Buchanan, Michigan
Buchanan is a city of 4,223 people in Berrien County, Michigan, founded in 1842.
Why visit Buchanan
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 9 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Buchanan Downtown Historic District, Buchanan North and West Neighborhoods Historic District, Brookwood Golf Course and E B Clark Woods.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 19°F, and about 62 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Buchanan
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Buchanan
Buchanan is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,300 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the southeast corner of Buchanan Township, about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Niles.
From the Wikipedia article Buchanan, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks8
Buchanan Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Buchanan, Michigan
Buchanan North and West Neighborhoods Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Residential historic district located in Buchanan, Michigan
Moccasin Bluff Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Archaeological site in Michigan, United States
Oak Ridge Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Cemetery in Buchanan, Michigan
Union Block
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Commercial building in Buchanan, Michigan
Zinc Collar Pad Company Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Industrial building in Buchanan, Michigan
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes9
McCollum's
Diner · American · 0.4 mi
206 Days Ave
Mo-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr, Sa 12:00-00:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Hilltop Cafe
Restaurant · 0.7 mi
708 East Front Street, Buchanan
History
The community was named after James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States. Popularly known as "Redbud City" because of the many redbud trees that have historically lined city streets and the major approaches to the city, Buchanan has long been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
The area, already having been populated by Native Americans in places such as the Moccasin Bluff site, was first settled in 1833 at the spot where McCoy Creek meets the St. Joseph River. The village of Buchanan was platted in 1842 and incorporated in 1858.
In 1941, as part of the Section of Fine Arts arts projects, Gertrude Goodrich painted a mural, Production, in the Buchanan post office. Later painted over, it is in the process of being restored.
On April 12, 1979, farms, houses and mobile homes just north of the city were damaged by an F2 tornado. There were no deaths but several residences sustained significant damage.
From the History section of Buchanan, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship13
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare1
Map of Buchanan
66 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 3.0 in | 22.6 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 2.3 in | 13.6 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 29°F | 2.5 in | 6.3 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 3.7 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 53°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 4.4 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 33°F | 3.0 in | 4.6 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 25°F | 2.7 in | 14.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Niles (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Berrien County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2001-01-10: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport (NLE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Niles 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Berrien Springs 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Ardmore 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Roseland 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Notre Dame 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- New Carlisle 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- South Bend 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Granger 13 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Bridgman 13 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Mishawaka 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 06, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Photo of Buchanan High School in Buchanan, MI, Spet 2018, Jasonlietz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buchanan High School Main Entrance, Buchanan, MI, September 2018, Jasonlietz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 03, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 02, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 07, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 08, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 01, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 05, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buchanan Downtown Historic District 04, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- McCoy Creek Buchanan Michigan, Tim Kiser ( User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Moccasin Bluff Site, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Fulton House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 119 Front St, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Union Block 02, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Union Block 01, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Union Block 03, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zinc Collar Pad Company Building 01, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zinc Collar Pad Company Building 02, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zinc Collar Pad Company Building 04, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zinc Collar Pad Company Building 03, JDNorry, CC BY-SA 3.0
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