Dowagiac ( , ) is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,721 at the 2020 census. It is part of the South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area.

Dowagiac is situated at the corner of four townships: Wayne Township to the northeast, LaGrange Township to the southeast, Pokagon Township to the southwest, and Silver Creek Township to the northwest.

The city name comes from the Potawatomi word dewje'og<!--unsyncoped odeweje'og; c.f. Ojibwe ondawaja'ong, from onda- (pv4) "for some reason" and waja'o (vai) "go fish\hunt\gather near home" with the "indefinite conjunct mode" suffix -ng --> meaning "fishing [near home] water". Dowagiac is the headquarters of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and is also contained within the reservation.

History

Dowagiac was first platted in 1848. It was incorporated as a village in 1863 and as a city in 1877.

Dowagiac gained national attention in June 1964 after police began investigating multiple reports of what became known as the Dewey Lake Monster.

In 1854, Dowagiac was the final destination for the first group of orphans brought to the Midwest from New York City on the Orphan Train.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary, commonly referred to as Dowagiac Woods, a woods located in Cass, is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Michigan's exceptional natural habitats and extraordinary and endangered plants and animals.

The Dowagiac River flows from the stream which rises as the "Dowagiac Drain" in central Decatur Township in southern Van Buren County, Michigan. It is joined first by the "Red Run" and then by the "Lake of the Woods Drain" near the southern edge of Hamilton Township, it becomes the "Dowagiac River" before entering Wayne Township in Cass County. North of the city of Dowagiac, the river passes through the "Dowagiac Swamp". Just west of Dowagiac, the river is joined by its principal tributary, the "Dowagiac Creek".

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Dowagiac had a population of 5,721. The median age was 35.4 years. 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.6 males age 18 and over.

98.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,387 households in Dowagiac, of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 29.6% were married-couple households, 21.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 5,879 people, 2,337 households, and 1,463 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,674 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 73.5% White, 14.3% African American, 3.0% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 2.4% from other races, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4% of the population.

There were 2,337 households, of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% were married couples living together, 22.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.4% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.14.

The median age in the city was 32 years. 29.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.3% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census

  • Webb Miller (journalist) – Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and author
  • Caleb Murphy – Ferris State Football player and NFL Tennessee Titans Football Player
  • Adolph Otto Niedner – Custom gunsmith and wildcat cartridge inventor and Mayor of Dowagiac
  • Carrie Newcomer – Singer-songwriter
  • Kenneth Porter – World War I pilot, credited with 5 enemy aircraft destroyed
  • Donavon F. Smith – World War II pilot and USAF lieutenant general, credited with 5.5 enemy aircraft destroyed
  • William Alden Smith – US Senator
  • Chris Taylor – wrestler, Olympic medalist
  • Emery Valentine – Alaskan statesman and businessman

References

  • City of Dowagiac
  • Dowagiac District Library
  • Dowagiac Union Schools
  • Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce