Editing Sturgis, Michigan (section)

==History==
[[File:Sturgis Memorial Hospital and Nurses Home, Sturgis, Michigan.jpg|thumb|The Sturgis Memorial Hospital was built in 1925 and was updated for medical offices in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sturgishospital.com/aboutus.php|title=About Sturgis Hospital}}</ref>]]

===Founding of the community===
[[File:Carnegie Library Sturgis MI.jpg|thumb|Construction of the Carnegie Library in Sturgis began in 1908 with a dedication on April 2, 1909.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=etXhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA23 Sturgis, Michigan: Pictorial City Directory and Year Book, September, 1915], Willis C. Bailey, Coldwater, Mich., 1915</ref>]]
In 1827, Judge John Sturgis came to the St. Joseph Valley area in southern Michigan [[United States territory|territory]] and settled in what is now Sturgis. The original site of his home can be seen at Pioneer Park, maintained by the City of Sturgis. Legend has it that Sturgis was chosen as the town's name because Mrs. John Sturgis baked a pan of biscuits and sent them to a surveying party near their cabin. Lewis Cass, who later became governor, was part of that surveying party. When the time came to name the town, Governor Cass remembered the biscuits and was insistent that the town be named Sturgis. In 1896, Sturgis officially became a city.<ref>[http://www.ci.sturgis.mi.us/information_history.php The story of Sturgis: From past to present], City of Sturgis, retrieved March 11, 2008 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715080133/http://www.ci.sturgis.mi.us/information_history.php |date=July 15, 2009 }}</ref>

===Sturgis: the "Electric City"===
Sturgis is known as the "Electric City" due to its municipal electric utility and [[hydroelectric]] [[Sturgis Dam|dam]], which date back to the early days of the community. The City-owned electric department has served the Sturgis area since the city's inception in 1896.  In 1909, the City of Sturgis approved construction of a hydroelectric dam on the [[St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)|St. Joseph River]] near [[Centreville, Michigan]]. The dam began operation on September 3, 1911, and continues to serve the community. In 2011, the City celebrated the centennial of the Dam as part of "Sturgis Dam Days."

===Sister City===
Sturgis is a Sister City to [[Wiesloch]], [[Germany]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wiesloch.de/pb/,Lde/Home/Ueber+Wiesloch/Sturgis.html|title=Stadt Wiesloch: Sturgis|website=wiesloch.de|access-date=2016-01-18}}</ref> In 1966, the cities of Wiesloch and Sturgis decided to form a Sister City partnership that grew out of President Eisenhower's [[People to People Student Ambassador Program|People-to-People]] program which was formed to increase cultural awareness and promote friendship.  In 1967 Wiesloch formally began the cultural exchange by sending a community choir to Sturgis.  In 1969 Sturgis reciprocated, sending its community choir to Wiesloch.  In 1977, the exchange program was expanded to include students, who each year spend three weeks in their partner's home.  In 1989 a Sturgis teacher worked in Wiesloch as part of the Sister City program.  This teacher exchange continues periodically as teachers from Wiesloch work in Sturgis and vice versa.

In 2016, Sturgis and Wiesloch celebrated the 50th Anniversary of their Sister City partnership.

===Kickoff city for Michigan Week===
For many years, in the third week of May, Sturgis served as the kickoff city for Michigan Week, a statewide celebration.  Many prominent political figures walked in the parade annually.  These included State Representatives and State Senators as well as the 6th District [[U.S. Representative]] and periodically the [[Governor of Michigan]].  With statewide celebration of Michigan Week waning, in 2010, Sturgis ended the tradition of holding the Michigan Week Kick-Off, opting to celebrate Sturgis Dam Days in June.  Sturgis Dam Days was held in honor of the hydroelectric dam. The 100-year anniversary of the Sturgis Dam was celebrated at the Sturgis Dam Days in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2011/06/sturgis_hydroelectric_dam_mark.html |title=Sturgis Hydroelectric Dam marks 100 years of operation with Dam Days celebration |last=Rietsma |first=Jef |date=27 June 2011 |website=Michigan Live |publisher=Michigan Live |access-date=20 June 2020 |quote=The creation that brought electricity to the city of Sturgis a century ago was lauded Sunday by more than 40 people at Covered Bridge Park.}}</ref> In 2012, the Sturgis community began celebrating Sturgis Fest during the last week in June.

===Sturgis Rail Depot===
[[File:DepotSturgisMI.jpg|thumb|Sturgis Railroad Depot in 2019, after it was moved and restored]]
On June 23–24, 2014, the historic Sturgis Rail Depot was moved from its location on West Main & N. Clay Streets to a more central location on W. Chicago Road.<ref name="Fox 17 Move" /> The 120-year-old building, featuring masonry walls up to 2 feet thick and weighing 304 tons, was moved by Wolfe House & Building Movers.<ref name="Fox 17 Move" /><ref name="Wolfe">{{cite web|url=https://www.wolfehousebuildingmovers.com/sturgis-railroad-depot/|title=Moving the Sturgis Railroad Depot|access-date=April 27, 2017}}</ref> The building was elevated by a Unified Jacking System and mounted on the Buckingham Dolly System for the quarter of a mile move across town.<ref name="Fox 17 Move" /><ref name="Wolfe" />

The Depot underwent renovations to be used as a museum by the Sturgis Historical Society.<ref name="Fox 17 Move" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sturgismuseum.org/|publisher=Sturgis Historical Society|title=Sturgis Historical Museum – At the Depot|access-date=April 27, 2017}}</ref>

===Abbott plant for infant formula===
{{Main|2022 United States infant formula shortage}}
[[Abbott Laboratories]] produces [[infant formula]] at a plant in Sturgis. In February 2022, the plant was shut down due to bacteria in some of the infant formula produced there, which led to a nationwide shortage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/abbott-to-resume-production-of-baby-formula-at-sturgis-michigan-plant-after-recall |date=May 11, 2022 |title=Abbott to resume production of baby formula at Sturgis, Michigan plant after recall |publisher=CBS News Chicago |access-date=June 6, 2022 }}</ref> The plant resumed production in June 2022 after receiving FDA clearance, first making specialty formula for infants with special dietary needs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/06/04/1103088504/abbott-plant-baby-formula-shortage-reopening |title=Abbott's baby formula plant is reopening in a step that could soon ease the shortage |first=Emma |last=Bowman |date=June 4, 2022 |access-date=June 6, 2022 |publisher=NPR }}</ref> The operations at the plant were a focus of an investigation launched by the [[House Oversight Committee]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abc7chicago.com/baby-formula-shortage-why-is-there-a-price-gouging/11844875/ |title=House committee opens investigation into baby formula shortage, potential price gouging: Exclusive |publisher=ABC News|location=United States |date=May 13, 2022 |first=Benjamin |last=Siegel |access-date=June 6, 2022 }}</ref>