Fort Gratiot Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Fort Gratiot Charter Township is a charter township
of St. Clair County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 10,691 at the 2000 census. It is named for Fort Gratiot
an American fort located there off and on between 1814 and 1879.
, the township has a total area of 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²), of which, 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.19%) is water.
Fort Gratiot is on the southwestern shore of Lake Huron
and is considered to be part of the Thumb
of Michigan
, which in turn is a subregion of the Flint/Tri-Cities
. Fort Gratiot is a major center of trade for the Blue Water Area, a subregion of the Thumb. The Birchwood Mall
and many other big box stores are located in Fort Gratiot.
of 2000, there were 10,691 people, 4,076 households, and 2,946 families residing in the township. The population density
was 664.7 per square mile (256.7/km²). There were 4,334 housing units at an average density of 269.5 per square mile (104.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.43% White, 1.46% Black People, 0.26% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.
There were 4,076 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,736, and the median income for a family was $55,726. Males had a median income of $43,268 versus $25,667 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $25,485. About 4.2% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% 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 St. Clair County
St. Clair County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
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 10,691 at the 2000 census. It is named for Fort Gratiot
Fort Gratiot
Fort Gratiot was an American stockade fort in Fort Gratiot, Michigan, in Saint Clair County, Michigan.The Army constructed Fort Gratiot in 1814 as an outpost to guard the juncture of the Saint Clair River and Lake Huron. The fort took the name of the engineer supervising its construction, Charles...
an American fort located there off and on between 1814 and 1879.
Communities
- Gardendale is an unincorporated community near the center of the township at 43°02′19"N 82°29′33"W. It was a station on the Pere Marquette RailwayPere Marquette RailwayThe Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
. A post office operated from March 1891 until March 1906. - Keewahdin or Keewahdin Beach was a resort developed in 1914 by the Keewahdin Park Association on Lake HuronLake HuronLake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
north of Port Huron. The name was likely derived from Kewadin, a famous Ojibwe leader. It is located at 43°02′23"N 82°26′40"W. - The city of Port HuronPort Huron, MichiganPort Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
is adjacent to the southeast.
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 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²), of which, 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.19%) is water.
Fort Gratiot is on the southwestern shore of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
and is considered to be part of the Thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
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"....
, which in turn is a subregion of the Flint/Tri-Cities
Flint/Tri-Cities
The Flint/Tri-Cities Region or Saginaw Valley is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The region is composed of the area surrounding Flint, Michigan, the Tri Cities, the Saginaw Bay and Saginaw River . Flint's population is 102,434; it is the seventh largest city in Michigan...
. Fort Gratiot is a major center of trade for the Blue Water Area, a subregion of the Thumb. The Birchwood Mall
Birchwood Mall
Birchwood Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Fort Gratiot Township, outside the city of Port Huron, Michigan, United States, Birchwood Mall features more than 100 stores, a ten-screen movie theater, and a food court. JCPenney, Macy's, Sears, Younkers, and Target are the mall's anchor stores...
and many other big box stores are located in Fort Gratiot.
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 10,691 people, 4,076 households, and 2,946 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 664.7 per square mile (256.7/km²). There were 4,334 housing units at an average density of 269.5 per square mile (104.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.43% White, 1.46% Black People, 0.26% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.52% 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 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.
There were 4,076 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,736, and the median income for a family was $55,726. Males had a median income of $43,268 versus $25,667 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 $25,485. About 4.2% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.