How a Forgotten 1825 Clash Gave Battle Creek Its Name

A lot of Michigan cities have an interesting story behind how they got their name

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Some places are named after the rich people who helped found the city.

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For example, present-day Ludington was originally named Pere Marquette Village, after the French missionary and explorer Father Jacques Marquette.

Read More: How Many West Michigan Nicknames Do You Recognize?

After the area was settled in 1847, a number of lumber camps sprang up, and a lumber baron named James Ludington built and invested in what are now impressive historic homes.

Residents later renamed the city after him.

Battle Creek is known as Cereal City USA because it's the home of Kellogg's

But do you know the story behind how Battle Creek got it's name?

How a Forgotten 1825 Clash Gave Battle Creek Its Name

With a name like Battle Creek, I thought there must have been a giant bloody battle where both sides lost many men to fighting.

Turns out the name came from a small conflict.

According to Michigan.org, In 1825 a group of government surveyors were working near a stream near the present day site of Battle Creek when two Pottawatomi Native Americans appeared at their camp asking for food.

Read More: Top 5 Michigan Towns With the Weirdest Names

A discussion turned angry and, during a brief skirmish, one of the surveyors took the Native Americans captive when he produced a rifle.

The surveyors reported the skirmish to the Governor and later surveyors at the site recalled it as “Battle Creek.”

I didn't expect that to be the story behind Battle Creek's name.

Do you know of any Michigan cities that have a cool story behind its name?

Send me an email and let me know.