Comstock Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Comstock Charter Township is a charter township
of Kalamazoo County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 13,851 at the 2000 census
.
2 South Range 10 West was first surveyed in January 1827 by Robert M. Clark. The first settler, William Tolland, came there in 1829 but apparently never purchased any land, despite living there for several years. In 1830, land entries were recorded for William Harris for the southwest quarter of section 17 and Major G. Van Dwyer for the southwest quarter of section 13 (the eastern portion of the section is now part of Galesburg
). In 1831 land entries were recorded for Horace H. Comstock, Caleb Eldred, Thomas W. Merrill, Mumford Eldred, Stephen Eldred, Leland Lane, and others. Settling in the eastern part of the township in or near what is now Galesburg were Nathaniel Matthews, Ralph Tuttle, Sherman Cummings, George Townsend, and Nathan Cothren. H. H. Comstock, Caleb Eldred, and Cryus Lovell settled in the western part of the township near what became Comstock.
Comstock Township was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature in 1834. Previously, it was a part of Arcadia Township (later renamed Kalamazoo Township
, which initially comprised all eight of the northern tier of townships in Kalamazoo County. In June 1832, Richland Township
was set off, consisting of Richland, Ross
, Charleston
, and Comstock townships. On March 7, 1834, Comstock township was set off, comprising Comstock and Charleston townships and also Climax Township
, which had been set off from Brady Township
. Climax was set off from Comstock on December 30, 1837, and Charleston in 1838.
, the township has a total area of 34.9 square miles (90.4 km²), of which, 33 square miles (85.5 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) of it (5.67%) is water.
is part of the census-designated place
(CDP), Comstock Northwest
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 13,851 people, 5,366 households, and 3,809 families residing in the township. The population density
was 420.2 per square mile (162.3/km²). There were 5,601 housing units at an average density of 169.9 per square mile (65.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.98% White, 4.01% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races
, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.
There were 5,366 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples
living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,140, and the median income for a family was $54,866. Males had a median income of $40,845 versus $29,195 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $22,857. About 6.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
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 Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County, Michigan
-Air Service:*The Kalamazoo & Battle Creek Metro Area is served by Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.-Interstates:* I-94* I-94 Business Loop-US highways:* US-131* BUS US 131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-43* M-89* M-96...
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"....
. The population was 13,851 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Communities
- Comstock is an unincorporated community in the western part of the township on the Kalamazoo RiverKalamazoo RiverThe Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
and M-96M-96 (Michigan highway)M-96 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Kalamazoo and Marshall. Its termini are both on business loops of Interstate 94 ; the eastern one coincides with an intersection with I-69...
at 42°17′12"N 85°30′48"W. The first gristmill opened in 1832 and a post office was established in February 1832. The Comstock ZIP codeZIP CodeZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
, 49041, offers only P.O. box service. - East Comstock is a named place located just a bit east of Comstock, near the dam forming Morrow Lake on the Kalamazoo RiverKalamazoo RiverThe Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
at 42°17′10"N 85°29′23"W. - Lawndale is a named place just a bit east of East Comstock along M-96 at 42°17′11"N 85°27′44"W.
- GalesburgGalesburg, MichiganGalesburg is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,009 at the 2010 census.Galesburg is on the north side of the Kalamazoo River on the boundary between Comstock Charter Township on the west and Charleston Township on the east, but is politically independent...
is a city along the eastern boundary of the township and incorporates some land that is within the survey townshipSurvey townshipSurvey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
from which Comstock Township was formed. The Galesburg ZIP code, 49053, serves much of the eastern portion of the township. - KalamazooKalamazoo, MichiganThe area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
is adjacent to the southwest and the Kalamazoo ZIP codes of 49001 and 49048 serve portions in the western part of the township.
History
TownshipSurvey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
2 South Range 10 West was first surveyed in January 1827 by Robert M. Clark. The first settler, William Tolland, came there in 1829 but apparently never purchased any land, despite living there for several years. In 1830, land entries were recorded for William Harris for the southwest quarter of section 17 and Major G. Van Dwyer for the southwest quarter of section 13 (the eastern portion of the section is now part of Galesburg
Galesburg, Michigan
Galesburg is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,009 at the 2010 census.Galesburg is on the north side of the Kalamazoo River on the boundary between Comstock Charter Township on the west and Charleston Township on the east, but is politically independent...
). In 1831 land entries were recorded for Horace H. Comstock, Caleb Eldred, Thomas W. Merrill, Mumford Eldred, Stephen Eldred, Leland Lane, and others. Settling in the eastern part of the township in or near what is now Galesburg were Nathaniel Matthews, Ralph Tuttle, Sherman Cummings, George Townsend, and Nathan Cothren. H. H. Comstock, Caleb Eldred, and Cryus Lovell settled in the western part of the township near what became Comstock.
Comstock Township was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature in 1834. Previously, it was a part of Arcadia Township (later renamed Kalamazoo Township
Kalamazoo Township, Michigan
Kalamazoo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census....
, which initially comprised all eight of the northern tier of townships in Kalamazoo County. In June 1832, Richland Township
Richland Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
Richland Township is a civil township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,501 at the 2010 census.The village of Richland is located within the township...
was set off, consisting of Richland, Ross
Ross Township, Michigan
Ross Township is a township in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,012 at the 2010 census.-Communities:*The village of Augusta is mostly within the township on the southern boundary with Charleston Township....
, Charleston
Charleston Township, Michigan
Charleston Township is a civil township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,813 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, and Comstock townships. On March 7, 1834, Comstock township was set off, comprising Comstock and Charleston townships and also Climax Township
Climax Township, Michigan
Climax Township is a civil township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,412 at the 2000 census.The Village of Climax is located within the township along the northern boundary with Charleston Township.-Geography:...
, which had been set off from Brady Township
Brady Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
Brady Township is a civil township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 4,263.-Communities:*The village of Vicksburg is located partially within the township on the west side.-Geography:...
. Climax was set off from Comstock on December 30, 1837, and Charleston in 1838.
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 34.9 square miles (90.4 km²), of which, 33 square miles (85.5 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) of it (5.67%) is water.
Demographics
A densely populated portion of the township adjacent to the city of KalamazooKalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
is part of the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP), Comstock Northwest
Comstock Northwest, Michigan
Comstock Northwest is a census-designated place in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As a CDP, it is not a municipality. The population was 4,472 at the 2000 census....
.
As of the census
Census
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...
of 2000, there were 13,851 people, 5,366 households, and 3,809 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 420.2 per square mile (162.3/km²). There were 5,601 housing units at an average density of 169.9 per square mile (65.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.98% White, 4.01% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.70% 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 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.
There were 5,366 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% 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, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,140, and the median income for a family was $54,866. Males had a median income of $40,845 versus $29,195 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 $22,857. About 6.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
- Comstock Public Schools
- Comstock High SchoolComstock High School- Comstock High School :Comstock High School is a secondary school within the Comstock Public School District located in Comstock Charter Township near the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States....
- Gull Lake Community Schools
- Galesburg-Augusta Community SchoolsGalesburg-Augusta Community SchoolsGalesburg-Augusta Community Schools was formed in 1951. It is a public school district that serves students in the neighboring Southwest-Mighigan communities of Galesburg and Augusta. It is the district's stated vision to "be the preferred small-school district in our region." The superintendent...