Free Soil, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Free Soil is a village in Mason County
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
.. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 177. The village is located within Free Soil Township
. The village is close to the intersection of Free Soil and Custer Roads. Free Soil previously operated a two-building K-12 school district, with the high school closing in 2007 and elementary closing in 2010. The school had been in operation since 1913.
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all land. The Big Sauble River runs just east of the village.
The current village is actually the second settlement in Mason County to be named Free Soil. An area in Grant Township near Lake Michigan, just south of the Manistee County line, was the original settlement in the late 1800s. There are still a few homes in the area now known as "Old Freesoil".
of 2000, there were 177 people, 75 households, and 48 families residing in the village. The population density
was 171.2 per square mile (66.3/km²). There were 93 housing units at an average density of 90.0 per square mile (34.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.22% White, 2.26% African American, 0.56% Native American, and 3.95% from two or more races.
There were 75 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $27,083, and the median income for a family was $36,000. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $13,329. About 5.6% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.4% of those sixty five or over.
Gun Lake, Hoags Lake, Blue Lake, Ford Lake and Thunder Lake are very close to Free Soil. They are generally good lakes for bass and panfish. Hoags Lake has a public access but requires a National Forest Service parking sticker or day pass. Gun Lake has a non-fee boat launch and a beach open to the public. Gun Lake is larger and more popular with recreational boaters as Hoags Lake currently does not allow outboard-gasoline-propelled watercraft.
The North Country trail crosses Free Soil Rd about five miles east of the village. It is popular with hikers, and it is one of the only portions of the trail open to mountain bikes.
There is a National Forest campground and recreation area on Lake Michigan to the west of Free Soil on Forest Trail Road. It has miles of hiking and biking trails. The thousands of acres of National Forest located in and around the Free Soil area provide a number of hunting opportunities for the general public.
Many popular snowmobile trails run through Free Soil, providing excellent winter recreation.
Mason County, Michigan
Mason County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,705. The county seat is Ludington.-History:...
of 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 village population was 177. The village is located within Free Soil Township
Free Soil Township, Michigan
Free Soil Township is a civil township of Mason County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 809 at the 2000 census. The Village of Free Soil is located within the township.-Geography:...
. The village is close to the intersection of Free Soil and Custer Roads. Free Soil previously operated a two-building K-12 school district, with the high school closing in 2007 and elementary closing in 2010. The school had been in operation since 1913.
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 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all land. The Big Sauble River runs just east of the village.
The current village is actually the second settlement in Mason County to be named Free Soil. An area in Grant Township near Lake Michigan, just south of the Manistee County line, was the original settlement in the late 1800s. There are still a few homes in the area now known as "Old Freesoil".
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 177 people, 75 households, and 48 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 171.2 per square mile (66.3/km²). There were 93 housing units at an average density of 90.0 per square mile (34.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.22% White, 2.26% African American, 0.56% Native American, and 3.95% from two or more races.
There were 75 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% 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, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $27,083, and the median income for a family was $36,000. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,833 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 $13,329. About 5.6% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.4% of those sixty five or over.
Recreation
The Big Sauble River provides great fishing for suckers, brown trout and brook trout, along with other species. It is also a popular river for canoeing and tubing as well. People frequently make the trek from Smitty's Landing to Stephens Rd.Gun Lake, Hoags Lake, Blue Lake, Ford Lake and Thunder Lake are very close to Free Soil. They are generally good lakes for bass and panfish. Hoags Lake has a public access but requires a National Forest Service parking sticker or day pass. Gun Lake has a non-fee boat launch and a beach open to the public. Gun Lake is larger and more popular with recreational boaters as Hoags Lake currently does not allow outboard-gasoline-propelled watercraft.
The North Country trail crosses Free Soil Rd about five miles east of the village. It is popular with hikers, and it is one of the only portions of the trail open to mountain bikes.
There is a National Forest campground and recreation area on Lake Michigan to the west of Free Soil on Forest Trail Road. It has miles of hiking and biking trails. The thousands of acres of National Forest located in and around the Free Soil area provide a number of hunting opportunities for the general public.
Many popular snowmobile trails run through Free Soil, providing excellent winter recreation.