Springfield blends rural living with industry and aviation zones
Rural land, residential blocks and aviation meet in Springfield, a city of just over 5,000 people. While it may be a city, Springfield feels more like a small town with spread-out land and locally owned eateries. Residents are close to amenities, but removed from the bustle of downtown Battle Creek or Kalamazoo. Just south of the city, Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field is used by private aircraft, Western Michigan University College of Aviation and the Battle Creek Air National Guard. Springfield is an industrial area, yet it hosts the annual Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival every Fourth of July weekend.
Homes range from tract houses to newer construction on acreage
“There is a lot of acreage,” says Kaciana Champlin, a Realtor with RE/Max Perrett Associates who was born and raised in Battle Creek. “Homes come in a pretty wide range, including tract houses.” Most houses were built between the 1920s and the 1970s, with some new construction from the 2000s and the 2010s. The average square footage per home is on par with the national average of just under 2,000 square feet, and the average lot size is about half an acre. Prices start at $40,000 and go up to $350,000. Manufactured homes sell for around $57,000 to $199,000. Houses tend to stay on the market for an average of 111 days, longer than the national average of 70 days.
Local high school offers a scholarship program for graduates
Springfield feeds into Battle Creek Public Schools. Where students attend schools is decided by home address, so homebuyers should confirm zoning before purchasing. Most students can attend Valley View Elementary for kindergarten through Grade 5. It earns a C grade from Niche, while Springfield Middle is a C-minus-rated school. Battle Creek Central High has a C-plus rating and a scholarship program. Seniors who have attended at least all four years of high school at BCPS can use the Bearcat Advantage scholarship to cover all or a portion of tuition at qualifying colleges and universities.
Four city parks and nearby gardens provide outdoor variety
The City of Springfield has four parks. The largest is Begg Park, which is best known for its 18-hole disc golf course, and Rothchild Park has a fenced area for dogs. The Linear Park Path connects to Battle Creek’s pathway system and is bike- and skater-friendly. Nearby, Leila Arboretum is a 72-acre public garden named after cereal mogul C.W. Post’s widow, Leila Post Montgomery. Its attractions include Fantasy Forest, which is decorated with wooden sculptures carved into wizards, dragons and other mythical creatures. Michigan Metal Fest and New Wave Festival: Music, Art & Mystics are two annual events held at the Arboretum.
Local bars and eateries offer German fare and live events
Territorial Brewing Company serves up German-inspired brews and food, including giant pretzels and rotating flavors of sausages. “They also sometimes hold events like axe throwing,” Champlin says. The Base Bar & Grill, formerly JB’s Whiskey, is another casual eatery with live music and comedy shows. According to Champlin, a local Mexican restaurant is a community favorite. “There is a place everyone loves called El Taco,” she says. “It’s next to a gas station, and a lot of workers in the area get lunch there.” Dollar General is in town, and grocery stores like Penny Pinchers and Aldi are only a few miles away. For indoor entertainment, Springfield has a movie theater.
Springfield is car-dependent with access to I-94 and nearby transit
The city is primarily car-dependent, with Interstate 94 being the main road for traveling around Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. The interstate runs 125 miles east to Detroit and 170 miles west to Chicago. The drive to Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport is about 20 miles or about 25 minutes in normal traffic. Nearby Battle Creek Transit operates public buses, and there's an Amtrak train and a Greyhound bus station.
