Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,945. It is the county seat of Branch County, located in the center of the southern border of Michigan.Coldwater is at. The ZIP code is 49036 and the FIPS place code is 17020. The elevation is 969ft above sea level. The City of Coldwater is entirely surrounded by the Township of Coldwater.HistoryThe Coldwater area was inhabited by Potawatomi Native Americans at the time of first contact with European trappers, traders and colonists. The French and, later, the British had traded with the Potawatomi. Control over the area passed from Great Britain to the United States in 1796, with the British withdrawal from Detroit.American settlers did not move into the area until around 1830, with many arriving from New York and New England. Coldwater was incorporated as a village in 1837, and then incorporated by the legislature as a city in 1861. It was designated in 1842 as the county seat of Branch County.GeographyThe Coldwater River flows into the city from the south, originating from Coldwater Lake. The Coldwater chain of lakes also has an outlet called the Sauk River, which flows from its north end (near Quincy) and then through the south side of the city of Coldwater. Both combine to form a series of shallow, connected lakes on the city's west side.
