Named for its position in the center of St. Joseph County, the Village of Centreville, Michigan is the county seat.
The Prairie River flows around the northern segment of the village.
The main routes through the village are the M-86 (West Burr Oak Street, East Main Street), Centreville-Constantine Road (West Main Street), Covered Bridge Road (North Clark Street), Klinger Lake Road (South Clark Street), and North Angling Road (North Dean Street). Three Rivers is 6.5 miles west-northwest of Centreville, Constantine is 9.5 miles southwest, Mendon is 9.7 miles northeast, Colon is 12.7 miles east-northeast, and Sturgis is 14.6 miles southeast.
Thomas W. Langley is acknowledged as the first permanent settler on the site that was to become Centreville, although the village had already been platted and recorded by the proprietors, Electra W. Deane, Daniel B. Miller, and Charles Noble, and Robert Clark, Jr. Although no one had yet settled the land, it was owned by several individuals, and had been designated as the county seat.
Langley purchased the land upon which the village was platted in the early 1830s, and opened a tavern. Within a few months, he had completed construction on a small courthouse, a log hotel, blacksmith shop, store, and buildings intended to serve as a school, a post office, and a church sanctuary. On March 2, 1833, a post office was established, with Langley as the first postmaster, and Centreville was incorporated as a village in 1837.
George Talbot and Henry Cushman built flour mills in Centreville, and Mr. Langley constructed a dam which he sold to the mill. The first mill burned in 1856 but was soon rebuilt. In 1896, the Centreville Roller Mills began operation and was capable of producing a hundred barrels of flour per day. In 1872, the Centreville Knit Goods Manufacturing Company began operations, later becoming Dr. Denton Sleeping Garment Mills.
St. Joseph County Bank opened in 1837, and the Farmers and Merchants Bank opened in 1838. However, these banks soon failed. Established in 1873, the First National Bank was the village's first stable bank.
By 1900, Centreville had a water and electric company, a cemetery, a newspaper, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches, and a Masonic Lodge. In 1867, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad opened Nottawa Station in Centreville, named for Nottawa Township, and Wasepi Station was opened in 1874 at the junction of the Michigan Central and Grand Rapids lines. Not only was it a junction, but it was also a shipping station for cider and dried fruit.
The village site was just north of the Michigan Central Railroad and south of the Prairie River, straddling Nottawa and Lockport townships, at the geographical center of the county.
The focus of this category is on the village of Centreville, Michigan. Online resources appropriate for this guide include websites representing the village, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, and events.
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Recommended Resources
The K-12 public school district enrolls about eight hundred students in St. Joseph County, in southeast Michigan. A profile of the school is put forth, along with its strategic plan, policy information, and departments. Headquartered in Centreville, it operates Centreville Elementary School and Centreville Junior/Senior High School, each of which are featured here, and a staff directory, district calendar, student-parent handbooks, and daily announcements are included.
https://www.cpschools.org/
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Covered Bridge Healthcare uses federal funding to provide healthcare services to patients on a sliding scale, serving insured, underinsured, and uninsured patients, offering the same level of care to all of its patients. Its services are described in detail, its board of directors is acknowledged, and its office hours and contacts are included, along with an online patient portal and guide to community services.
https://www.coveredbridgehealth.net/
The wedding venue in Centreville, Michigan is situated on property that was established in 1841, the main barn and silo still available for photographs, while the bridge entering the property has been reconstructed for tour bus traffic, and still has the original 1841 rustic railings. The three-season outdoor wedding reception hall is located beside a waterfall and pond and surrounded by gardens and views of the Prairie River. Photos, pricing, and contacts are posted.
https://www.riversidereceptionsetc.com/
Known locally as the Centreville Grange Fair, the annual event began in 1851 and includes a variety of attractions and events, some of which may change from year to year. General fair information and schedules are posted to the site, including daily events, pre-fair specials, rules and policies, a map, directions, gate prices, parking instructions, and forms. Other resources include a gallery of photographs and its policies on renting the facilities.
https://centrevillefair.com/
Bordering on Indiana on its central southern border, St. Joseph County was organized in 1829 and named for the St. Joseph River. Its county seat is in Centreville. The official county website posts meeting schedules, a calendar of events, and access to various forms, reports, and other documents. County agencies, commissions, and boards are acknowledged, along with elected officials, and a local government directory. The county court and law enforcement are featured.
http://www.stjosephcountymi.org/
Village of Centreville, Michigan
Situated in the center of the county, Centreville is the St. Joseph County seat. The official municipal website presents a history of the village and a guide to local attractions and events, schools, churches, and businesses. Village maps, a calendar of events, meeting dates and minutes, zoning information, and a code of ordinances are included. Contacts for the village council, planning and zoning commission, zoning board of appeals, and other officials are posted.
https://centrevillemi.com/
The family-friendly deli, bakery, salad bar, donut shop, and market is located on Eleanor Drive in Centreville, Michigan. Directions, hours of operation, store hours, and daily specials are posted to the site, along with its catering policies and menu, a party planner, and a form to request price estimates are featured. A photo gallery highlights the facilities and some of its food items and other products, and a guide to things to do in Centreville is included, with links.
https://www.yodersofcentreville.com/
