Bridgman is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,096 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
There was a place in this area known as Plummer's Pier. In 1856 lumbermen founded Charlotteville in this area.
Bridgman itself begins with the village of that name platted by George C. Bridgman in 1870. It was centered on a railroad station opened that year.
The Bridgman post office, with ZIP code 49106 opened with the name "Laketon" on November 11, 1862. The name changed to Bridgman on April 9, 1874. Bridgman later expanded by annexing the area that had previously been Charlotteville. The town is famous for being the location of the 1922 Bridgman Convention, a clandestine communist planning meeting in 1922 that was broken up by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and local authorities.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Bridgman had a population of 2,096. The median age was 48.3 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.2 males age 18 and over.
97.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.1% lived in rural areas.
There were 935 households in Bridgman, of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.3% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 2,291 people, 954 households, and 608 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,183 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.3% White, 1.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.
There were 954 households, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.3% 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 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88.
The median age in the city was 44.3 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census
Weko Beach is connected by a trail system to Warren Dunes State Park, one of Michigan’s most popular state parks, offering extended hiking, additional beaches, and large sand dunes for climbing and sightseeing.
In addition to lakeside recreation, the city maintains several community parks, including Toth Street Park, which offers a dog park, playground, and a walking path.
Education and library
The community supports the Bridgman Public Schools system which includes an elementary school, a middle school, and Bridgman High School.
thumb|Bridgman Public Library
The Bridgman Public Library was established in 1966. It also serves as the location for the Bridgman/Lake Township Historical Society.
Notable people
- Herbert S. Gutowsky, chemist
- Ralf Mojsiejenko, German-born NFL player
- Jerry Planutis, NFL player; coach for the Michigan State Spartans and Bridgman High School