Baroda, Michigan is an incorporated village in the southwest Lower Peninsula. Situated in the upper central part of Baroda Township, the village is administered independently.
No major highways pass through the village, although I-94 is about four miles to the west. Locally, the village is served by Stevensville-Baroda Road, Hills Road, and West Shawnee Road. Each situated about 4.5 miles away, the city of Bridgman is to the west, the village of Stevensville is north-northwest, and the unincorporated community of Hinchman is northeast of Baroda.
Lake Michigan is about five miles to the west.
The first European-American settlers came to the area in the 1830s, clearing land, draining swamps, and building homes and farms. However, a village was not formed until sometime after Michael Houser came to the area with the objective of founding a town. He negotiated with the railroads, eventually persuading the Vandalia Railroad to establish a station there.
He then platted a town, selling lots at easily affordable prices, offering free lots to anyone who would build a store or another building worth at least $500. When a post office was established there on December 3, 1890, he proposed that the new settlement be named Houser, after himself, but the post office rejected that name. Instead, it was named Baroda, for a city in western India. Aldis E. Holmes, the railroad express agent, was the first postmaster. Baroda was incorporated as a village in 1907.
While the new village declined by ten percent during its first decade, its population increased by more than thirty percent in the second decade. While it remains a small village, its population has not declined since.
The focus of this category is on the village of Baroda, Michigan. Appropriate for this category are websites representing the village or any businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, or events within the village.
Recommended Resources
Founded in the 1960s by Leonard Olson, who was later recognized as one of the founding members of the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council, and returned to Southwest Michigan, Baroda Founders is now in the hands of his son, Gunnar. The history of the business is told, and its locations and contacts are posted, along with an overview of its red wines, white wines, fruit wines, and dessert wines, which are available at its locations as well as from a list of retailers and restaurants.
https://www.founderswinecellar.com/
The downtown Baroda, Michigan restaurant and bar serves fresh food and cold drinks, from lunches, dinners, and drinks, as well as Euchre tournaments and other entertainment. Its address is listed, and its location is shown on a map. Telephone, fax, and email contacts are posted to the site, and its menus, daily specials, and take-out fare are displayed. A calendar of events is published to the site, and an overview of the establishment includes its memberships.
https://www.barodatap.com/
Located on Cleveland Avenue in Baroda, Michigan, the family-owned retail greenhouse is open seasonally, from April through July. A history and profile of the business are presented, including a list of the annual plants carried by the business. Directions from I-94 and from the east, west, north, and south, are given, and its location is shown on a map, along with its hours of operation, contacts, and announcements of special offers. Several photos are also displayed.
http://www.hartlinesgreenhouse.com/
Affiliated with the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ECLA), the congregation meets at its facilities on Cleveland Avenue in Baroda, Michigan. Mailing and physical addresses are given, along with directions, Sunday worship schedules, a calendar of programs and events, a photo gallery, and a sermon archive. Instructions for making online contributions are given, and office hours and contacts are included.
https://www.stjohnsbaroda.com/
The Eastern Orthodox Church originally met in a renovated farmhouse in Berrien Springs, Michigan in 2013, moving to Baroda in 2016. An introduction to Eastern Orthodox beliefs, practices, and traditions are presented, with an introduction to the church for those who are considering visiting the church for the first time, including its location, service times, informational messages, and a blog. Telephone numbers and a contact form are available.
https://stjosephorthodox.org/
Situated in central Berrien County in Southwest Michigan, the village government is represented on this site, which posts official notices, council meeting minutes, village ordinances, news, and access to various applications, permit forms, and reports. Property taxes and water bills may be paid online. A directory of municipal government departments, public safety services, and a calendar of events are featured, and a history of the village is included.
https://barodavillage.org/
Meeting at its facilities on Third Street, the Baroda, Michigan congregation is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Its site includes a UCC statement of faith, constitution, bylaws, and a short course in the history of the denomination. Directions, Sunday schedules, a calendar of events, faith formation, confirmation, and other educational programs are defined. Other resources include church newsletters, photographs, videos, and stewardship information.
https://www.zionuccbaroda.org/
