Calhoun County (pop. 136,146) is west of Jackson County. It is one of 11 Calhoun counties in the U.S. – all named for John C. Calhoun, U.S. senator from South Carolina and vice president under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.
The county seat of Calhoun County is the city of Marshall (pop. 7,080).
The Honolulu House in Marshall was built in 1860 by the first U.S. consul to the Sandwich Islands.
The American Museum of Magic in Marshall has a large collection of magical paraphernalia, including many items that once belonged to magician Harry Blackstone, Sr.
The largest city in Calhoun County is Battle Creek (pop. 52,347).
Battle Creek is the world headquarters of Kellogg Company, founded in 1906 by Will Kellogg – whose brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, invented cold breakfast cereal. Post Cereals also began in Battle Creek.
Dr. Kellogg’s Battle Creek Sanitarium opened in 1876. The sanitarium’s tower building was built in 1928; it was converted into a military hospital in 1942 and into a federal office building (now the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center) in 1954.
Battle Creek has an annual Cereal Festival, featuring “The World’s Longest Breakfast Table.”
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), abolitionist and women’s rights advocate, lived in Battle Creek for many years and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery there.
Comedian Thomas Richard “Dick” Martin (1922-2008) was born in Battle Creek and graduated from Michigan State University.
The city of Albion (pop. 8,616) is the home of Albion College, a liberal arts college founded in 1835.
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