Allegan is a city in the U.S state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 4,838. It is the county seat of Allegan County6. The city lies within Allegan Township, but is politically independent.
Allegan was named by Michigan historian Henry Rowe Schoolcraft in 1837 to sound like a Native American word. Land was purchased from government to form the downtown business district; village organization came in 1838 with city incorporation authorized in 1907.
Allegan is located in the south-central portion of the county. To the west and northwest is the Allegan State Game Area for which the city is considered a gateway. In all other directions Allegan is surrounded by farmland.
The largest employer is the L. Perrigo Company, the largest maker of private label over-the-counter pharmaceuticals in the United States. The Perrigo company was founded here in 1887. In 2004 it employed 3,500 people in the United States, England and Mexico. Allegan is home to a longstanding manufacturing base of smaller companies; the City of Allegan lost a major UAW-organized Rockwell manufacturing plant in the early 80s. The city has a small general aviation airport with a paved runway. Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan are larger metropolitan points of access to Allegan County; generally access by commercial airlines would require a trip from (or to) Grand Rapids.
Allegan's dense forests and river geography served as a source of water power, trade routes for steamboats and timber production. Once cleared, Allegan became a center for business, industry and expansive farmland.
A longtime industrial town, Allegan's downtown waterfront fell into disrepair and environmental pollution by the late 1960s and early 1970s. The potential for loss of an aging iron bridge would cause the citizenry of Allegan to focus on community history, en masse, for an event that solidified Allegan's view toward community architectural preservation. The Second Street Bridge in Allegan is a whipple-trough truss bridge erected by the King Iron Bridge Company (Cleveland, Ohio) in 1886. Used as a two-lane bridge until discussions about its demise began in 1970s, the City of Allegan experienced an unprecedented and consistent outcry not to demolish its most prominent downtown trademark. City planners often commented the downtown district would be better served by a more modern, two lane structure, a common progressive view that has resulted in the demise of thousands of historic structures nationwide. As a result of community efforts and the successful application for federal grants, the Second Street Bridge was renewed for likely another century of service. The only noticable modifications are the installation of wood in the decking of the bridge, reduction of traffic to one lane and the installation of traffic lights at both ends. Allegan received national recognition in the form of The National Historic Preservation Award, one of fifteen such recipients in the United States. Focus on preservation of the downtown business district and timeless residential homes has continued as a theme in Allegan since the two-year bridge restoration (1981-1983). For several years in the late 80s and 90s, Allegan held a city festival called "Bridgefest" in honor of the Second Street Bridge. The "Old Iron Bridge", as it is referred to by residents, remains the most common logo and identifying characteristic of historic Allegan, Michigan.
The Second Street Bridge served also as an ideal "second chance" for Allegan residents to gain footing against progressive construction. Faced with legitimate needs to modify or replace aging structures, Allegan also began taking inventory of its well-preserved architectural wealth. In 1953 the City of Allegan gave its unique architectural history a back seat to progress and demolished its then 65 year old Richardsonian Romanesque styled courthouse. The previous courthouse, a magnificent structure incapable of meeting the growing office space needs of the city, was leveled in favor of a modern structure that serves as Allegan County's courthouse today. Many of Allegan's senior residents can recall the old courthouse with reverence, and vividly contrast apathy that consumed the courthouse with activism that saved the Old Iron (Second Street) Bridge.
Much of Allegan's historic architecture dates to an odd Civil War era windfall received by Union Army General John D. Pritchard. Pritchard's apprehension of Confederate States President Jefferson Davis led to a $100,000.00 bounty that would forever alter the Allegan residential district. Pritchard shared his reward with troops who, like Pritchard, chose to settle in Allegan. With financial gifts from Pritchard and the continued growth of Allegan as a center for business, the valuable downtown properties were populated with stately homes of impressive architecture. Much of these homes remain, with only minor modification, today. Owners of distinctive Allegan homes are often well-versed in the history of their houses, with stories passing from owner to owner, generation to generation. It is not uncommon to hear exactly which political power, war hero or business magnate stayed within the walls of these beautiful Allegan homes.
The downtown business district of Allegan falls among some of the best preserved small-town residential districts in America. Dozens of homes built in the 1800s and early 1900s remain much as they existed at their construction; homes with porches suitable for carriage ingress and egress are spectacularly preserved. Largely unchanged in layout for well over a century, the Allegan business district remains a unique presentation of shops, professional offices and yet another example of architectural community renewal. The downtown Regent Theater, its roots as a Buick garage (1903) and vaudeville theater (1919), serves as an example of Art Deco building styles that date to the World's Fair of 1925. As Allegan's privately run theater, the Regent suffered a series of failed operational attempts that left the theater largely abandoned by the mid-1980s. Having also suffered wear, damage and community apathy, the City of Allegan purchased the Regent for the remaining mortgage balance of roughly $18,000.00. The 1990 purchase led to the permanent re-establishment of the single screen theater to full operational status in 1996. A second round of restoration was required just a year later, in 1997, when a violent rainstorm caused the roof to collapse just an hour after the night's last movie ended. The building has been outfitted with a new electrical system in addition to many features designed to return the building to its 1930s prominence. Used for first-run films and community events, the Regent is yet another of many examples of Allegan's dedication to its cultural and architectural past.
Allegan maintains, impressively for a city its size, a comprehesive 24-hour hospital system (Allegan General Hospital) and is served in community policing by both City of Allegan police and the Sheriff's Department of Allegan County, also headquartered within the Allegan City limits. The County of Allegan is comprised of 24 incorporated townships, most maintaining their own system of city schools, emergency services and local law enforcement.
For reference, Allegan County is the 18th largest physical county in Michigan (at 827 square miles) and enjoys 25 miles of Lake Michigan coastline. The City of Allegan, as the other towns and the county itself, enjoys numerous parks, natural areas and access to multiple opportunities for lake activities and watersports. Allegan's largest annual celebration, widely reputed as the largest county fair in Michigan, is the Allegan County Fair each September. Allegan's local newspaper, locally-owned and in publication since 1858, is the Allegan County News.
Allegan is served by Michigan state highways M-40, M-222 and M-89.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city is located at 42.53°N, 85.85°W, and has a total area of 11.2 km2 (4.3 mi2). 9.9 km2 (3.8 mi2) of it is land and 1.3 km2 (0.5 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 11.81% water.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 4,838 people, 1,831 households, and 1,186 families residing in the city. The population density is 490.3/km2 (1,270.9/mi2). There are 1,947 housing units at an average density of 197.3/km2 (511.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 91.44% White, 4.71% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.34% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. 2.85% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,831 households out of which 33.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% are married couples living together, 15.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% are non-families. 30.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 3.05.
In the city the population is spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $39,539, and the median income for a family is $45,833. Males have a median income of $35,417 versus $25,669 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,075. 13.5% of the population and 10.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.7% of those under the age of 18 and 13.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Source:
AlleganMichigan.com
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