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C+History
History · Belleville

Belleville dates to 1847, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 39% of U.S. towns · #475 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it

Below: maps from 1906 on and the census since 1880.

1847founded
0on the National Register
15%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answers

How Belleville began

When was Belleville founded?

1847

Belleville dates its founding to 1847 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 314 in 18802020 census: 4,008179 years

How historic is Belleville?

C+

More historic than 39% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Belleville’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Belleville is more historic than 39% of U.S. towns, #475 of 701 in Michigan. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Belleville’s overall grade.
Founding eraNo founding year we can rely on, so the grade uses the other two–Homes built before 194014.9% of homes (±5.4) · typical MI town 11.9% · U.S. 8.4%BNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical MI town 0.0 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 39%
NewerOlder
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 32%

Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Belleville’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (32% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1847.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.4 points).

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Belleville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Belleville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19068 editions of the USGS map, 1906 to 1980. Watch Belleville change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1847: 179 years of Belleville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Belleville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Belleville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Belleville on the map, 1906 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Belleville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Belleville on the 1906 USGS mapBelleville on the 1928 USGS mapBelleville on the 1936 USGS mapBelleville on the 1942 USGS mapBelleville on the 1952 USGS mapBelleville on the 1967 USGS mapBelleville on the 1973 USGS mapBelleville on the 1980 USGS map1906Romulus sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Belleville.

Timeline

Belleville, 1844 to 1982

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1844Born hereHenry Lewis is born here
  3. 1847
    FoundingBelleville is established
  4. 20th century
  5. 1906On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1981Born hereKevin Harrison is born here
  7. 1982Born hereKristy Pagan is born here
The story

How Belleville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Belleville.

Read it all →

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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Belleville, decade by decade

Today30 recent
Belleville, MI Skyline2012Belleville, MI SkylineUS Navy 110723-N-SQ656-038 Rear Adm. John2011US Navy 110723-N-SQ656-038 Rear Adm. JohnUS Navy 110722-N-SQ656-962 The U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, practice for the Thunder Over …2011US Navy 110722-N-SQ656-962 The U.S. Navy flight demon…US Navy 110720-N-VO219-002 Lt. Dave Tickle, the ^7 pilot and narrator for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, …2011US Navy 110720-N-VO219-002 Lt. Dave Tickle, the ^7 pi…Snow goose among Canada geese, Belleville Lake2011Snow goose among Canada geese, Belleville LakeSaint Paul's Evagelical Lutheran Church, 47445 West Huron River Drive2011Saint Paul's Evagelical Lutheran Church, 47445 West H…Saint Anthony's Catholic Church, 409 West Columbia Avenue2011Saint Anthony's Catholic Church, 409 West Columbia Av…Old Rawsonville Village historical marker2011Old Rawsonville Village historical markerNRCSMI73001 - Michigan (4723)(NRCS Photo Gallery)2011NRCSMI73001 - Michigan (4723)(NRCS Photo Gallery)Dukes Veterinary Mobile Service2011Dukes Veterinary Mobile ServiceCool Cone, 644 East Huron River Drive2011Cool Cone, 644 East Huron River DriveCocoa Beach Tanning Salon, 573 East Huron River Drive2011Cocoa Beach Tanning Salon, 573 East Huron River DriveChurch of God Mountain Assembly, 494 West Columbia Avenue2011Church of God Mountain Assembly, 494 West Columbia Av…Belleville, Michigan skyline (35mm)2011Belleville, Michigan skyline (35mm)Belleville Freewill Baptist Church, 750 East Huron River Drive2011Belleville Freewill Baptist Church, 750 East Huron Ri…Lower huron metropark turtle cove aquatic center2010Lower huron metropark turtle cove aquatic centerLower huron metropark huron river bridge2010Lower huron metropark huron river bridgeHistorical Marker, Old Van Buren Township Hall, 405 Main Street2010Historical Marker, Old Van Buren Township Hall, 405 M…Bellville Michigan Old Van Buren Township Hall2010Bellville Michigan Old Van Buren Township HallBelleville Michigan Victory Park2010Belleville Michigan Victory ParkBelleville Michigan Victory Park & Sieur De La Salle Statue2010Belleville Michigan Victory Park & Sieur De La Salle …Belleville Michigan Old Van Buren Township Hall Historical Marker2010Belleville Michigan Old Van Buren Township Hall Histo…Belleville Michigan Main Street2010Belleville Michigan Main StreetBelleville Michigan Fishing on Lake Edison2010Belleville Michigan Fishing on Lake EdisonBelleville Michigan Edison Lake viewed from Doane's Landing2010Belleville Michigan Edison Lake viewed from Doane's L…Belleville Michigan 4th Street Square2010Belleville Michigan 4th Street SquareBelleville Masonic Temple2010Belleville Masonic TempleBelleville Lake from Belleville Road bridge2010Belleville Lake from Belleville Road bridgeBayou Grill ^ Main Street Square, 404 Main Street2010Bayou Grill ^ Main Street Square, 404 Main StreetAmerican Tower wireless tower2010American Tower wireless tower
People over time

Belleville, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000188019001920194019601980200020204,008

Grew from 314 people in 1880 to 4,008 in 2020, more than tenfold.

14 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Belleville’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Belleville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
K
Kevin HarrisonAmerican football player · b. 1981
K
Kristy PaganAmerican politician · b. 1982
H
Henry LewisAmerican Civil War Medal of Honor recipient · b. 1844
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Gone or out of use
Belleville Stationlocale

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Belleville’s history

What year was Belleville founded?

In 1847, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 314 people here.

How does Belleville rank for history?

Belleville is more historic than 39% of U.S. towns, #475 of 701 in Michigan. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Belleville?

15% of Belleville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.4 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1975.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (30), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.