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Cassopolis, Michigan
Village
Cass County Courthouse in Cassopolis
Cass County Courthouse in Cassopolis
Nickname(s): 
AmstutzVille
Location within Cass County
Location within Cass County
Cassopolis, Michigan is located in Michigan
Cassopolis, Michigan
Cassopolis, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Country United States
State Michigan
County Cass
Townships LaGrange and Penn
Government
 • Type Village council
Area
 • Total 2.23 sq mi (5.79 km2)
 • Land 2.01 sq mi (5.21 km2)
 • Water 0.22 sq mi (0.58 km2)
Elevation
889 ft (271 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 1,774
 • Estimate 
(2019)
1,699
 • Density 844.85/sq mi (326.21/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
49031
Area code(s) 269
FIPS code 26-13900
GNIS feature ID 0622860

Cassopolis is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Cass County. It is located mostly in LaGrange Township with a small portion extending east into Penn Township. The village and county are named after statesman Lewis Cass, a New Hampshire native and a prominent U.S. senator from Michigan prior to the American Civil War.

Diamond Lake, one of the 100 largest inland lakes in Michigan, is located in Cassopolis.

Cassopolis is part of the South BendMishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,774 at the 2010 census. Cassopolis was platted by European Americans in 1831. It had already been designated the county seat by that point. It was incorporated as a village in 1863. The county developed farming and some industry.

Cassopolis was a transit point on the Underground Railroad, by which sympathizers aided refugee slaves from the South to gain freedom in the North and in Canada. Some refugees continued through Michigan to settle in Canada in order to avoid risk under the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law, which increased incentives for capture. However the 1850s also saw the settlement of many African-Americans and people of mixed African-American and Sapponi and Pumenkey ancestry in Cass County.

In the 1960s, a group of African Americans connected to the Nation of Islam acquired some 1,000 acres of farmland in the area. Work on this acquisition was overseen by a man who had graduated from Cassopolis High.

History

Cassopolis was platted in 1831. It had already been designated the county seat by that point. It was incorporated as a village in 1863.

Cassopolis was a transit point on the Underground Railroad. In the 1960s, a group connected to the Nation of Islam acquired some 1,000 acres of farmland in the area with work overseen by a graduate of Cassopolis High.

Geography

Cass 07-04-2008 01;28;56PM
Lewis Cass historical marker in Cassopolis, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.25 square miles (5.83 km2), of which 2.00 square miles (5.18 km2) is land and 0.25 square miles (0.65 km2) is water. Cassopolis is the town associated with Diamond Lake, the largest lake in southwestern Michigan.

Transportation

CassopolisMichigan-DirectionalSigns
Directional signs in Cassopolis, Michigan.
  • M-60
  • M-62

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 379
1870 728
1880 912 25.3%
1890 1,369 50.1%
1900 1,330 −2.8%
1910 1,358 2.1%
1920 1,385 2.0%
1930 1,448 4.5%
1940 1,488 2.8%
1950 1,527 2.6%
1960 2,027 32.7%
1970 2,108 4.0%
1980 1,933 −8.3%
1990 1,822 −5.7%
2000 1,740 −4.5%
2010 1,774 2.0%
2019 (est.) 1,699 −4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,774 people, 709 households, and 384 families residing in the village. The population density was 887.0 inhabitants per square mile (342.5/km2). There were 833 housing units at an average density of 416.5 per square mile (160.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 60.0% White, 29.3% African American, 1.1% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of the population.

There were 709 households, of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.15.

The median age in the village was 35.4 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.1% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

Library

The Cass District Library's Main Library is located in Cassopolis. The Local History Branch is also located in Cassopolis. Other branches include the Howard Branch, Edwardsburg Branch, and the Mason / Union Branch.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cassopolis para niños

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