Townapedia
Holy Maternity of Mary-Dowagiac
Holy Maternity of Mary-Dowagiac · rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dowagiac Depot
Dowagiac Depot · Fotoguy49057, CC0
Criffield-Whiteley House
Criffield-Whiteley House · Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0

Dowagiac, Michigan

Dowagiac is a city of 5,732 people in Cass County, Michigan, founded in 1848.

Loading the weather...
Population5,732 -0.2% since 2019
Elevation761 ft 232 m
Founded1848
Land area4.5 sq mi
ZIP code49047
Nearest airportJerry Tyler Memorial Airport (NLE) 12 mi

Why visit Dowagiac

Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 3 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.

Highlights include Dowagiac station, Criffield-Whiteley House, Lions Optimist Park and Rotary Park.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 16°F.

About Dowagiac

Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,721 at the 2020 census. It is part of the South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area.

From the Wikipedia article Dowagiac, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks5

Dowagiac station

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Railway station in Dowagiac, Michigan

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Criffield-Whiteley House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Dowagiac Museum

Museum · 0.4 mi

Open in Google Maps

Southwestern Michigan College Museum

Museum · 2.0 mi

Open in Google Maps

Parks, trails and playgrounds16

Spruce Ridge Golf Club

Golf course · 1.7 mi

26831 Dutch Settlement Street, Dowagiac

Open in Google Maps · +1-269-782-5827

Beckwith Park

Park

Open in Google Maps

Burke Park

Park

Open in Google Maps

Farr Park

Park

Open in Google Maps

James E Heddon Park

Park · 1.1 mi

Open in Google Maps

Northwest Park

Park · 0.6 mi

Open in Google Maps

Rudolphi Wildlife Refuge

Park · 1.1 mi

Open in Google Maps

Rudy Park

Park · 1.0 mi

Open in Google Maps

4 more on the map.

Restaurants and cafes3

La Casa de Maria

Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi

Open in Google Maps

Taco Bell

Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.6 mi

114 Main Street, Dowagiac

Mo-Th 07:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-01:00; Su 07:00-24:00

Open in Google Maps · +1 269-783-1406

McDonald's

Fast food · Burger · 0.5 mi

Open in Google Maps

Advertisement

Where to stay1

Baymont Dowagiac

Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi

29291 Amerihost Drive, Dowagiac

Open in Google Maps · +1 269-782-4270

History

Dowagiac was first platted in 1848. It was incorporated as a village in 1863 and as a city in 1877.

Dowagiac gained national attention in June 1964 after police began investigating multiple reports of what became known as the Dewey Lake Monster.

In 1854, Dowagiac was the final destination for the first group of orphans brought to the Midwest from New York City on the Orphan Train.

From the History section of Dowagiac, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Churches and places of worship18

Shopping3

Advertisement

Gas and EV charging5

Schools, colleges and libraries16

Healthcare1

Advertisement

Map of Dowagiac

68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 3.1 in of rainFebruary: 2.4 in of rainMarch: 2.4 in of rainApril: 3.7 in of rainMay: 4.2 in of rainJune: 4.3 in of rainJuly: 4.1 in of rainAugust: 4.1 in of rainSeptember: 3.4 in of rainOctober: 4.3 in of rainNovember: 2.9 in of rainDecember: 2.8 in of rainJanuary: 31°FFebruary: 34°FMarch: 44°FApril: 57°FMay: 69°FJune: 78°FJuly: 82°FAugust: 80°FSeptember: 74°FOctober: 61°FNovember: 47°FDecember: 36°FJanuary: 16°FFebruary: 18°FMarch: 25°FApril: 36°FMay: 47°FJune: 57°FJuly: 60°FAugust: 58°FSeptember: 51°FOctober: 40°FNovember: 31°FDecember: 22°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRain
Jan31°F16°F3.1 in
Feb34°F18°F2.4 in
Mar44°F25°F2.4 in
Apr57°F36°F3.7 in
May69°F47°F4.2 in
Jun78°F57°F4.3 in
Jul82°F60°F4.1 in
Aug80°F58°F4.1 in
Sep74°F51°F3.4 in
Oct61°F40°F4.3 in
Nov47°F31°F2.9 in
Dec36°F22°F2.8 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dowagiac 1 W (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$48,166median household income
$130,800median home value
$840median monthly rent
37.2median age
12.4%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
58.1%of homes are owner-occupied
22.6 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1822%18 to 3426%35 to 6431%65 and over21%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Cass 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, 12 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

Loading what members have shared...

Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.