Battle Creek and Jackson -- the second and third cities of my four-city, mid-summer, southern-Michigan tour. Each seems too small to have supported the scale of its downtown even at the height of its population, much less the current population (especially Jackson). But Battle Creek seemed even more depressing, even with a population 20,000 greater than Jackson's -- although I did not have a chance to explore much of Battle Creek and its neighborhoods.

 

Battle Creek

Former Post Office, now Battle Creek Enquirer and Integrated Health Partners

 

Other nearby views of Michigan Avenue

 

 

This and the next picture are the headquarters of the Kellogg Foundation

 

For such a huge and prominent foundation, this is a fortress-like, unwelcoming, and architecturally bland building. It doesn't add much to an already pockmarked and gap-toothed downtown. I would've thought a foundation of that stature would revitalize and showcase the heart of its home city.

 

This empty tower, for example -- an obligatory mid-sized Michigan city Art Deco tower -- would seem to be a more fitting home to the Kellogg Foundation.

 

Here it is in full

 

Again

 

This one, a block or so away, is not vacant and is better kept up

 

Another view

 

This one is down the road a piece

 

Zoom

 

Here they are in context

 

Again

 

And from a downtown park where buildings used to be.

 

Other scattered downtown sights:

 

 

 

 

 

Jackson

This was a much more interesting city, though it, too, is depressed and kinda depressing.

 

Long view of downtown from the start of my walk

 

Zoomed in a bit

 

Some newer stuff, too

 

 

Plaza and church

 

Looking back where I'd just been

 

Old hotel being turned into apartments

 

Aforementioned church

 

Obligatory mid-sized Michigan city Art Deco tower. Jackson County Office building.

 

This is the other one -- Jackson City Hall

 

Not exactly a tower, but still another nice Art Deco specimen.

 

Interesting little plaza across Michigan Avenue from City Hall

 

Other cool buildings downtown. Streetscape and the Blake Building

 

The Blake, all alone

 

Nice commercial building at the east end of downtown, with a cool shoe sign across Mechanic Street

 

Base of the nice commercial building

 

And, in full

 

Just south of Michigan on Mechanic Street -- Michigan Theater

 

Another view

 

Miscellaneous remaining downtown buildings

 

 

 

 

 

These three have been the county building

 

 

 

 

Next up: Kalamazoo

Are these photos on film?

No. But perhaps I over-edited.

Great set.

 

Battle Creek--the one time I was there--seemed dead although not highly vacant. The fact that they have two almost identical Michigan-standard Art Deco towers has always caught my attention.

 

Jaskson is a treasure trove of great architecture, with so many towers scattered along their linear main drag. I prefer it over the two.

 

Yeah, clearly Jackson overall is in better shape than Battle Creek.  I always did like how that old hotel was off on the hill in Battle Creek.  It's a beautiful building.

I think Battle Creek and Jackson are virtually the same size, despite their differing official population counts. The City of Battle Creek merged with Battle Creek Township in the 1980s and, as a result, has a land area nearly four times that of Jackson's. If I recall correctly, Kellogg's pushed for the merger--I think maybe even to the point of threatening to leave if the voters did not approve it.