Belleville

History

The community was named in honor of landowner James Bell by adroitly choosing the French word for "beautiful town". The hamlet was platted in 1847 with the main thoroughfares still used today designated Main, Liberty, and High Street. About 1881, the Belleville depot on the Detroit line of the Wabash Railroad began serving travelers from across the region and the country. Belleville was established as a village in 1905, when its governance separated from Van Buren Township by an act of the State Legislature. Located on the Huron River which was a natural trade route, the village had long been a thriving center for lumber businesses with saw mills located along the shores of the river. The large expanses of woodlands were removed to make way for farmland, industry and increasing population. To generate more electrical power in the region, in early 1926 the Detroit Edison Company built the French Landing Dam on the river east of Belleville, thereby creating Belleville Lake. Belleville Lake is the largest inland lake in Wayne County, stretching 6 miles and covering 1,200 acres. The traditional downtown is nestled on the southern shore of Belleville Lake. Belleville achieved city status on 14 May 1946.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (5.00%) is water. Belleville Lake was created by damming the Huron River when the French Landing Dam and Powerhouse was built in 1925 in neighboring Van Buren Township.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Belleville High School
  High · BELLEVILLE · 1,770 students · 21.9:1 ratio
• John Glenn High School
  High · WESTLAND · 1,542 students · 21.7:1 ratio
• Wayne Memorial High School
  High · WAYNE · 1,361 students · 18.4:1 ratio
• Liberty Middle School
  Elementary · Canton · 844 students · 20.6:1 ratio
• Huron High School
  High · NEW BOSTON · 834 students · 19.9:1 ratio
• South Canton Scholars Charter Academy
  Elementary · Canton · 815 students · 23.3:1 ratio
• Brownstown Middle School
  Middle · ROMULUS · 815 students · 19.4:1 ratio
• Achieve Charter Academy
  Elementary · CANTON · 779 students · 22.9:1 ratio