Butterfield Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Butterfield Township is a civil township
of Missaukee County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 548.
, the township has a total area of 36 square miles (93.2 km²), of which, 35.8 square miles (92.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.44%) is water.
In the 1920s, both Butterfield and Merritt were on the route of M-74
.
of 2000, there were 548 people, 211 households, and 155 families residing in the township. The population density
was 15.3 per square mile (5.9/km²). There were 388 housing units at an average density of 10.8 per square mile (4.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.63% White, 0.18% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.18% Asian, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.18% of the population.
There were 211 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $37,188, and the median income for a family was $40,357. Males had a median income of $27,375 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,993. About 7.1% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% 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 Missaukee County
Missaukee County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,478 people, 5,450 households, and 4,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 8,621 housing units at an average density of 15 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 548.
Communities
- Butterfield is a small unincorporated community in the southeast portion of the township at 44°16′40"N 84°57′12"W. It is approximately three and a half miles south of Merritt on County Road 565 and the eastern terminus of County Road 584. A rural post office operated from October 30, 1895, until October 31, 1922.
- Merritt is a small unincorporated community in the northern part of the township on County Road 565 just south of M-55M-55 (Michigan highway)M-55 is a state trunkline highway in the northern part of the US state of Michigan. M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan; the others are M-46 and M-72. The highway crosses through rural forest and farmlands to connect...
at 44°19′47"N 84°56′41"W. The Merritt post office, with 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...
49667, serves most of northern Butterfield Township and nearly all of Enterprise TownshipEnterprise Township, MichiganEnterprise Township is a civil township of Missaukee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 194 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
to the north as well as small portions of Norwich TownshipNorwich Township, Missaukee County, MichiganNorwich Township is a civil township of Missaukee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 646 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
(north of Enterprise) and Aetna TownshipAetna Township, Missaukee County, MichiganAetna Township is a civil township of Missaukee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 491.- Communities :...
to the west of Butterfield. The community was founded by Charles Bert Merritt in 1908 and named for him by railroad surveyors. The post office opened on November 22, 1910 with merchant Charles P. Sherman as the first postmaster. Merritt was a childhood hometown of Burt ReynoldsBurt ReynoldsBurton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
. - Edson Corners 44°17′30"N 84°53′22"W was a community and former post office in the township on the Muskegon RiverMuskegon RiverThe Muskegon River is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The river has its headwaters in Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. From there it flows mostly southwest to Muskegon, Michigan,...
. It was named for Edson Witherell. The post office operated from August 21, 1878, until March 15, 1900. - The community of Falmouth is to the southwest, and the Falmouth post office with ZIP code 49632 also serves the southern portion Butterfield Township.
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 36 square miles (93.2 km²), of which, 35.8 square miles (92.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.44%) is water.
In the 1920s, both Butterfield and Merritt were on the route of M-74
M-74 (Michigan highway)
M-74 was the designation of a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The highway ran through rural Missaukee County connecting Pioneer with Merritt. The highway was designated by 1919 along a longer route...
.
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 548 people, 211 households, and 155 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 15.3 per square mile (5.9/km²). There were 388 housing units at an average density of 10.8 per square mile (4.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.63% White, 0.18% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.18% Asian, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.18% of the population.
There were 211 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% 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, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $37,188, and the median income for a family was $40,357. Males had a median income of $27,375 versus $21,250 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 $16,993. About 7.1% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.