Wayland Michigan
Wayland, MI
Wayland is a city of Allegan County, Michigan. The population is 4,190 people, and the city is located in Wayland Township’s northwest corner, but it is politically independent. A portion of adjacent Leighton Township’s land has also been incorporated into the city. The city’s western boundary is defined by US Route 131. Wayland Township also has a portion of Gun Lake, a popular summertime destination due to the so-called “Party Island” located in the very large lake. Al Capone owned a home with a view of the vast lakefront.
The total area of the city is 2.9 square miles, of which 2.9 square miles is land and 0.04 square miles is water.
History Of Wayland Michigan
Wayland was a tree-covered wilderness with streams and ponds two hundred years ago. The Pottawatomi’s Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band lived in settled villages, farming corn, hunting game, harvesting wild rice from the lakes, and harvesting maple sugar from the forest’s great trees.
In the early 1800s, outsiders began to arrive, and by 1826, the land had been surveyed for settlement. Col. Isaac Barnes was drawn to the area by the vast pine and hardwood forests, so he purchased a portion of land along the Rabbit River and set up a mill to produce lumber and wooden shingles, giving the town its first name, Lumberton. The Chambers family arrived in 1837 and began clearing land for farming, shave shingles, and sell them in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo markets. Several families had settled in what was now known as Chamber’s Corners by the 1840s, and by 1844, Wayland had enough children to justify the construction of a school.
Wayland, MI Demographics
- Population: 4,190
- Average Age: 32.6 years old
- Male 46.4%, Female 53.6%
- Median Home Value: $114,600
- Median Household Income: $45,675
Public Education In Wayland
The Wayland Union School District provides educational institutions for children of all ages. Public schools of Wayland include:
- Steeby Elementary
- Pine Street Elementary
- Baker Elementary School
- Wayland Union Middle School
- Dorr Elementary School
- Wayland Union High School
Government Wayland, Michigan
Wayland is governed by a combination of a City Council and a City Manager. As the legislative body, the City Council represents the entire community and is tasked by the City Charter with establishing City policy. A Mayor and six Councilmen will be elected as the City Council’s elective officers. Three Councilmen and a Mayor will be elected at the regular City election, held in even-numbered years. Every odd-numbered year, three Councilmen will be selected to serve for two, two-year terms at the regular City election.