The Potawatomi and related Native Americans historically had villages along the St. Joseph River and other waterways. Several of their leaders signed the Treaty of Chicago, agreeing to cede much of their land in southwestern Michigan, Indiana and Ohio country. The village was platted in 1831 at the Fawn River's confluence with the St. Joseph River, where three European-American families had settled. A gristmill, the first in the county to run by water, had been built here in 1830. It was first named Meeks Mill after Johnathon Meeks, who built the first grain mill. A Yankee from New York or New England, he moved to several other frontier areas, each time having a town named after him. When using names of classical figures later came into vogue, the village was renamed for the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. The Main Street of town is a historic center with richly detailed, two-story commercial buildings of the late 19th century. It is designated US 131 through the village and connected to newer roads outside.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,076 people, 728 households, and 522 families living in the village. The population density was. There were 829 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 91.5% White, 1.8% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.4% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population. There were 728 households, of which 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couplesliving together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.3% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.27. The median age in the village was 31.2 years. 31.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 22% were from 45 to 64; and 8.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,095 people, 763 households, and 557 families living in the village. The population density was 1,291.9 per square mile. There were 836 housing units at an average density of 515.5 per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 95.42% White, 0.62% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population. There were 763 households, out of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.12. In the village, the population was spread out, with 32.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males. The median income for a household in the village was $40,428, and the median income for a family was $44,236. Males had a median income of $35,469 versus $23,152 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,542. About 14.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
