Parchment, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parchment, Michigan
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| City of Parchment | |
Location within Kalamazoo County
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 Parchment, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Parchment, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Kalamazoo |
| Settled | 1909 |
| Incorporated | 1939 |
| Government | |
| • Type | City commission |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.94 sq mi (2.43 km2) |
| • Land | 0.92 sq mi (2.38 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 774 ft (236 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,926 |
| • Density | 2,093.48/sq mi (808.30/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49004
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| Area code(s) | 269 |
| FIPS code | 26-62340 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0634353 |
Parchment is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 1,926 people lived there. The city's name comes from a company that used to make paper on the east side of the Kalamazoo River.
Parchment is located just northeast of the city of Kalamazoo. It is mostly surrounded by Kalamazoo Township.
Contents
History of Parchment City
The Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Company started in 1909. Its founder, Jacob "Uncle Jake" Kindleberger, built the paper mill along the Kalamazoo River. The company then sold land around the mill to its workers.
Kindleberger Park and City Status
In 1932, Kindleberger set aside a large piece of land. This land later became Kindleberger Park, named in his honor. In 1939, people in Parchment voted to make it a city. Since then, it has been known as "The Paper City."
Changes to the Paper Mill
Over the years, the KVP Company joined with or was bought by other companies. These included Sutherland Paper Company, Brown Company, James River, and finally Crown-Vantage. In 2000, paper making in Parchment stopped. After this, the city faced challenges. People in the city have discussed what to do with the old paper mill property. By 2011, the first mill building was taken down. There were plans to remove the other buildings later.
Water Contamination Issues
In July 2018, the old mill site became a concern again. The city found chemicals called PFAS in its drinking water. Tests showed high levels of PFAS in Parchment's water. This was more than 20 times the safe limit set by the EPA.
Residents were told to stop using the water for drinking or cooking right away. The city worked to find where the chemicals came from. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared a State of Emergency on July 29. Volunteers gave out bottled water to residents. The City of Kalamazoo then connected its water system to Parchment. Because of the unknown source and high costs, Parchment now uses Kalamazoo's drinking water permanently.
Officials think an old landfill near the Kalamazoo River might be the source of the PFAS. This landfill was also where the paper mill used to be. It was covered in 2000 after the company went out of business. PFAS chemicals were used in making paper.
Geography and Location
Parchment is a small city. It has a total area of about 0.93 square miles (2.43 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 0.92 square miles (2.38 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.05 square kilometers), is water.
The city is located to the east of the Kalamazoo River.
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 934 | — | |
| 1950 | 1,179 | 26.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,565 | 32.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,027 | 29.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,817 | −10.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,958 | 7.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,936 | −1.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,804 | −6.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,926 | 6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 1,804 people living in Parchment. There were 786 households, and 484 families. The average household had 2.30 people. About 24.2% of residents were under 18 years old.
Schools in Parchment
Parchment has several schools for its students. There are three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The city also has Barclay Hills Education Center, which is an alternative public school.
Parchment High School was built in 1959. This was because the city's population was growing. Before 1959, students in Parchment went to Kalamazoo Central High School after 8th grade. In the mid-1950s, the Kalamazoo Public school district thought about adding Parchment to its district. Laurence Tisch and his wife Jean Tisch started a petition to build a new high school. The community succeeded in buying land, and the school was built. The first class graduated from Parchment High School in 1961.
