Torch Lake Township, Houghton County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Torch Lake Township is a civil township
of Houghton County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census
, the township population was 1,860.
, the township has a total area of 93.0 square miles (240.9 km²), of which, 80.1 square miles (207.6 km²) of it is land and 12.9 square miles (33.3 km²) of it (13.83%) is water.
From its beginnings in 1909, it was an explosives factory, built on 1815 acres (7 km²) by Du Pont. It became Atlas Powder in 1912. Eight to ten company homes were erected in the "village", where some original homes are still occupied. The grounds are largely overgrown but some structures are still noticeable.
of 2000, there were 1,860 people, 740 households, and 523 families residing in the township. The population density
was 23.2 per square mile (9.0/km²). There were 1,505 housing units at an average density of 18.8 per square mile (7.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.98% White, 0.43% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.05% from other races
, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population. 28.3% were of Finnish, 17.0% French
, 12.6% German
, 7.7% Italian
, 6.9% English
and 6.9% French Canadian
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 740 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples
living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $35,893, and the median income for a family was $43,077. Males had a median income of $31,307 versus $25,208 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $19,158. About 6.9% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% 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 Houghton County
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
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
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...
, the township population was 1,860.
Communities
- Chickenville (sometimes called "Chickensville Location") is an unincorporated community between Lake Linden and Hubbell on M26 at 47°10′56.658"N 88°25′3.0432"W.
- DreamlandDreamland, MichiganDreamland is an unincorporated community on Copper Island , in Torch Lake Township, Houghton County, in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It has been described as being a "district of Bootjack" or in Bootjack, but is usually recognised as a separate town...
is an unincorporated community on the east side of Torch BayTorch BayTorch Bay is a freshwater bay connecting Torch Lake with Portage Lake in Houghton County on the Keweenaw Peninsula, which juts into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
at 47°05′52"N 88°24′47"W. The elevation is 616 feet (188 m) above sea levelSea levelMean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The town consists almost entirely of the Dreamland Inn and several docks. - Jacobsville is an unincorporated community on the south side of the Keweenaw PeninsulaKeweenaw PeninsulaThe Keweenaw Peninsula is the northern-most part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200...
near the outlet of the Keweenaw WaterwayKeweenaw WaterwayThe Keweenaw Waterway is a partly natural, partly artificial waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan; it separates Copper Island from the mainland. Parts of the waterway are variously known as the Keweenaw Waterway, Portage Canal, Portage Lake Canal, Portage River, Lily Pond,...
at 46°58′51"N 88°24′36"W. It is the site of sandstoneJacobsville SandstoneJacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone common to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Commonly used as an architectural building stone, it is found in the Keweenaw Peninsula and north shore of the Upper Peninsula. Its name is due to the sandstone being quarried largely in Jacobsville, Michigan....
quarries that are now shut down but formerly supplied red sandstone for buildings throughout North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and even farther afield. It is named for John H Jacobs (1847–1934), a pioneer of its sandstone industry. - Linwood is a tiny unincorporated community immediately to the northwest of Chickenville
- Mellonsville is an unincorporated community located between Hubbell and Tamarack City along M26
- Senter is a tiny unincorporated community about three miles (5 km) east of Dollar Bay and about seven miles (11 km) east of HancockHancock, MichiganHancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
at 47°06′20"N 88°26′09"W. Located in the Copper CountryCopper CountryThe Copper Country is an area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States, including all of Keweenaw County, Michigan and most of Houghton, Baraga and Ontonagon counties. The area is so named as copper mining was prevalent there from 1845 until the late 1960s, with one mine ...
of the Upper Peninsula of MichiganUpper Peninsula of MichiganThe Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
, it is a small settlement with 7 inhabited homes. Senter was named for successful 1800's era merchant John Senter. In its heyday it was the company town in which the employees of the Atlas Powder Company lived. The explosives plant produced dynamite for some of the area copper mines from the 1910s into the early 1960s. - Rabbit Bay is an unincorporated community lying on the bay of that name, on Keweenaw Bay on Lake Superior on the east side of the township.
- White City is a small area near Jacobsville. It is located at the entry from Lake Superior to the Portage canal. It was first known as "The Entry" then was renamed "White City" in 1907. The area was home to a resort, roller coaster, merry-go-round, and a recreational area in the early 1900s. It stayed open for about 20 years and is now a park with a pier and light house. There aren’t really any remains of the old recreational area. All that is left is the pier where the steamships would dock and the coast guard buildings that were later built.
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 93.0 square miles (240.9 km²), of which, 80.1 square miles (207.6 km²) of it is land and 12.9 square miles (33.3 km²) of it (13.83%) is water.
From its beginnings in 1909, it was an explosives factory, built on 1815 acres (7 km²) by Du Pont. It became Atlas Powder in 1912. Eight to ten company homes were erected in the "village", where some original homes are still occupied. The grounds are largely overgrown but some structures are still noticeable.
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 1,860 people, 740 households, and 523 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 23.2 per square mile (9.0/km²). There were 1,505 housing units at an average density of 18.8 per square mile (7.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.98% White, 0.43% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.05% 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 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population. 28.3% were of Finnish, 17.0% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 12.6% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 7.7% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 6.9% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 6.9% French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 740 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% 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, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $35,893, and the median income for a family was $43,077. Males had a median income of $31,307 versus $25,208 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 $19,158. About 6.9% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.