Coldwater, Michigan

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1953 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Coldwater City. It lies in ZIP code area 49036. The Survey maps it on the Coldwater West quadrangle. 13,822 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 965 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Coldwater within Branch County

On record in Coldwater

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 12 of 14 shown

Coldwater Downtown Historic Districtlisted 1990
Benedict Doll Houselisted 1990
First Presbyterian Churchlisted 1986
Abram C. Fisk Houselisted 1990
Lanphere-Pratt Houselisted 1990
South Monroe Street Historic Districtlisted 1990
Tibbits Opera Houselisted 2019
US-12-Coldwater River Bridgelisted 1999
West Pearl Street Historic Districtlisted 1990
Wing Houselisted 1975
East Chicago Street Historic Districtlisted 1975
East Chicago Street Historic District (Boundary Increase I)listed 1990

Every listing in Branch County

Population over time

2 figures

Coldwater grew from 10,945 to 13,822 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
2010	10,945
2020	13,822	+2,877 (+26%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 10 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

1953 USGS Fort Wayne quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
1956 USGS Fort Wayne quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
1960 USGS Coldwater West quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
1985 USGS Elkhart quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings

Fires near this place

20 since 2018

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 20 fires within 5 miles of Coldwater between 2018 and 2020, burning about 44 acres in total. 4 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Equipment and vehicle use	11
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	4
Natural	4
Smoking	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
9 August 2020	Equipment and vehicle use	1.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	QUINCY FD 105 - 2020
5 August 2018	Equipment and vehicle use	1.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	LAKELAND VFD 0018131 - 2018
27 August 2020	Equipment and vehicle use	1.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	COLDWATER FD 868 - 2020
4 July 2018	Equipment and vehicle use	1.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	QUINCY FD 95 - 2018
19 July 2018	Smoking	1.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	COLDWATER FD 0000781 - 2018
16 July 2018	Equipment and vehicle use	2.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	QUINCY FD 103 - 2018
13 July 2018	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.0 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	COLDWATER FD 0000750 - 2018
6 May 2019	Natural	22 acres	Michigan Department of Natural Resources	COLDWATER FD 487 - 2019

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Branch County

Mines and quarries near this place

8 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 8 workings within 5 miles of Coldwater: 4 producers, 3 past producers, 1 unknown. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay, Molybdenum, Tungsten, Copper, Nickel. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Amax Specialty Metals-Coldwater, Mi	Molybdenum, Tungsten, Copper, Nickel	Producer
Wolverine Prtlnd Cmt Co Shale Pit	Clay	Past Producer
47 Garfield Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Branch County Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Certified Sand and Gravel	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Thompson Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Unknown
Waterbury No 1 Pit & Mill	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Yerington Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Branch County

Storms near this place

60 of 85 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Coldwater in 85 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 58 thunderstorm wind, 26 hail, 1 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
May 2011	Tornado (EF1)	Coldwater	$50,000	A survey of damage was conducted in the Coldwater area. The damage found was consistent with a brief tornado touchdown within an area of wind damage around the touchdown location. The circulation touched down near U.S. 12 and Interstate 69, at 364 South Michigan Avenue. Major roof damage to a storage facility occurred, along with substantial tree damage. The garage door on the east side of a house was blown in just south of Woodward Drive. The tornado passed across Interstate 69 depositing debris on portions of the Interstate, causing brief lane closures. The damage was consistent with an EF1 with winds of around 90 mph.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$25,000	Emergency management officials reported numerous trees and power lines down across the county.
August 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$25,000	TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$15,000	Trees and power lines down were reported down in parts of the county, including the Coldwater area.
May 2024	Hail	Coldwater	$15,000	no account filed
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$10,000	One to two foot diameter tree and several limbs down on a house causing gutter and siding damage.
May 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$10,000	Semi truck blown over in Coldwater. Numerous trees and power lines down throughout the county as well.
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$10,000	Utility poles and trees down in Coldwater.
July 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$10,000	Trees blown down damaging vehicles and residential property.
August 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$10,000	no account filed
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$5,000	The public reports a large tree was downed onto a home.
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$5,000	Large tree snapped and fell on house.
June 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$5,000	Wind blew down trees across roadways, and caused a semi-tractor trailer to turn over in the ditch along Interstate 69 just south of Southern Road.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$4,000	Emergency management reported trees and power lines down in Coldwater. A barn was also blown over.
September 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$2,500	A large tree was downed onto a home on Polk Street in Coldwater.
July 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$2,000	Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and around Coldwater.
October 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$2,000	Law enforcement reported trees down and a barn destroyed near Coldwater.
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	$2,000	Trees reported blown down.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	A trained spotter reported five large trees down south of Coldwater.
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Tree limbs down along US-12.
August 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Trees downed on Union City Road and State Road.
June 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Trees and power lines down. Blocking Dorrance Road.
June 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Reported several trees and limbs down in an area from Coldwater to Quincy.
July 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Local dispatch officials reported trees across the road. Also, power lines were reported down on Mason Rd.
May 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Local media reported a one foot diameter tree was blown down onto a car.
May 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Local media reported trees uprooted and blown over with some power lines down.
May 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported a 14 inch diameter tree limb fell across a road.
May 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	The Automated Weather Observation System at the Branch County Airport recorded a 73 mph wind gust.
April 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Trees were snapped or uprooted.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	The public reported several trees and tree limbs down onto power lines and some homes.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Several trees down in and around the Coldwater area. Some trees and power lines onto vehicles or roadway.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Tree downed across road.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Tree downed across roadway. Power lines onto vehicle.
July 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported several trees down, blocking some roads. Several dead trees were also felled from the strong wind as well as tree limbs.
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported numerous trees down across the northern parts of the county.
September 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported a tree down onto a camper with two occupants. No injuries were reported. In addition, minor damage to cars and traliers in the area were reported from falling tree limbs.
September 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials estimated a 60 mph wind gust in Coldwater.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported several trees down on US-12, just west of Coldwater.
May 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported numerous tree branches down.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported numerous trees and tree limbs down in and around Coldwater.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Widespread trees and power lines down in Coldwater, Sherwood, Girard and Bronson in Branch County.
July 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Law enforcement officials reported numerous trees and power lines down south of Coldwater.
July 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management officials reported numerous trees down across the northern part of Coldwater.
April 2008	Hail	Coldwater	-	Amateur radio operators observed penny size hail at the Coldwater airport.
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Several trees blown down.
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	8 inch diameter tree broke off.
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	A estimated wind gust to 60 mph was reported along with trees and tree limbs down.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Tree limbs reported down.
June 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management reported trees down near Girard.
June 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Emergency management reported trees down near Kinderhook.
July 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Six trees reported blown down. Two power poles also blown down near US 12.
June 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Law enforcement reported numerous trees down in Coldwater.
July 2003	Hail	Coldwater	-	Emergency management reported trees and power lines down in Litchfield.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in Coldwater.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Law enforcement reported trees down in Coldwater.
June 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	Trees down.
December 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	SEVERAL TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN.
July 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	WIND DAMAGE AND SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN TOWN.
July 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	WIDESPREAD TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE COUNTYWIDE
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Coldwater	-	SEVERAL TREES BLOWN DOWN ACROSS COUNTY.

Every storm recorded in Branch County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Trailtree Village	1.1 miles	10
Lockwood	4.7 miles	10
Batavia	5.5 miles	10
Hodunk	6.1 miles	14
Girard	6.2 miles	14
Quincy	6.2 miles	10
Batavia Center	6.2 miles	10
Crystal Beach	7.3 miles	10

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Coldwater	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1107962	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 623568. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.