COLDWATER  , a

city and county-seat of Branch county, Michigan, U.S.A., on Coldwater Stream (which connects two of the group of small lakes in the vicinity), about 8o m . S.S.E. of Grand Rapids . Pop . (189o) 5247; (1900) 6216, of whom 431 were foreign-born; (1904) 6225; (1910) 5945 . It is served by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railway . It is the seat of a state public school and temporary home (opened in 1874) for dependent, neglected or ill-treated children, who are received at any age under twelve . The city is situated in a fine farming region, has an important flouring and grist mill industry, and also manufactures Portland cement, liniment, lumber, furniture, sashes, doors and blinds, brass castings, sleighs, shoes, &c . The municipality owns and operates the water-works and electric lighting plant . Coldwater was settled in 1829, was laid out as a town under the name of Lyons in 1832, received its present name in the following year, was incorporated as a village in 1837, was reached by railway and became the county-seat in 1851, and was chartered as a city in 186r .