Armada, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Armada is a village in Macomb County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 1,573 at the 2000 census
. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 1,657. The village is located within Armada Township
.
Sportscaster Dick Enberg
grew up in Armada. A country fair
is held in the village each August.
. At that time a meeting was called to organize a separate township. The vote won by 2 and Armada Township was born. When the discussion of a name for the new township came up, legend says that "Hosea Northrup jumped up and shouted the name 'Armada'". The name was accepted. The meaning of the name is a mystery to this day.
The village originally known as Burke's Corners was founded by Elijah Burke in 1833. The village began to prosper when the old Indian trail, known today as Armada Ridge Road, was laid out as a roadway in the early 1830s. The road soon became part of the immigrant road network between Romeo and Port Huron.
Burke's Corners was briefly renamed Honeoye, for the New York hometown of several newly arrived residents. The village received its modern name of Armada when it was incorporated in the late 1860s. Armada by then had grown into a thriving village of 800 inhabitants.
The town at one time included a stagecoach stop, an opera house, a theater, seven grocery stores, three hotels, three hardware stores, a lumberyard, a grain mill, two implement dealers, a bakery, five doctors, several blacksmiths shops and a drug store.
The first school in Armada was a one-room schoolhouse at Selleck's Corners. Soon schools sprang up all around the township. These one room schools were consolidated during the 1940s and children were bused into town to attend the consolidated school district.
Armada's interest in education, literature and the arts was most evident when they persuaded Andrew Carnegie
that they would support a library, if he would donate $8,000 towards the building of a permanent township library. The Armada Free Public Library was built in 1915 and is still being used to provide library service today.
A number of fraternal organizations, a literary club, a science club, and the Armada Cornet Band were among the social outlets for villagers and township residents.
A railroad, the Michigan Air-Line Railroad
, connected Armada with the rest of the world. Passengers and freight were processed through the two-door depot at the foot of Church Street. A cartage company delivered the freight to uptown businesses by horse and wagon.
, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 1,573 people, 540 households, and 408 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,221.8 per square mile (855.4/km²). There were 558 housing units at an average density of 788.2 per square mile (303.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.71% White, 0.19% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.
There were 540 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the village the population dispersal was 29.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $61,700, and the median income for a family was $69,917. Males had a median income of $50,795 versus $32,330 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $22,446. About 2.9% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 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"....
. The population was 1,573 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...
. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 1,657. The village is located within Armada Township
Armada Township, Michigan
Armada Township is a civil township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,246. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 5,451.The village of Armada is located within the township...
.
Sportscaster Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
grew up in Armada. A country fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
is held in the village each August.
History
The first record of land purchased in the area that became Armada Township was made by John Proctor in 1825. 23 more families had bought land in the area by 1832. Until 1832 the area was part of Ray TownshipRay Township, Michigan
Ray Township is a civil township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 3,739. Wolcott Mill Metropark, a park is located entirely within the township. The park is named for and is home to an historic grist mill built in 1847...
. At that time a meeting was called to organize a separate township. The vote won by 2 and Armada Township was born. When the discussion of a name for the new township came up, legend says that "Hosea Northrup jumped up and shouted the name 'Armada'". The name was accepted. The meaning of the name is a mystery to this day.
The village originally known as Burke's Corners was founded by Elijah Burke in 1833. The village began to prosper when the old Indian trail, known today as Armada Ridge Road, was laid out as a roadway in the early 1830s. The road soon became part of the immigrant road network between Romeo and Port Huron.
Burke's Corners was briefly renamed Honeoye, for the New York hometown of several newly arrived residents. The village received its modern name of Armada when it was incorporated in the late 1860s. Armada by then had grown into a thriving village of 800 inhabitants.
The town at one time included a stagecoach stop, an opera house, a theater, seven grocery stores, three hotels, three hardware stores, a lumberyard, a grain mill, two implement dealers, a bakery, five doctors, several blacksmiths shops and a drug store.
The first school in Armada was a one-room schoolhouse at Selleck's Corners. Soon schools sprang up all around the township. These one room schools were consolidated during the 1940s and children were bused into town to attend the consolidated school district.
Armada's interest in education, literature and the arts was most evident when they persuaded Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
that they would support a library, if he would donate $8,000 towards the building of a permanent township library. The Armada Free Public Library was built in 1915 and is still being used to provide library service today.
A number of fraternal organizations, a literary club, a science club, and the Armada Cornet Band were among the social outlets for villagers and township residents.
A railroad, the Michigan Air-Line Railroad
Michigan Air-Line Railroad
The Michigan Air Line Railroad was a planned railroad across southern Michigan, connecting the Canada Southern Railway to Chicago, Illinois. Only part of the line was built, and it was split between the Michigan Central Railroad and the Grand Trunk Railway.-History:The Grand Trunk Railway was...
, connected Armada with the rest of the world. Passengers and freight were processed through the two-door depot at the foot of Church Street. A cartage company delivered the freight to uptown businesses by horse and wagon.
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 village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all land.
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 1,573 people, 540 households, and 408 families residing in the village. 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 2,221.8 per square mile (855.4/km²). There were 558 housing units at an average density of 788.2 per square mile (303.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.71% White, 0.19% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% 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 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.
There were 540 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% 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, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the village the population dispersal was 29.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $61,700, and the median income for a family was $69,917. Males had a median income of $50,795 versus $32,330 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 village was $22,446. About 2.9% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- Armada Free Public Library
- Armada Fair website
- Main Street Chiropractic website
- Armada Downtown Development Authority (DDA)
- http://www.nemctv6.org/NEMC-TV6: Armada Area Public-access televisionPublic-access televisionPublic-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV website]