Niles is a city of 11,000 people (2019) in West Michigan. Niles lies on the banks of the St. Joseph River, at the site of the French Fort St. Joseph, which was built in 1697 to protect the Jesuit Mission established in 1691. Between 1820 and 1865, Niles was an integral part of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape from as far south as New Orleans through the Heartland, and eventually into Canada.
After 1761, it was held by the British and was captured on May 25, 1763, by Native Americans during Pontiac's Rebellion. The British retook the fort but it was not re-garrisoned and served as a trading post. During the American Revolutionary War, the fort was held for a short time by a Spanish force. The occupation of the fort by the four nations of France, Britain, Spain, and the United States has earned Niles the nickname City of Four Flags.
The town of Niles was settled in 1827. The town was named after Hezekiah Niles, editor of the Niles Register, a Baltimore newspaper.
U.S. Highways 12 and 31.
Fort St. Joseph Museum, 508 E Main St (at 5th St), 41.829167°, -86.253333°, +1 269 845-4054. W-F 10AM-4PM, Sa 10AM-3PM. Features exhibits on Fort St. Joseph, a French fort built in 1691. Located in the former carriage house of the Victorian-style Chapin Mansion; the main house is now Niles city hall. Free
Henry A. Chapin House (Chapin Mansion), 508 E. Main St, 41.829167°, -86.253333°. 2020-01-22
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division