Lawton is the heart of the region’s grape industry
Lawton is the heart of the region’s prominent grape industry. Wineries and vineyards surround the community, one of two villages in Michigan’s larger Antwerp Township. The site that perhaps best highlights the area’s renowned crop is the Welch Foods plant near the heart of the village. Some here also use the land to grow grapes directly around their homes. Lawton is otherwise a close-knit community with a small dining and shopping hub and distinct landmarks like the stone home of its old train depot.
“I definitely like the school community that it has,” says Sara Gulick, the owner of The Modern Well coffee shop. “I like the community we’ve established and the people we see. I really like the safe feel and being smaller but slowly growing.”
Ranch-style homes among the vineyards
Homes across Lawton share blocks with dense groups of tall and mature trees. The houses were mostly built in two phases: before World War II and the end of the 20th century. The village has ranch-style, Colonial Revival, Craftsmen, Victorian and Gable and Wing homes. While the community doesn’t enjoy as much space as the surrounding farmland, lots here provide enough room for backyard fixtures like pools and sheds. Larger lots exist to the east, where some properties back into vineyards. Homes here mainly run between $200,000 and $300,000. Prospective buyers will also find open land ranging from $8,000 for a quarter-acre to nearly $100,000 for several acres.
Breakfast staples and craft brews along Main
Several breakfast staples — including one literally called the Breakfast Place — line Main Street. The Modern Well serves pastries with its coffee and counts local teachers among its frequent clients. The Porch Rocker Cafe has more hearty options like cheese omelets, hashbrowns and waffles. Other eateries are in the strip of vintage, multi-colored buildings along Main. They include the Big T Restaurant & Brewpub, where patrons pair wheats and ales with fried catfish and clams. Craft beer and cider fans may also cross the road to go to the Longship Brewing Company. Those on the hunt for local meat and produce may stop by the Lawton Michigan Farmer’s Market, which runs from July to August in the Lawton Elementary School parking lot. Wagoner’s Your Hometown Food offers a community grocer.
Respite in Cannon Park and golf for all levels
Cannon Park offers a small, tree-shaded space along Main Street and features a Civil War monument next to a cannon. The park neighbors the historic Red Brick Hall, which has been repurposed into a wedding venue. Nearby Kid’s Dream is another park with a wood, castle-style playground and a nature-themed splash pad. The Pin High Golf Course offers a nine-hole playing ground and draws players of all levels. Lawton is also about 5 miles from the Paw Paw Prairie Fen Preserve, one of two protected parks in the Antwerp area. Visitors to the 106-acre preserve may see various wildlife, including box turtles and massasauga rattlesnakes.
Enjoying Lawton Elementary’s Kindergarten Circus tradition
Students here may start at Lawton Elementary School, which gets a B-minus from Niche. They may then attend Lawton middle and high schools. Lawton Middle gets a C-plus from Niche, while Lawton High receives a B grade. “The school system is really great, and they’re very family oriented, which is nice. They do a lot in the community,” Gulick says. “There are also a lot of different sports, and sporting events are huge.” One of Lawton Elementary’s traditions is its annual Kindergarten Circus, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2023. The event typically occurs in the spring at Lawton High, where kindergarteners perform various routines on a stage decorated with circus-themed art.
Post-July 4 celebration with Lawton Summerfest
Signature events include the Lawton Summerfest, which typically occurs in the week after July 4. “That’s kind of like of our big to-do in Lawton,” Gulick says. The festival features activities like a 5k race, a cornhole tournament and a Main Street. Children also enjoy getting their faces and getting on the carnival rides.
Commuters traveling on M-40 and I-94 to Kalamazoo
The M-40 passes through Lawton and crosses Interstate 94 to the north. The roads take commuters to Kalamazoo, about 20 miles east. Kalamazoo is home to the Kalamazoo Battle Creek International Airport, the region’s hub for commercial flights. Located 5 miles north in Paw Paw, the Bronson LakeView Hospital provides medical coverage for the entire Antwerp area. Prospective buyers should also bring snow removal equipment with them as the area gets the lake-effect snowfalls.
