Somerset Center, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Somerset Center, Michigan
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Looking east along Chicago Road (US 12)
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 Somerset Center, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Somerset Center, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Hillsdale |
| Township | Somerset |
| Settled | 1833 |
| Elevation | 1,060 ft (320 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49249 (Jerome)
49282 |
| Area code(s) | 517 |
| GNIS feature ID | 638243 |
Somerset Center is a small community in Hillsdale County, Michigan. It's not a city or town with official borders. This means it doesn't have its own population count. However, it does have its own post office.
The community is located along U.S. Highway 12, also known as Chicago Road. It sits within Somerset Township.
Exploring Somerset Center's Location
Somerset Center is in the southeastern part of Michigan. It's in the northeastern corner of Hillsdale County. The area is part of the Irish Hills region.
The community is quite high up for this part of Michigan. It sits at an elevation of 1,060 feet (320 m). This makes it one of the highest spots in southeast Michigan.
Roads and Nearby Places
Somerset Center is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the border with Jackson County. US 12 is the main road here. About 3.0 miles (4.8 km) to the east, it meets US 127.
Other nearby communities include Cement City to the northeast. Addison is further southeast. You can also find Somerset directly to the east. Jerome is to the southwest. The area of Lake LeAnn is directly northeast. Liberty is north in Jackson County.
Lakes and Nature Around Somerset Center
The area around Somerset Center has many lakes. The biggest is Lake LeAnn. Other lakes include Blood Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Somerset, Lombard Lake, Mission Lake, and Moon Lake.
Many of these lakes are connected by Goose Creek. This creek is part of the River Raisin watershed. The Somerset State Game Area is a large nature spot. It covers 748-acre (303 ha) and is south of Somerset Center. Michigan's longest river, the Grand River, starts just north of Somerset Center.
Community Services
The Somerset Township Hall and Fire Department are in Somerset Center. They share a building on East Chicago Road. The Somerset Center post office is also on East Chicago Road.
The 49282 ZIP Code for Somerset Center covers a small part of Somerset Township. This includes the western part of Somerset, which uses the Somerset Center post office. The surrounding area might also use the Jerome 49249 ZIP Code. Students in the community go to Addison Community Schools.
A Look at Somerset Center's Past
The first people settled here around 1833. Elias Alley built his home then. Cornelius Millspaw might have been the very first settler. Many early settlers worked as wheat farmers and merchants.
Somerset Center was just west of the community of Somerset. Somerset was settled a year earlier. In the early days, the community's name was sometimes spelled "Somerset Centre."
How the Post Office Got Its Name
In 1835, Hillsdale County was officially formed. The area became part of Wheatland Township. Thomas Gamble became the first postmaster in 1835. The post office was first called Wheatland.
It was renamed Gambleville in 1837. This happened when the northern part of Wheatland Township became Somerset Township. In 1841, the post office was renamed Somerset. The township itself was named after Somerset, New York. The post office moved around a bit. It was called Somerset Centre, then Gambleville again, and finally Somerset by 1872.
Growth and the Railroad
Somerset Center appeared on a map of Hillsdale County in 1857. The community was officially mapped out in 1872. On a map from 1872, Somerset Centre was in section 10 along Chicago Road. Somerset (then called Somerset Station) was to the east.
Somerset Centre got its own post office in 1872. It was spelled "Somerset Centre" until 1893, when it became "Somerset Center." Around that time, a train station was built. It was part of the Detroit, Hillsdale, & Southwestern Railroad. This later became part of the New York Central Railroad.
The Story of William Herbert Lee McCourtie
One important person from Somerset Center was William Herbert Lee McCourtie. He was born nearby in 1872. He became very rich in the cement business in Texas. He returned to Somerset Center in 1924. He bought his family farm, which was 42-acre (17 ha).
He turned his farm into a fun place called Aiden Lair. Many famous people, like Henry Ford, visited there. In the early 1930s, he had unique cement bridges built over a stream on his property. They were made to look like wood.
McCourtie passed away in 1933. The property changed owners several times. The old farmhouse was torn down because it was too expensive to fix. But the special bridges and some old buildings are still there. The township bought the property in 1987. They made it a public park called McCourtie Park. It's along the US 12 Heritage Trail.
Historic Sites in Somerset Center
The Somerset Center Cemetery is in the middle of the community. William H. L. McCourtie and his family are buried there. His family tomb, built in 1927, is a Michigan State Historic Site.
The William H. L. McCourtie Estate is also a state historic site. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Images for kids
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Looking west along U.S. Route 12 -
McCourtie Mausoleum -
W. H. L. McCourtie historic marker -
McCourtie Estate historic marker
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