Mendon, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mendon, Michigan
Village
St. Edward Catholic Church
Location of Mendon, Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	St. Joseph
Incorporated (village)	March 31, 1875
Area
• Total	0.99 sq mi (2.56 km2)
• Land	0.98 sq mi (2.53 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	843 ft (257 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	881
• Density	900.82/sq mi (347.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)	269
FIPS code	26-52980
GNIS feature ID	1624728

Mendon is a small village in Michigan, a state in the United States. It's located in St. Joseph County. The village is part of Mendon Township. In 2020, about 881 people lived there.

Exploring Mendon's Location

Mendon is a small village. The United States Census Bureau says it covers about 1 square mile (2.56 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a tiny part is water.

Mendon's Past: A Look Back

This area along the St. Joseph River was first settled by French pioneers. They came from Quebec and France a long time ago. These early settlers traded with the Potawatomi people. The Potawatomi were a Native American tribe living in the area.

After the American Revolution, the United States took control of this land. New settlers from eastern states started arriving in the early 1800s. St. Joseph County was divided into townships. Mendon Township was settled in 1831. The village of Mendon was officially planned in 1845.

Mendon's Public Library

On April 11, 1905, people in Mendon wanted a public library. They received money from the Carnegie Foundation. This helped them build the Mendon Township Library. It's one of many Carnegie Libraries that are still open today.

Historic Landmarks in Mendon

Mendon is home to two important landmarks. These places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are special and protected.

• The Marantette House was added to the list in 1973. A French man from Detroit built it. He used to trade with the Potawatomi people.
• The Marantette Bridge was built in the late 1800s. It was added to the list in 2001.

Mendon's Population Over Time

Mendon's population has changed over the years. In 2010, there were 870 people living in the village. About 319 homes were counted. Most people living in Mendon were White (96.9%). A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Mendon in 2010 was 37.1 years old. Many households (39.5%) had children under 18. Most homes (56.4%) were married couples.

Mendon's Lively Culture

Even though Mendon is a small village, it has a lot of culture. People in Mendon enjoy community events.

Mendon Riverfest Celebration

Every year, Mendon celebrates the Mendon Riverfest. This festival happens at Reed River Park. It's right on the banks of the St. Joseph River. The festival started in 1987. It moved to a bigger location in 1989. The Riverfest takes place every year in August. It runs from Thursday to Saturday.

Some fun activities at the Riverfest include:

• The Lip Sync Contest
• The Canoe Swamp
• Casino Night
• The Toy Boat Race

On Saturday night, there's a fireworks show. It lights up the sky over the St. Joseph River.

Mendon Kiwanis Showboat Performance

The Mendon Kiwanis Showboat is a big cultural event. It started in 1956. It focuses on local music, talent, and comedy. It's a show that many people love.

The Showboat is also the biggest fundraiser for the local Mendon Kiwanis Club. In 2017, it raised almost $10,000. Much of this money stayed in Mendon. It helped fund food programs and scholarships for kids.

The Showboat happens every November. It takes place at the Mendon Elementary Auditorium. A group of local talented people perform in a variety show. For the first 50 years, the show's theme stayed the same. It was based on old Mississippi River steamboat shows. It also took ideas from the musical 'Showboat'.

The 51st show started a new era. The steamboat theme and old show format changed. For the last 14 years, the show has had a different theme each year. Some past themes include:

• Vaudeway! (2017): The Showboat Chorus performs Broadway music and comedy sketches.
• SMILE! (2018): Characters remind adults in Mendon to smile. It features songs and skits about happiness.
• Lets Fake A Deal! (2019): People play a fast-paced game show. The music is about games. The sketches are based on TV game shows.

The show was canceled in 2006 due to building work. It was also canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education in Mendon

Mendon Junior/Senior High School is a top school in southwestern Michigan. In 2009, it scored very well on the Michigan Merit Exam. It was the best in writing in the region. It also did very well in reading and English language arts.

The school also has a great football program. In 1999, it won its sixth state championship. Since then, it has won seven more state championships. In 2011, it won the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 8 Championship game. They beat Fowler High School (Michigan) with a score of 33–0.

Famous People from Mendon

Many notable people have connections to Mendon:

• Nathan Bombrys: A professional rugby managing director. He grew up in Mendon.
• Phyliss Cupp: A talented athlete. She won a silver medal in basketball in 1973. She was also part of the US Women's Volleyball Training Squad. She was named an outstanding college athlete in 1975. She won coaching awards in volleyball and basketball. She was born and lived her whole life in Mendon.
• Pete Estes: The fifteenth president of General Motors. He was born in Mendon.
• David Small: A well-known author and illustrator. He lives in Mendon.
• Sarah Stewart (author): An author who lives in Mendon.
• George L. Yaple: A congressman and candidate for governor. He lived and is buried in Mendon.

Images for kids

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  St. Edward Catholic Church

• 

  Location of Mendon, Michigan

See also

In Spanish: Mendon (Míchigan) para niños