Benton Charter Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Benton Charter Township is a charter township
of Berrien County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. At the 2000 census, the township population was 16,404.
, U.S. Senator from Missouri
. It remained attached to St. Joseph Township
for administrative purposes until 1841.
The commune of the House of David was located in the township.
In 1967, the Benton Harbor Fruit Market, established in 1860 in Benton Harbor, moved to the township.
, the township has a total area of 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²), of which, 32.6 square miles (84.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.
The township is in the northwest portion of the county, with Lake Michigan
to the west in the north of the township and Benton Harbor
to the east in the south of the township. St. Joseph
and St. Joseph Charter Township
lie to the southwest. Hagar Township
is to the north, Coloma Charter Township
to the northeast, Bainbridge Township
is to the east, Pipestone Township
is to the southeast, and Sodus Township
to the south.
Interstate 94
traverses the township diagonally from northeast to southwest. The southern terminus of Interstate 196
is at the junction with I-94. U.S. Highway 31 follows parts of I-196, I-94, Napier Avenue, and all of the completed portion of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway
within the township. M-139
lies in the southwest of the township and runs from I-94 to a junction with Business Route I-94 just east of Benton Harbor (the southbound direction begins on the Benton Harbor/Benton Township border).
, there were 16,404 people, 6,485 households and 4,221 families residing in the township. The population density
was 503.6 per square mile (194.5/km²). There were 7,082 housing units at an average density of 217.4 per square mile (84.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 44.11% White, 51.86% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.48% from other races
, and 1.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.14% of the population.
There were 6,485 households of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.9% were married couples
living together, 24.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.
Age distribution was 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median household income
was $25,942, and the median family income was $30,899. Males had a median income of $31,563 versus $20,484 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $14,137. About 22.5% of families and 27.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.3% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
located in Benton Harbor, Michigan
.
is located in the township, just northwest of Millburg.
Sarett Nature Center, a 300 acres (1.2 km²) wildlife sanctuary which offers trails, an interpretative building, and classes, and named for Lew R. Sarett, father of Lewis Hastings Sarett
, is located in the northern portion of the township.
Charter township
A charter township is a form of local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. Townships in Michigan are organized governments. A charter township is a township that has been granted a charter, which allows it certain rights and responsibilities of home rule that are generally intermediary in...
of Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. At the 2000 census, the township population was 16,404.
Communities
- Millburg is an unincorporated community in the township at 42°07′22"N 86°20′30"W near the boundary with Bainbridge townshipBainbridge Township, MichiganBainbridge Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,132. It was organized in 1837....
in Berrien CountyBerrien County, MichiganBerrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
. It is situated several miles east of Benton HarborBenton Harbor, MichiganBenton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan which is located west of Kalamazoo. The population was 10,038 at the 2010 census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
and just east of the intersection of Interstate 94Interstate 94Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
and Interstate 196Interstate 196Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
/U.S. Highway 31. It was the site of the first settlement within the township. Jehiel Enos settled there in 1834.
History
The township was established on March 11, 1837, and was named after Thomas Hart BentonThomas Hart Benton (senator)
Thomas Hart Benton , nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms...
, U.S. Senator from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. It remained attached to St. Joseph Township
St. Joseph Charter Township, Michigan
St. Joseph Charter Township is a charter township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,042 at the 2000 census. The township is on the shores of Lake Michigan in the west central portion of the county, south of and adjacent to the City of St. Joseph. The Village of...
for administrative purposes until 1841.
The commune of the House of David was located in the township.
In 1967, the Benton Harbor Fruit Market, established in 1860 in Benton Harbor, moved to the township.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²), of which, 32.6 square miles (84.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.
The township is in the northwest portion of the county, with Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
to the west in the north of the township and Benton Harbor
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan which is located west of Kalamazoo. The population was 10,038 at the 2010 census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
to the east in the south of the township. St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Michigan
St. Joseph is a city in the US state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,789. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county...
and St. Joseph Charter Township
St. Joseph Charter Township, Michigan
St. Joseph Charter Township is a charter township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,042 at the 2000 census. The township is on the shores of Lake Michigan in the west central portion of the county, south of and adjacent to the City of St. Joseph. The Village of...
lie to the southwest. Hagar Township
Hagar Township, Michigan
Hagar Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,964.The township is in the north of the county with Lake Michigan to the west, Van Buren County to the north, Coloma Charter Township to the east, Bainbridge...
is to the north, Coloma Charter Township
Coloma Charter Township, Michigan
Coloma Charter Township is a charter township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,217 at the 2000 census. The city of Coloma lies within the township.The township is located in the north central portion of the county...
to the northeast, Bainbridge Township
Bainbridge Township, Michigan
Bainbridge Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,132. It was organized in 1837....
is to the east, Pipestone Township
Pipestone Township, Michigan
Pipestone Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,474 at the 2000 census. The township was organized on February 16, 1842.-History:...
is to the southeast, and Sodus Township
Sodus Township, Michigan
Sodus Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,139 at the 2000 census. There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. The unincorporated community of Sodus in the northwest of the township is its main settlement; the portion of...
to the south.
Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
traverses the township diagonally from northeast to southwest. The southern terminus of Interstate 196
Interstate 196
Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
is at the junction with I-94. U.S. Highway 31 follows parts of I-196, I-94, Napier Avenue, and all of the completed portion of the St. Joseph Valley Parkway
St. Joseph Valley Parkway
The St. Joseph Valley Parkway is a freeway in the U.S. states of Indiana and Michigan, serving as a bypass route around Elkhart, Mishawaka, and South Bend in Indiana and Niles in Michigan. The freeway runs to the south and west of Elkhart and South Bend and Niles and consists of segments of U.S...
within the township. M-139
M-139 (Michigan highway)
M-139 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan, entirely within Berrien County. It was formed originally as a bypass of the Benton Harbor and St...
lies in the southwest of the township and runs from I-94 to a junction with Business Route I-94 just east of Benton Harbor (the southbound direction begins on the Benton Harbor/Benton Township border).
Demographics
At the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 16,404 people, 6,485 households and 4,221 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 503.6 per square mile (194.5/km²). There were 7,082 housing units at an average density of 217.4 per square mile (84.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 44.11% White, 51.86% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.48% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.14% of the population.
There were 6,485 households of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 24.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.
Age distribution was 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $25,942, and the median family income was $30,899. Males had a median income of $31,563 versus $20,484 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $14,137. About 22.5% of families and 27.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.3% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Whirlpool Corporation has its headquarters in the township. Whirlpool employs a total of 2,058 employees in the metropolitan area.Education
Benton Charter Township is served by the Benton Harbor Public LibraryBenton Harbor Public Library
The Benton Harbor Public Library is a public library located in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The BHPL service area consists of the City of Benton Harbor and Benton Charter Township, Michigan....
located in Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan which is located west of Kalamazoo. The population was 10,038 at the 2010 census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
.
Sports and Recreation
Point O'Woods Golf & Country ClubPoint O'Woods Golf & Country Club
The Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club is a private golf club located in Benton Township, Berrien County, Michigan, United States, near Benton Harbor.-History:...
is located in the township, just northwest of Millburg.
Sarett Nature Center, a 300 acres (1.2 km²) wildlife sanctuary which offers trails, an interpretative building, and classes, and named for Lew R. Sarett, father of Lewis Hastings Sarett
Lewis Hastings Sarett
Lewis Hastings Sarett was an American organic chemist. He was born in Champaign, Illinois. Live in Laona, Wisconsin for a time. Attended high school in Highland Park, Illinois . He received a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University in 1939 and his doctorate from Princeton University...
, is located in the northern portion of the township.