Editing Westphalia, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Westphalia, Michigan
| official_name            = Village of Westphalia
| settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = 
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map              = Michigan#USA
| pushpin_label_position   = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_label            = Westphalia
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States
| pushpin_mapsize          = 
| image_map                = Westphalia, MI location.png
| mapsize                  = 250
| map_caption              = Location within [[Clinton County, Michigan|Clinton County]]

<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = {{Flagu|United States}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{Flag|Michigan}}
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Clinton County, Michigan.svg|size=23px}} [[Clinton County, Michigan|Clinton]]
| subdivision_type3        = [[Civil township|Township]]
| subdivision_name3        = [[Westphalia Township, Michigan|Westphalia]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes     = <ref>{{cite web|last=Village of Westphalia|url=https://www.westphaliami.com/village-council|title=Village of Westphalia: Village Council|date=2020|accessdate=January 23, 2021}}</ref>
| government_type          = [[Town council|Village council]]
| leader_title             = President
| leader_name              = Tim Fandel
| leader_title1            = [[Municipal clerk|Clerk]]
| leader_name1             = Dave Boswell
| established_title        = Founded
| established_date         = 1836

<!-- Area -->| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_26.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 2.96
| area_land_km2            = 2.88
| area_water_km2           = 0.08
| area_total_sq_mi         = 1.15
| area_land_sq_mi          = 1.11
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 924
| population_density_km2   = 320.31
| population_density_sq_mi = 829.44

<!-- General information -->| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 758
| coordinates              = {{coord|42|55|49|N|84|47|53|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
| postal_code              = 48894
| area_code                = [[Area code 989|989]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 26-86120<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2400156<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2400156}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|https://www.westphaliami.com/|Official website}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| unit_pref                = Imperial
}}
[[File:Westphalia sign.jpg|thumb|upright|A Michigan State Historic Site plaque honoring Westphalia]]

'''Westphalia''' is a village in [[Clinton County, Michigan|Clinton County]] in the U.S. state of [[Michigan]]. The population was 924 at the time of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. The village is in [[Westphalia Township, Michigan|Westphalia Township]], about {{convert|25|mi|km|1}} northwest of [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] and {{convert|55|mi|km|1}} east of [[Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids]].  The village is known for its German and Catholic roots.

== History ==
Westphalia was founded in 1836 by a group of [[Germans|German]] settlers. It was named after the province of [[Westphalia]] in [[Germany]].<ref>Daboll, Sherman B. assisted by Dean W. Kelley [http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;q1=Westphalia;rgn=full%20text;idno=ARH7553.0001.001;didno=ARH7553.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000496 ''Past and present of Clinton County, Michigan'']. Chicago: S.J. Clarke, 1906, pp. 490–492.</ref>
These settlers were German Catholics who emigrated from the Westphalian cities of [[Wimbach]], Meerhof, and from [[Hesse]], among others, and found the rich soil ideal for farming. Some family members stayed in Detroit, while others moved into the wilderness to clear farmland. The [[Catholic Church in Germany|German-Catholic]] parish was established almost immediately after the settlers arrived. After buying the land at [[Ionia, Michigan|Ionia]], Father Anton Kopp traveled to Detroit to visit Bishop Friedrich Reese, and returned to his assigned parish in September 1837, where he celebrated Masses in the homes of the settlers in what is now [[St. Mary Church (Westphalia, Michigan)|St. Mary's Parish.]]

In 2012, the village celebrated its 175th anniversary.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|1.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.11|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.03|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (2.63%) is water.<ref name ="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=November 25, 2012}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 350
|1900= 374
|1910= 366
|1920= 325
|1930= 328
|1940= 386
|1950= 459
|1960= 560
|1970= 806
|1980= 896
|1990= 780
|2000= 876
|2010= 923
|2020= 924
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=November 25, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 923 people, 355 households, and 267 families residing in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|831.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 364 housing units at an average density of {{convert|327.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 98.2% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.0% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.0% of the population.

There were 355 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.8% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the village was 39.4 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 20.1% were from 45 to 64; and 22.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 876 people, 342 households, and 251 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|765.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 350 housing units at an average density of {{convert|305.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 99.43% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.23% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 0.34% from two or more races.

There were 342 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $52,500, and the median income for a family was $58,864. Males had a median income of $40,781 versus $31,827 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $20,112. There are 3.5% of families living below the [[poverty line]] and 4.2% of the population, including 4.3% of under eighteens and 9.0% of those over 64.

== Education ==
Westphalia is home to the following schools:

* St. Mary Catholic School (K-6)<ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Mary School|url=https://stmarychurch.net/st-mary-school|access-date=June 9, 2021|website=St. Mary Parish|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools|Pewamo-Westphalia Elementary School]] (K-5)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Elementary School|url=https://www.pwschools.org/elementary/|access-date=June 9, 2021|website=www.pwschools.org|language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Pewamo-Westphalia High School|Pewamo-Westphalia Middle/High School]] (6–12)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Middle/High School|url=https://www.pwschools.org/middle-high-school/|access-date=June 9, 2021|website=www.pwschools.org|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2019, Pewamo-Westphalia High School was ranked among the top 15 best high schools in Michigan by ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'', and 615th in the nation.

== Recreation ==

=== Westphalia Cruise-In ===
The Westphalia Cruise-In is an annual event held by the village of Westphalia every June in conjunction with the Portland Cruisers. Classic cars are displayed on downtown streets. The Cruise in 2018 hosted 1,312 cars.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Village Events {{!}} Village of Westphalia|url=https://www.westphaliami.com/village-events|access-date=June 9, 2021|website=villageofwestphalia|language=en}}</ref>

=== Light parade and tree lighting ===
Hosted by the Westphalia Historical Society on the first Saturday of December, a parade goes down Main Street. Each year a person of honor "flips the switch" on the tree. [[Saint Nicholas|St. Nikolaus]] joins in as well, in true German tradition in honor of the upcoming feast day. Local businesses open with specialties, treats and fun.

=== Cemetery walk ===
Hosted every September by the Westphalia Historical Society in the St. Mary Parish Cemetery, the Village Cemetery Walk is an event where historical members of the community are represented – often by living relatives – in period clothing, incorporate props, and tell stories to attendees as they walk past the deceased's graves.

=== St. Mary Parish family fest ===
Traditionally held on the 4th of July, the St. Mary Parish Picnic was officially changed in 2021 to the St. Mary's Fall Family Fest. The two-day festival held across from the church includes a cookout, beanbag tournament, Livestream of the Pewamo-Westphalia football game, bake sale, 5k/5 mile run, craft show, family concert, and evening live music.

== In popular culture ==
On January 26, 2022, the community of Westphalia was spotlighted by the [[EWTN]] show "Living Divine Mercy".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Living Divine Mercy {{!}} EWTN|url=https://www.ewtn.com/tv/shows/living-divine-mercy|access-date=February 1, 2022|website=EWTN Global Catholic Television Network|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Living Divine Mercy TV Show Episode 20 – What is the Domestic Church? |url=https://www.thedivinemercy.org/videos/living-divine-mercy-tv-show-episode-20-what-domestic-church |website=The Divine Mercy |access-date=March 1, 2022}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Ardeth Platte]], Dominican religious sister and anti-nuclear activist, member of the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
* [[Joseph Rademacher (bishop)|Joseph Rademacher]], Catholic Bishop

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.westphaliami.com Westphalia web site]
*[https://westphaliahistory.weebly.com/ Westphalia Historical Society]

{{Clinton County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Clinton County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Villages in Michigan]]
[[Category:Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area]]
[[Category:German communities in the United States]]
[[Category:German-American culture in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1836]]
[[Category:1836 establishments in Michigan Territory]]