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.The city is located at the center of Coldwater Township, and it is politically independent. Coldwater is at. The ZIP code is 49036 and the FIPS place code is 17020. The elevation is 969ft above sea level.HistoryThe area of Coldwater was originally inhabited by the Potawatomi at the time of European encounter. French Canadians and British had trading relationships with the Native Americans for years before settlement by European Americans.Settlers did not move into the area until around 1830, with many arriving from New York and New England, the northern tier of states. 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.