Situated about twenty miles south of the City of East Jordan, the village of Bellaire, Michigan is the county seat of Antrim County, in the North Michigan region of the Lower Peninsula.
The village spans Forest Home Township and Kearney Township, which are separated by the Intermediate River. The Bellaire post office serves large portions of both townships, as well as parts of Central Lake, Chestonia, Custer, and Helena townships.
Bellaire is just north of Lake Bellaire, and Intermediate Lake is a couple of miles to the north, while Blair Lake borders the village in the northeast. The Intermediate River enters the village in the northeast, where it widens to form what could reasonably be considered a lake, then flows through the western portion of the village to empty into Lake Bellaire. The Cedar River passes through Blair Lake to join the Intermediate River.
M-88 is the main route through the city. Others include Bellaire Highway (Cayuga Street), Derenzy Road, Orchard Hill Road (Forest Home Avenue), and Stover Road. The village of Central Lake is 8.2 miles north, Mancelona is 11.7 miles southeast, and Elk Rapids is 25.4 miles southwest of Bellaire, although its distance is lengthened by the necessity of driving around the lower part of Torch Lake.
Prior to being displaced, Native Americans inhabited the region for thousands of years. The first European-Americans came to the region in the mid-1800s to harvest forest products, and its rich waterways made the region ideal for a lumber town. Several Civil War veterans came for farmland awarded to them for their services in the war.
A post office was established there on June 20, 1879, with Rufus Hall as postmaster. At that time, the community was known as Keno. Later that year, the county seat was moved from Elk Rapids to Keno, a contested decision that was heard by the Michigan Supreme Court. On May 26, 1880, shortly after the Supreme Court supported the vote to move the county seat, the town's name was changed to Bellaire.
In 1891, the Chicago & Western Michigan Railroad (Pere Marquette) established a station in Bellaire, and the town was incorporated as a village that same year. In 1901, the East Jordan & Southern Railroad extended its line through Bellaire.
By 1900, the village had four grocery stores, five meat markets, four hardware stores, three hotels, two blacksmith shops, three harness shops, six lumber mills, a bakery, a jeweler, eight doctors, and seven barbershops.
Bellaire's peak population was in 1900 when it had about a hundred more people than it did at the time of the 2010 census. Once the lumber was depleted and the importance of the railroads diminished, the village's population decreased dramatically over three decades before beginning a slow recovery.
Today, tourism plays a significant role in the village's economy, particularly as a site for summer vacation homes. The village supports a robust business community and some light industry. Short's Brewing Company opened in Bellaire in 2004, where it also operates a pub.
The focus of this category is on the village of Bellaire, Michigan. Appropriate resources include websites representing the village government and any businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, and events with a presence in the village.
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Offering beer, wine, and food, patrons of the Bellaire, Michigan bar and restaurant can watch the big games and other events on big-screen televisions. Its menus are published on the website, which also includes a profile of the establishment, directions and a map showing its location, days of operation, kitchen and bar hours of operation, dinner specials, bartender’s specials, telephone numbers, and information about its policies on ordering ahead for pickup at the store.
http://www.thebellairebar.com/
The Chamber is a membership organization made up of Bellaire, Michigan business owners, and community leaders. The benefits of membership are discussed, including membership levels, sponsorship opportunities, and a membership form. The site includes a live webcam, photo gallery, and a guide to local recreational and entertainment opportunities, restaurants, guest lodging facilities, a membership directory, special offers, and a calendar of events.
https://www.bellairechamber.org/
Opened in 2016, the Bellaire, Michigan entertainment facility features eight bowling lanes, an arcade, laser tag, outdoor games, a patio, a full bar, and a restaurant. Its address is posted, and its location is shown on a map, the hours of operation, and contact information are included. Open bowling, league bowling, league standings, pro shop, outdoor games, euchre night, and other special events are featured, along with its availability for birthday parties.
https://bellairelanesandgames.com/
Covering more than seventy-five square miles of Antrim County, the public school district offers a K-12th-grade curriculum through two school buildings, including John R. Rodger Elementary School and Bellaire Middle/High School, partnering with Kalkaska Memorial Health Center for preschool, Head Start, and Great Start Readiness programs. Its elementary, middle, and high school programs are highlighted, along with its athletics programs.
http://bellairepublicschools.com/
The official municipal website presents a profile of the village, council and committee agendas and minutes, including archives, and a guide to local parks, the township cemetery, police department, fire and rescue departments, wastewater, and a village directory. Election information, township codes, plans, and zoning ordinances are featured. Telephone numbers and office hours are posted to the site, and information about snow removal and yard waste are included.
http://www.bellairemichigan.com/craven.html
Offering a focus on outdoor skills, leadership training, and fun, Troop 222 has been serving the youth of the Bellaire, Michigan community since 1959. Scouts plan and lead the weekly troop meetings, organize troop activities, train younger scouts in key skills, and foster teamwork and cooperation. Chartered by the Bellaire United Methodist Church, its adult leaders are identified, contacts are posted, and a photo gallery and access to various forms and documents are included.
https://www.troopwebhost.org/Troop222Bellaire/
Cottage Floral & Fischer’s Country Store
In operation since 2000, the business is currently owned by Tammy Fischer and includes the floral shop offering plants and floral arrangements, as well as an expanded gift store, offering country decor, silk flower arrangements, posters, hats, clothing, and other items, while the country store offers furniture, fun art, and garden and patio items made from reclaimed lumber. The store’s address, hours of operation, pickup and delivery information, and contacts are included.
https://www.cottagefloralbellaire.com/
Glacial Hills includes nearly eight hundred acres of land, spanning three governmental jurisdictions: Antrim County, Forest Home Township, and the Village of Bellaire, which co-manage Glacial Hills through the joint recreation board known as Friends of Glacial Hills, which was established in 2015 and made up of members appointed from each agency and two members-at-large. Board agendas and minutes, maps, directions, and a blog are included in the site.
https://www.glacialhillstrails.org/
Headquartered in Bellaire, Michigan, the 1,492-acre nature preserve surrounds the Grass River, and includes seven miles of well-maintained trails, including 1.5 miles of boardwalk passing through fen and cedar wetlands, as well as an outdoor living laboratory to explore and learn. Open year-round, the Grass River Center presents a learning environment for public programming, school field trips, camps, and other programs and events. Contributions may be made online.
https://www.grassriver.org/
The locally owned rental management company concentrates on marketing privately owned homes and condominiums as vacation rentals, particularly in the Bellaire, Shanty Creek, and Torch Lake area. Among the services provided are booking and reservations, linen service, onsite maintenance, payment processing, photography, housekeeping, inventory management, key management, and real estate. Available properties are featured on the site, and a search utility is provided.
https://bellairerentals.net/
Published by West Shore Publications, a locally owned company headquartered in Bellaire, Michigan, the Antrim Review began as the Bellaire Area Review in 2003 and is currently published weekly on Thursdays, offering feature stories, local and regional news, and full sports coverage for the school districts in its region. The website covers both the Antrim Review and the Kalkaska Review, which covers the Kalkaska County region. Obituaries and opinions are included.
http://www.antrimreview.net/
Owned and operated by the same family for more than twenty years, the casual family restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, although it is known for its fresh-cut steaks, local fish, and ribs. Located on North Bridge Street, the Bellaire, Michigan restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Sundays and Mondays. Its hours of operation, menu, and special offers are published to the site, along with a profile of the establishment and contact data.
http://tooniesfishandsteakhouse.com/
