Watervliet, MI

Watervliet is a Berrien County city surrounded by Watervliet Charter Township but governed separately, a small municipality in a largely rural farming landscape. The Dutch name means 'flowing water,' fitting a place whose map includes Paw Paw Lake and farmland. Watervliet Public Schools operate six schools, giving the city a substantial school presence for its size. One unusual piece of its history comes from 1905, when John B. Olsen and Maud Nelson established a women's baseball team after moving to town. Nelson was a professional pitcher and team owner, so the episode belongs to the early history of women's baseball as well as to Watervliet. The city sits in northeastern Berrien County, with roads tying it to the wider southwest Michigan network. Watervliet is a city whose name, township boundary, school system, and baseball story all point to a place larger than its footprint.