colors are orange and black. About 100 to 130 students graduate from Leslie High School each year.
There is also another school in Leslie called White Pine Academy. This is a public school that was started in 1999. A group of local parents wanted a school with a focus on basic subjects and smaller class sizes. In 2005, White Pine Academy built a new building at 510 Russell Street.
Sports Teams and Achievements
Leslie High School offers many different sports. Boys can play basketball, baseball, football, golf, tennis, cross country, track, soccer, and wrestling. Girls can play basketball, softball, cheerleading, golf, tennis, cross country, track, soccer, and volleyball.
In 2008, the Leslie Blackhawks football team played for the Division VI state championship. This big game was held at Ford Field. However, they lost to the Montague Wildcats with a score of 41–20.
Distance running is also very popular in Leslie. Every year in mid-August, there is a road race. It happens during the annual Blackhawk Festival. The race runs through the edges of the city and finishes on the high school track. The Leslie High School boys' cross country running teams have been very successful. They won 14 conference championships in a row from 1990 to 2003. They also won a Class C state championship in 1993.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,113 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,058 | −4.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,114 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 1,032 | −7.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,089 | 5.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,105 | 1.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,281 | 15.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,543 | 20.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,807 | 17.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,894 | 4.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,110 | 11.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,872 | −11.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,044 | 9.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,851 | −9.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,927 | 4.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
How Many People Live Here?
The census of 2010 showed that 1,851 people lived in Leslie. There were 690 households, which are groups of people living together. About 490 of these were families. The city had about 1,435 people per square mile (554 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people in Leslie were White (96.5%). There were also smaller groups of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 2.6% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Leslie was 35.7 years old. About 28.5% of residents were under 18 years old. About 9.7% were 65 years or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.3%) and females (50.7%).
Famous People from Leslie
- Voltairine de Cleyre: She was an anarchist, writer, and feminist. She was born in Leslie.
- Holling Clancy Holling: He was a children's author and illustrator. He wrote books like Paddle to the Sea. He graduated from Leslie High School in 1917.
- Arthur J. Tuttle: He was a former U.S. District Judge. He was born in Leslie.
- Frank L. White: Many believe he was the person who modeled for the chef on Cream of Wheat boxes. He is buried in Leslie at Woodlawn Cemetery.
See also
In Spanish: Leslie (Míchigan) para niños
