Dimondale, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Dimondale is a village in Eaton County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Windsor Charter Township
. Dimondale is a suburb
of Lansing
, Michigan
, which is northeast of the village in Ingham County
, Michigan
. The village is often misspelled as Diamondale.
near the center of section 15. By 1852, the dam was completed and a saw mill was in operation. He built a grist mill in 1856. On August 6, 1856, Hosey Harvey surveyed the village in order for Dimond to have it plat
ted with the name "Dimondale". A post office named "East Windsor" had been established in the eastern part of Windsor Township in about 1860. This office was transferred to Dimondale and renamed in 1872. In 1878 the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
came through and the area was given a station referring to it as Dimondale. In 1906, Dimondale incorporated as a village.
From 1929 to 1963, Dimondale had its own high school
, until it merged with the Holt
School District. This occurred after the school district ran into tax issues due to the sparse business landscape in the village. The final Superintendent for Dimondale was Harvey E. Wood, a school administrator who later moved to Holt's system as the Transportation Manager, then eventually to Ingham Intermediate School District (IISD) as Vice Superintendent. Dimondale almost merged with the Eaton Rapids
School district, however due to Mr. Wood's prior mentor/student relationship with Holt's Superintendent (Maurice Pernert), the merge with Holt's school system took place.
In 1962, Interstate 96
was built through Windsor Township, bringing many new businesses to the area.
In the 1960s-70s, Dimondale served as a regionally and nationally recognized hotspot for championship horseshoe pitching, earning it the nickname "Horseshoe Capital of the World." The Dimondale Horseshoe Club was founded in 1964 and the village played host to the 1965 Michigan state tournament. In 1970, DHC merged with the Chief Okemos Sportsman's Club, which is still in existence. Dimondale natives and accomplished horseshoe pitchers James Compton, Gilbert Kimball, Pat Smith, Victor Benson, Fred Smith Sr., and Fred Smith Jr. have been inducted into the Wolverine State Horseshoe Pitcher's Association (WSHPA) Hall of Fame. The greatest horseshoe pitching legend emanating from the clay courts of Dimondale tells how Fred Smith Jr. would have his brother Norman place his chin atop an opposing stake while Fred would proceed to pitch 40 feet (12.2 m) ringers that would clang just inches below Norman's smiling face.
of 2000, there were 1,342 people, 473 households, and 376 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,383.5 per square mile (534.2/km²). There were 485 housing units at an average density of 500.0 per square mile (193.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.42% White, 0.75% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.75% from other races
, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.91% of the population.
There were 473 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $57,917, and the median income for a family was $64,444. Males had a median income of $49,318 versus $30,380 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $23,611. About 2.5% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Eaton County, Michigan
Eaton County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 107,759. The county seat is Charlotte. Eaton County was named for John Eaton, who was Secretary of War under U.S. President Andrew Jackson, making it one of Michigan's Cabinet counties...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Windsor Charter Township
Windsor Charter Township, Michigan
Windsor Charter Township is a charter township of Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,340 at the 2000 census.-Communities:The Village of Dimondale, and the unincorporated community of West Windsor are within the township....
. Dimondale is a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, which is northeast of the village in Ingham County
Ingham County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 279,320 people, 108,593 households, and 63,744 families residing in the county. The population density was 500 people per square mile . There were 115,056 housing units at an average density of 206 per square mile...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The village is often misspelled as Diamondale.
History
Potowatomie Indians originally had a permanent camp along the Grand River in the Dimondale area before white settlement began in the 1830s. Relations between white settlers (most of whom were from New York and New England) and the Potowatomie were generally cordial with local residents permanently deeding 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land near the river to the local Indians. The local band held the deed to the leased land until the Potowatomie were forced west by the Indian Removal Act. Isaac M. Dimond came to the area in 1848 and, as one of his enterprises, in 1850 began to construct a dam, just east of Silver Creek on the Grand RiverGrand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
near the center of section 15. By 1852, the dam was completed and a saw mill was in operation. He built a grist mill in 1856. On August 6, 1856, Hosey Harvey surveyed the village in order for Dimond to have it plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted with the name "Dimondale". A post office named "East Windsor" had been established in the eastern part of Windsor Township in about 1860. This office was transferred to Dimondale and renamed in 1872. In 1878 the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a major part of the New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana...
came through and the area was given a station referring to it as Dimondale. In 1906, Dimondale incorporated as a village.
From 1929 to 1963, Dimondale had its own high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, until it merged with the Holt
Holt, Michigan
Holt is an unincorporated community within Delhi Charter Township, Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place used for statistical purposes. The population was 11,315 at the 2000 census....
School District. This occurred after the school district ran into tax issues due to the sparse business landscape in the village. The final Superintendent for Dimondale was Harvey E. Wood, a school administrator who later moved to Holt's system as the Transportation Manager, then eventually to Ingham Intermediate School District (IISD) as Vice Superintendent. Dimondale almost merged with the Eaton Rapids
Eaton Rapids, Michigan
Eaton Rapids is a city in Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,214 at the 2010 census.The city is located in the south of Eaton Rapids Township, on the boundary with Hamlin Township, though it is politically independent of both townships...
School district, however due to Mr. Wood's prior mentor/student relationship with Holt's Superintendent (Maurice Pernert), the merge with Holt's school system took place.
In 1962, Interstate 96
Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
was built through Windsor Township, bringing many new businesses to the area.
In the 1960s-70s, Dimondale served as a regionally and nationally recognized hotspot for championship horseshoe pitching, earning it the nickname "Horseshoe Capital of the World." The Dimondale Horseshoe Club was founded in 1964 and the village played host to the 1965 Michigan state tournament. In 1970, DHC merged with the Chief Okemos Sportsman's Club, which is still in existence. Dimondale natives and accomplished horseshoe pitchers James Compton, Gilbert Kimball, Pat Smith, Victor Benson, Fred Smith Sr., and Fred Smith Jr. have been inducted into the Wolverine State Horseshoe Pitcher's Association (WSHPA) Hall of Fame. The greatest horseshoe pitching legend emanating from the clay courts of Dimondale tells how Fred Smith Jr. would have his brother Norman place his chin atop an opposing stake while Fred would proceed to pitch 40 feet (12.2 m) ringers that would clang just inches below Norman's smiling face.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,342 people, 473 households, and 376 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,383.5 per square mile (534.2/km²). There were 485 housing units at an average density of 500.0 per square mile (193.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.42% White, 0.75% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.75% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.91% of the population.
There were 473 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $57,917, and the median income for a family was $64,444. Males had a median income of $49,318 versus $30,380 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $23,611. About 2.5% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Further reading
- Durant, Samuel W. Title: History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of their prominent men and pioneers. Philadelphia: D. W. Ensign & co., 1880. p. 541.
- Romig, Walter. Michigan Place Names. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1986.
- Caruss, Thelma. Windsor Township, Heritage & Horizons. East Lansing: Vision Creative, 1976; 1998 reprint.