Situated just south of central Eaton County, the City of Charlotte, Michigan is the county seat. It is about twenty miles southwest of Lansing.
The city straddles Carmel and Eaton townships, although it is administered autonomously. The main route through the city is I-69, which passes through the eastern portion of the city limits. Other significant routes include Business-69 (South Cochran Avenue), which enters the center of Charlotte before rejoining the interstate, as well as M-50 (North Cochran Avenue), and M-79 (Lawrence Avenue). Lansing Road (Lansing Street) largely parallels the interstate, leading northeast to Potterville. The city of Potterville is 7.3 miles northeast of Charlotte, while Eaton Rapids is 10.6 miles southeast, Olivet is 11.1 miles south, and Grand Ledge is 16.3 miles north. The village of Vermontville is 13.1 miles to the northwest.
Since the population of Charlotte was first recorded in the 1870 census, the city's population has grown each decade, except for the period between 1980 and 1990, when it dropped by two percent.
The region that was to become Charlotte was owned by the United States government until it was acquired by George Barnes in 1832. He didn't keep it long, but sold it to Edmund B. Bostwick, a land speculator from New York, in 1835. He sold three-fourths of the land, in equal portions to H.I. Lawrence, Francis Cochran, and Townsend Harris. Lawrence was the agent for George Barnes, who stayed on the land after it was sold to Bostwick, later acquiring a quarter of it. Cochran also lived on the land, but Harris was a New York land speculator who maintained his residence in New York.
Bostwick, Lawrence, Cochran, and Harris are acknowledged as the founders of Charlotte, platting the town and naming it for Bostwick's wife, Charlotte. The town was designated the county seat in 1835, although Bellevue conducted most county functions until the end of 1839.
A post office was opened in Charlotte on March 17, 1838, with Jonathan Searles as postmaster. The town was incorporated as a village in 1863, and it became a city on March 29, 1871.
Today, the principal employers in Charlotte are Spartan Motors, Walmart, Owens-Brockway Glass, Hayes Green Beach Hospital, Charlotte Public Schools, Linn Products, and Titan Plastics. The Charlotte Public School District serves the City of Charlotte, as well as students from the surrounding Eaton County townships. The district operates four elementary schools and a combined middle/high school campus. Situated near the center of the city, Hayes Green Beach Hospital has been in service since 1933. Its campus includes facilities for general medical and surgical care, pediatric medical and surgical care, obstetrics, orthopedics, an emergency department, and specialty clinics. The hospital also provides Advanced Life Support pre-hospital ambulance services.
Located in northeast Charlotte, Fitch H. Beach Airport is a municipal airport, categorized as a local general aviation facility. Covering an area of 190 acres, the airport is two miles northeast of Charlotte's central business district, and is accessible by car from Island Highway.
Appropriate resources for this guide include websites representing the city itself, as well as any businesses and industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, and events.
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With locations in Charlotte and Flint, Michigan, the company specializes in residential and commercial metal roofing, as well as off-roof inspections, various finance options, and special offers. Its special programs include a church roof program, referral program, discounts, and energy tax credits. Its metal roofing services and products are featured and highlighted in photographs and video, and the company offers do-it-yourself training seminars. Hours and contacts are posted.
https://www.americanmetalroofs.com/
Camp Frances Educational and Recreational Center
Located in the center of Bennett Park, surrounded by woods, Camp Frances features a cabin equipped with a full kitchen, handicapped-accessible restroom facilities, and an open meeting and activity space, as well as a large basement for activities or short-term storage of equipment. Featured is a gallery of photographs, old news articles, and other memorabilia, as well as a calendar of events, guidelines for use of the camp, rental pricing, and donations.
https://www.campfrances.org/
Headquartered in the City of Charlotte, Michigan, the Chamber is made up of businesses, professional people, and community leaders in Charlotte and the surrounding townships of Benton, Carmel, and Eaton, and the communities of Bellevue, Olivet, and others. The Chamber site features a profile of the larger community and a guide to local shopping venues, festivals, events, and other things that the community has to offer to visitors, residents, and travelers.
https://micharlotte.org/
Originally known as Eaton Center or Carmel, the city was incorporated as a village in 1863, and chartered as a city in 1871. The official municipal website discusses the city’s history and governmental structure and offers tax information, a fee schedule for city permits, licenses, and services, and access to various forms, policies, and other documents. The city council and boards are acknowledged, and board meeting agendas and minutes are published to the site.
http://www.charlottemi.org/
Situated off East Packard Highway, in the City of Charlotte, Michigan, the hotel is affiliated with the Choice Hotels Group, and situated five miles from Crandell Lake and just over twenty miles from Michigan State University. Featured is a gallery of photographs depicting common areas of the hotel, exterior views, and of representative rooms. A list of features and amenities is published to the site, along with guest reviews, and an online reservation system.
https://www.choicehotels.com/michigan/charlotte/comfort-inn-hotels/mi201
Headquartered in the county seat of Charlotte, Michigan, the county newspaper publishes news and events coverage of current affairs in Eaton County, Michigan, including its communities. Other topics include opinion columns, sports, announcements, and a county directory of businesses, industries, healthcare facilities, schools, and services. Advertising opportunities are discussed, client testimonials are posted to the site, and office hours and contacts are included.
https://county-journal.com/
