Charlotte is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,074. It is the county seat of Eaton County.Charlotte is in the central portion of the county, on the boundary between Eaton Township and Carmel Township, though politically independent of both. Interstate 69 serves the city, and connects it to the state capital of Lansing. It is located 21.5 miles (34.6 kilometers) from downtown Lansing.HistoryIn 1832 George Barnes purchased the land that would become Charlotte from the U.S. Government. Barnes in turn sold the land to Edmond B. Bostwick, a land speculator from New York City three years later in 1835. Bostwick then sold portions of the land to H.I. Lawrence, Townsend Harris, and Francis Cochran. These four created the village which they named after Edmond Bostwick's wife Charlotte. Jonathan Searles became the first postmaster on March 17, 1838.Charlotte was incorporated as a village on October 10, 1863, and as a city on March 29, 1871. At various times Charlotte had the unofficial names of Eaton Centre, and Carmel. It was designated as the county seat when Eaton County was organized in 1837; however, due to a lack of population and buildings, county functions were conducted at Bellevue until 1840.The Dolson automobile was manufactured in Charlotte from 1904 to 1907.
