Forsyth Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Forsyth Township is a civil township
of Marquette County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 4,824 at the 2000 census
. Forsyth Township is one of the few townships in the Upper Peninsula that has its own police department. Forsyth Township is larger than the City of Detroit
in land area. The township was named for O. F. Forsyth, general agent for a mining firm in the area.
, the township has a total area of 179.1 square miles (463.9 km²), of which, 175.2 square miles (453.8 km²) of it is land and 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²) of it (2.19%) is water.
of 2000, there were 4,824 people, 2,022 households, and 1,429 families residing in the township. The population density
was 27.5 per square mile (10.6/km²). There were 3,846 housing units at an average density of 22.0 per square mile (8.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.17% White, 0.56% African American, 1.51% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.41% from other races
, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 2,022 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $34,944, and the median income for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $32,969 versus $20,665 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,550. About 10.6% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
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 Marquette County
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
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 4,824 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...
. Forsyth Township is one of the few townships in the Upper Peninsula that has its own police department. Forsyth Township is larger than the City of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in land area. The township was named for O. F. Forsyth, general agent for a mining firm in the area.
Communities
- GwinnGwinn, MichiganGwinn is an unincorporated community in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is in Forsyth Township at on M-35 near the forks of the east and middle branches of the Escanaba River. Gwinn is a census-designated place for statistical purposes, and the CDP includes the...
is an unincorporated community and census-designated placeCensus-designated placeA 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...
in the township. The CDP includes the nearby communities of Austin and New Swanzy. - A portion of the former K. I. Sawyer Air Force BaseK. I. Sawyer Air Force BaseK. I. Sawyer Air Force Base is a decommissioned U.S. Air Force base in Marquette County, Michigan, south of the city of Marquette. The base, near the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, closed in 1995. The county airport, Sawyer International, now occupies a portion of the base and has scheduled...
extends into the township. - Little Lake is an unincorporated community in the township on M-35M-35 (Michigan highway)M-35 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Running for in a general north–south direction, it connects the cities of Menominee, Escanaba and Negaunee. The southern section of M-35 in Menominee and Delta counties carries two additional designations...
at 46°17′20"N 87°20′31"W. It is located to the northeast of Little Lake and approximately four miles east of Gwinn. The community was first settled in 1863 around the mill and general store of the Cheshire Iron Manufacturing Company. The station on the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was at first named Cheshire Junction. The community was known as Little Lake, because of its proximity to the body of water. But it was given a post office named Forsyth after the township in October 1877. In March 1966, the post office was renamed as Little Lake. The 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...
is 49833.
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 179.1 square miles (463.9 km²), of which, 175.2 square miles (453.8 km²) of it is land and 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²) of it (2.19%) 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 4,824 people, 2,022 households, and 1,429 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 27.5 per square mile (10.6/km²). There were 3,846 housing units at an average density of 22.0 per square mile (8.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.17% White, 0.56% African American, 1.51% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.41% 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 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 2,022 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% 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, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $34,944, and the median income for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $32,969 versus $20,665 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 $16,550. About 10.6% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.