There was a place in this area known as Plummer's Pier. In 1856 lumbermen founded Charlotteville in this area.
Bridgman itself begins with the village of that name platted by George C. Bridgman in 1870. It was centered on a railroad station opened that year.[5]
The Bridgman post office, with ZIP code 49106 opened with the name "Laketon" on November 11, 1862. The name changed to Bridgman on April 9, 1874.[6] Bridgman later expanded by annexing the area that had previously been Charlotteville. The town is famous for being the location of the 1922 Bridgman Convention, a clandestine communist planning meeting in 1922 that was broken up by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and local authorities.[7][8]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.93 square miles (7.59 km2), of which 2.90 square miles (7.51 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.[9]
As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 2,291 people, 954 households, and 608 families living in the city. The population density was 790.0 inhabitants per square mile (305.0/km2). There were 1,183 housing units at an average density of 407.9 per square mile (157.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.3% White, 1.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.
There were 954 households, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88.
The median age in the city was 44.3 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,428 people, 998 households, and 649 families living in the city. The population density was 829.4 inhabitants per square mile (320.2/km2). There were 1,140 housing units at an average density of 389.4 per square mile (150.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.33% White, 0.70% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 998 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,292, and the median income for a family was $56,466. Males had a median income of $40,862 versus $24,297 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,405. About 4.7% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Great Lakes Books Series. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN0-8143-1838-X.
