Battle Creek, also called "Cereal City," is in the southwest portion of Michigan in the Great Lakes region of the United States.http://www.welcometobattlecreek.com/welcome-relocate It is the largest city in Calhoun County.http://www.battlecreekvisitors.org/visitors_history_BattleCreek.cfm Battle Creek is the third-largest city in Michigan with a population of 53,000.http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/Living/Location.htm It lies where the Battle Creek River meets the Kalamazoo River.http://www.hellobattlecreek.com/History.cfm The town began as a center for grain, flour and saw mills and expanded into other industries such as agricultural machinery, violin strings, chewing gum, air conditioning units, automotive supplies and printing presses.http://www.battlecreekvisitors.org/visitors_history_BattleCreek.cfm

Battle Creek has been nicknamed the "birthplace of the cereal industry" because it has been home to numerous cereal companies including the Kellogg and Post cereal companies.http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/site3.aspx In 1906 W.K. In 1906 Kellogg established the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, which later became the Kellogg Company.http://www.kelloggcompany.com/company.aspx?id=189 C.W. Post also set up his cereal company in Battle Creek in 1895.http://www.postcereals.com/post_heritage/#/period/1/ At first the company made Postum (a cereal beverage) and then introduced Grape-Nuts in 1897 and later Post Toasties in 1904.http://www.postfoods.ca/post_heritage/

The area now called Battle Creek was first discovered by Sands McCamly in 1831 and settled by Quakers from Upper New York State.http://www.hellobattlecreek.com/History.cfm It was founded in 1831, at the meeting of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo rivers.http://www.hellobattlecreek.com/History.cfm Originally called Milton, it was incorporated as a town in 1850 and renamed Battle Creek after a skirmish between a land developer and two Native Americans.http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/Living/History.htm It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and grew into a city of over 22,000 people by the end of the century due to businesses such as the Nichols & Shepard machinery company, the Duplex Printing Press Company, Union Steam Pump and American Marsh Pump Company.http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/Living/History.htm During the Civil War, non-conformist Erastus Husse operated a stop on the Underground Railroad in Battle Creek.http://www.motopera.org/mg_ed/educational/UndergroundRR.html It also became home to ex-slave and women's rights speaker Sojourner Truth in 1857.http://www.sojournertruth.org/History/Biography/BC.htm

In 1855 a small group of Seventh-Day Adventists moved to Battle Creek, establishing the city as the birthplace of that religion and its philosophies.http://news.adventist.org/2009/02/birthplace-of-sevent.html In 1866 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a member of the SDA church, founded the Battle Creek Sanitarium based on the principles of fresh air and water treatments, revolutionary exercise and vegetarian diet programs.http://www.battlecreekvisitors.org/visitors_history_BattleCreek.cfm In the early 20th century, Battle Creek was home to over 80 cereal companies including Kellogg's, Post and Ralston.http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/Living/History.htm During World War II, the town became home to soldiers who trained at Fort Custer and to wounded GIs who were treated at Percy Jones Army Hospital.http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/Living/History.htm

Battle Creek is situated at latitude 42°22'N and longitude 85°16'W.http://www.weatherreports.com/MI/49017?units=c The town covers 42 square miles.http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/26/2605920.html It lies at an average altitude of 840 feet above sea level, with an average annual high temperature of 58F and an average low 38F.http://www.weatherreports.com/49017,_MI?units=f Battle Creek is in Calhoun County at the intersection of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo rivers.http://www.battlecreekvisitors.org/visitors_history.cfm

Binder Park Zoo: Features over 140 species of animals.http://www.binderparkzoo.org/

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg Discovery Center: An interactive Adventist village.http://www.adventistheritage.org/

Fort Custer Recreation Area: 28 miles of hiking, biking and horse riding trails, also features camping, fishing and skiing.http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=448&type=SPRK

Underground Railroad Sculpture: Honors those who ran the Underground Railroad as well as those who escaped slavery.http://www.wkkf.org/

Erastus Hussey: Underground Railroad stationmaster, abolitionisthttp://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Erastus_Hussey

John Harvey Kellogg: Doctor and corn flakes inventorhttp://www.nndb.com/people/018/000133616/

Will Keith Kellogg: Founder of the Kellogg Companyhttp://www.nndb.com/people/760/000165265/

Dick Martin: Comedianhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0552189/

Charles William Post: Cereal manufacturerhttp://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/C.+W.+Post

Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist and women's rights activisthttp://www.sojournertruth.org/

Ellen G. White: Co-founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Churchhttp://www.adventist.org//world-church/facts-and-figures/history/index.html

James Springer White: Co-founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Churchhttp://www.adventist.org//world-church/facts-and-figures/history/index.html

Karl Williams: Professional football playerhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillKa00.htm