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Hopkins is an incorporated village in western Hopkins Township, in northeast Allegan County, in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

Although there are no other incorporated cities or villages within the township, the unincorporated community of Hopkinsburg is a few miles east of Hopkins, along Miller Creek, and Hilliards is an unincorporated community in the north part of the township, just over four miles northeast of Hopkins.

Cities and villages within twenty miles of Hopkins include Wayland, Allegan, Martin, Otsego, Plainwell, and Fennville.

Bear Creek flows through the center of the village.

Hopkins is a village of about six hundred people. First appearing on a census roll in 1930, the population of the village has declined only once, in 1980, although it is projected to decline slightly in 2020.

The land that was to become Hopkins was first owned by John Hoffmaster, who acquired it in 1854, later selling portions of it to his nephews, John and Philip Hoffmaster.

Hopkinsburg was settled in the late 1830s, before Hopkins. However, when the Kalamazoo branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad came through the township, it laid its tracks a few miles west of Hopkinsburg, and it wasn't long before Hopkins was growing, and Hopkinsburg was dwindling.

Soon after the railroad came through, businesses began setting up along the tracks. It wasn't long before Hopkins had a sawmill, two blacksmith shops, a broom handle factory, a harness shop, a tin shop, a wagon shop, a hotel, three general stores, and a market. Other factories soon followed.

Hopkins Township, Hopkinsburg, and Hopkins were named for Oziel Hopkins Round, the young son of Jonathan Round, the first white settler in the township. Oziel was the first settler to die in the territory, and when the township was organized, nine men placed their choices for a name in a hat, and Hopkins was drawn.

John Hoffmaster became the first stationmaster, and he platted the village, which was known as Hopkins Station. A post office was established on May 20, 1854, with Erastus Congdon as postmaster. The post office closed from May 31, 1904, to March 28, 1870. On June 6, 1906, the name of the post office was shortened to Hopkins, and Hopkins was incorporated as a village in 1920.

As the village of Hopkins, Michigan is the focus of this guide, online resources pertaining to the village government or any businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, or events within the village are appropriate resources here.

 

 

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