Town file
Hastings, Michigan
Hastings, Michigan (Barry County, Michigan) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 233, "A Messy Web Of Death" (22 July 2021).
- Town
- Hastings
- County
- Barry County
- State
- Michigan
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 233
- Approximate location
- 42.650, -85.288
Episode 233 / 22 July 2021 / 164 min / full
A Messy Web Of Death
"We're going to Hastings, Michigan; the murder happened in Hope Township, which is pretty much part of Hastings, and this is Barry County." about 0:05:22
The case: Murder of Ricky Goddard (January 25, 1986); Murder of Frederick Kimberley (June 1984; body found July 20, 1984). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2021
- Population
- 7,289
- Median age
- 33 and a half
- Median household income
- $48,114
- Median home value
- $122,100
- Two-bedroom rent
- $910 a month
- Cost of living
- 83.5
- Religious
- 23%
- Property crime
- ▼ about one third less than the national average
- Violent crime
- ▼ about 25% under the national average
History, in brief
- In 1836 three entrepreneurs bought 480 acres from a Detroit banker and called the settlement Hastings after him. about 0:06:54
- A sash, door, blind and hardwood lumber company operated in Hastings from about 1865. about 0:07:15
- Bentley Brothers and Wilkins arrived in 1878, making sash doors, blinds, hardwood lumber and agricultural tools. about 0:07:24
- Slocum H. Bunker built the first house devoted to entertainment, a boarding house for mill hands that also served drink. about 0:09:29
- Levi Chase ran the first Hastings Tavern, a log building near the riverbank; he gave it up in 1842, retired and died there of spotted fever. about 0:09:56
The reviews read out
5 stars
"A small town where everyone knows everyone, with a few bars, a casino not far away, no clubs, live bands at the amphitheatre, festivals, farmers markets and several stores; the schools are not the greatest but are being remodelled."about 0:10:34
5 stars
"A beautiful if small Michigan town; the libraries are full of current and useful information, dog parks and playgrounds are plentiful and the people are so nice you cannot go anywhere without seeing someone you know."about 0:12:01
2 stars
"The reviewer grew up there and wishes they had not: little to do but drive around, asbestos in the elementary school, buildings falling apart, no internet access in a rural area, and Confederate flags all over town."about 0:12:54
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Nashville, Michigan10 miles
- Kalamazoo Township, Michigan30 miles
- Nunica, Michigan50 miles
- Coldwater, Michigan51 miles
- Jackson, Michigan53 miles
- Morrice, Michigan57 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.