Crockery Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Crockery Township is a civil township
of Ottawa County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,782.
lies to the west, Muskegon County
is to the north, and Polkton Township
to the east. The Grand River
forms the southern boundary, with Allendale Charter Township
to the southeast, Robinson Township
to the south, and Grand Haven Charter Township
to the southwest. The Grand Haven
urban area is about 10 miles (16.1 km) west of the center of the township and Coopersville
is about 10 miles (16.1 km) to the east.
The township is drained entirely by tributaries of the Grand River
, including the Crockery Creek in the eastern portion.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the township has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (1.98%) is water.
of 2000, there were 3,782 people, 1,393 households, and 1,062 families residing in the township. The population density
was 115.6 per square mile (44.6/km²). There were 1,475 housing units at an average density of 45.1 per square mile (17.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.59% White, 0.63% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races
, and 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 1,393 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $42,399, and the median income for a family was $50,219. Males had a median income of $39,031 versus $27,552 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $19,089. About 5.6% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Native Americans for centuries. It is from this tribe that the county takes its name.
The first European explorers in the Ottawa County region were the French-Canadian explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette
who passed through the region in the mid 17th century.
European settlement in the area proceeded slowly until the mid 19th century, when zinc
was discovered in Crockery Creek in 1858. (Barnes, 1997) In 1872, the town of Nunica was officially incorporated, the name taken from the Ottawa word for zinc. The 1880 census showed approximately 1,000 settlers in the region. (Barnes, 1997)
Nunica experienced rapid growth in population in the early 20th century as settlers came to the region to mine zinc and farm. The settlement process was aided by the Grand Haven-Detroit branch of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
on which Nunica was an important stop. The 1920 census shows Nunica at the peak of its population, with 8,000 citizens.
By 1924 the zinc ore in the region had been completely exhausted. Coupled with a particularly severe influenza
outbreak in 1927 that claimed the lives of nearly 800 people from the town, the population of Nunica declined precipitously. The 1930 census shows the population of Nunica as 5,000.
In 1935 nearly one-third of Nunica was destroyed by fire, in what became known locally as the great Nunica fire. It is speculated that the fire began when the Nunica train station was struck by lightning. (Barnes, 1997:35) In either case, the train station that had served as the main source of livelihood for the town was completely destroyed, along with such forgotten landmarks as the Nunica Conservatory for Music and other Fine Arts and the Nunica casino. None of these landmarks were ever rebuilt. In addition, nearly 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of farmland were completely destroyed.(Barnes, 1997)
Since the train station was never rebuilt, Nunica never recovered from the devastating fire and the population went into freefall. By 1950 there were only 1,000 citizens in the greater Nunica area. In 1957 the town was unincorporated. The current population of Nunica is estimated at 400. (Barnes, 1997)
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Ottawa County
Ottawa County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density was 421 people per square mile . There were 86,856 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
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"....
. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,782.
Communities
There are no incorporated municipalities within the township.- Nunica is an unincorporated community located near the center of the township, close to the junction of I-96Interstate 96Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
and M-104M-104 (Michigan highway)M-104 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the Western Michigan region of the state. It runs from Ferrysburg to Nunica in Ottawa County, passing through Spring Lake...
at 43°04′47"N 86°04′02"W the first white settlers were Manley Patchin in 1836 and William Hathaway, Jr. in 1839. Hathaway became the first postmaster of "Crockery Creek" on February 7, 1848. The name of the post office was changed to "Nunica" on January 8, 1859. The settlement was first platPlatA plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted by Henry Ernst in 1865. The name Nunic is derived from the Native American word menonica, meaning "clay earth", from which pottery was made. This clay was also the origin for the name of Crockery Creek. The Nunica ZIP code 49448 serves most of Crockery Township, as well as portions of Sullivan Township in Muskegon CountyMuskegon County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile...
to the north and small areas of Polkton Township to the east. - Ottawa Center was a historical settlement along the Grand River in the southeast corner of Crockery Township at 43°01′46"N 86°01′52"W. Benjamin Smith became the first postmaster on July 11, 1853. A platPlatA plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
was recorded and entered in 1855. The name reflects its central location (east-west) and was considered as candidate for the county seatCounty seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
by county supervisors in 1856. - Spoonville was a historical settlement where Crockery Creek flows into the Grand River. It was given a station on Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore RailroadChicago and Michigan Lake Shore RailroadThe Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in Michigan between 1869 and 1878, and as the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad until 1881....
in 1870. A swing bridge over the Grand River operated from 1871 until 1881 when it was abandoned in favor of another line. - The city CoopersvilleCoopersville, MichiganCoopersville is a city located in north central Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,275 at the 2010 census. It is primarily a farming community....
is to the east, and the Coopersville ZIP code 49404 serves areas in the eastern part of Crockery Township. - The village of FruitportFruitport, MichiganFruitport is a village in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 1,124. The community is located within Fruitport Charter Township....
is to the north, and the Fruitport ZIP code 49415 serves areas in the northwest part of Crockery Township. - The village of Spring LakeSpring Lake, MichiganSpring Lake is a village in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,514 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Spring Lake Township....
is to the west, and the Spring Lake ZIP code 49456 serves areas in the southwest part of Crockery Township.
Geography
Spring Lake TownshipSpring Lake Township, Michigan
Spring Lake Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,140 at the 2000 census. The village of Spring Lake is located within the township....
lies to the west, Muskegon County
Muskegon County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 170,200 people, 63,330 households, and 44,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 68,556 housing units at an average density of 135 per square mile...
is to the north, and Polkton Township
Polkton Township, Michigan
Polkton Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,335 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
to the east. The Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
forms the southern boundary, with Allendale Charter Township
Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
to the southeast, Robinson Township
Robinson Township, Michigan
Robinson Township is a civil township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,588 at the 2000 census.- Communities :There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
to the south, and Grand Haven Charter Township
Grand Haven Charter Township, Michigan
Grand Haven Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,278 at the 2000 census...
to the southwest. The Grand Haven
Grand Haven, Michigan
Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...
urban area is about 10 miles (16.1 km) west of the center of the township and Coopersville
Coopersville, Michigan
Coopersville is a city located in north central Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,275 at the 2010 census. It is primarily a farming community....
is about 10 miles (16.1 km) to the east.
The township is drained entirely by tributaries of the Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
, including the Crockery Creek in the eastern portion.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (1.98%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 3,782 people, 1,393 households, and 1,062 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 115.6 per square mile (44.6/km²). There were 1,475 housing units at an average density of 45.1 per square mile (17.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.59% White, 0.63% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% 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 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 1,393 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $42,399, and the median income for a family was $50,219. Males had a median income of $39,031 versus $27,552 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 $19,089. About 5.6% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
The Western Michigan region has been inhabited by the OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
Native Americans for centuries. It is from this tribe that the county takes its name.
The first European explorers in the Ottawa County region were the French-Canadian explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
who passed through the region in the mid 17th century.
European settlement in the area proceeded slowly until the mid 19th century, when zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
was discovered in Crockery Creek in 1858. (Barnes, 1997) In 1872, the town of Nunica was officially incorporated, the name taken from the Ottawa word for zinc. The 1880 census showed approximately 1,000 settlers in the region. (Barnes, 1997)
Nunica experienced rapid growth in population in the early 20th century as settlers came to the region to mine zinc and farm. The settlement process was aided by the Grand Haven-Detroit branch of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway , constituting the majority of CN's Chicago Division ....
on which Nunica was an important stop. The 1920 census shows Nunica at the peak of its population, with 8,000 citizens.
By 1924 the zinc ore in the region had been completely exhausted. Coupled with a particularly severe influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
outbreak in 1927 that claimed the lives of nearly 800 people from the town, the population of Nunica declined precipitously. The 1930 census shows the population of Nunica as 5,000.
In 1935 nearly one-third of Nunica was destroyed by fire, in what became known locally as the great Nunica fire. It is speculated that the fire began when the Nunica train station was struck by lightning. (Barnes, 1997:35) In either case, the train station that had served as the main source of livelihood for the town was completely destroyed, along with such forgotten landmarks as the Nunica Conservatory for Music and other Fine Arts and the Nunica casino. None of these landmarks were ever rebuilt. In addition, nearly 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of farmland were completely destroyed.(Barnes, 1997)
Since the train station was never rebuilt, Nunica never recovered from the devastating fire and the population went into freefall. By 1950 there were only 1,000 citizens in the greater Nunica area. In 1957 the town was unincorporated. The current population of Nunica is estimated at 400. (Barnes, 1997)