Moffatt Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Moffatt Township is a civil township
of Arenac County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census
.
almost a decade later. In 1882 to 1883, the area of Alger was created from the formation of a railroad junction along the Michigan Central Railroad
. This junction came from the now defunct East Tawas and Bay County Railroad out of Prescott, Michigan
. It was constructed under the direction of Russell Alger who later became the 20th Governor of Michigan
, and then a U.S. Secretary of War. The railroads were thriving mainly due to Michigan's lumbering boom at the time, and Alger grew to be a popular settlement with many mills, restaurants, and saloons. Two small towns named Culver and Wells existed nearby. Culver was located about a mile north and Wells was about a mile south of downtown Alger.
In 1896 the railroad from Prescott ceased operations and into the early 1900s, as the timber reached depletion, the logging railroads disappeared along with businesses. Today, Wells and Culver no longer exist and Alger has slowly downsized to a small community of approximately 1,000 people.
, the township has a total area of 32.1 square miles (83.1 km²), of which, 31.7 square miles (82.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (1.28%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,121 people, 484 households, and 327 families residing in the township. The population density
was 35.4 per square mile (13.7/km²). There were 862 housing units at an average density of 27.2 per square mile (10.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.86% White, 0.62% Native American, 0.27% Asian, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 484 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples
living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,250, and the median income for a family was $40,724. Males had a median income of $35,769 versus $17,917 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,058. About 5.7% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
is a nearby camp for the Boy Scouts of America
. It is located on East Greenwood Road, a few miles from the Skidway Lake and Prescott, Michigan
area.
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 Arenac County
Arenac County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 17,269 people, 6,710 households, and 4,717 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 9,563 housing units at an average density of 26 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 1,121 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...
.
Communities
- Alger is an unincorporated community at 44°07′32"N 84°07′16"W, situated on exit 202 off I-75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
at the junction with M-33M-33 (Michigan highway)M-33 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from Interstate 75 at Alger in Arenac County north to M-27 near Cheboygan. In between, the trunkline runs through rural sections of the northeastern Lower Peninsula including state and national forest areas...
. The 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...
is 48610. Alger was established in 1883 as a railway junction. - Forest Lake is a small community around the reservoir named Forest Lake on the east-central part of the township. The lake is formed by a dam on Wells Creek. Water from Forest Lake is released into the Rifle RiverRifle RiverRifle River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It rises in northeastern Ogemaw County and flows through Arenac County to enter Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. Once a logging river during the Michigan forestry boom at the turn of the 20th century, the river is now primarily used for recreation,...
.
History
Moffatt Township was organized in 1874 and the community of Alger was named after Russell A. AlgerRussell A. Alger
Russell Alexander Alger was the 20th Governor and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and also U.S. Secretary of War during the Presidential administration of William McKinley...
almost a decade later. In 1882 to 1883, the area of Alger was created from the formation of a railroad junction along the Michigan Central Railroad
Michigan Central Railroad
The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada...
. This junction came from the now defunct East Tawas and Bay County Railroad out of Prescott, Michigan
Prescott, Michigan
Prescott is a village in Ogemaw County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 286 at the 2000 census. The village is within Richland Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
. It was constructed under the direction of Russell Alger who later became the 20th Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
, and then a U.S. Secretary of War. The railroads were thriving mainly due to Michigan's lumbering boom at the time, and Alger grew to be a popular settlement with many mills, restaurants, and saloons. Two small towns named Culver and Wells existed nearby. Culver was located about a mile north and Wells was about a mile south of downtown Alger.
In 1896 the railroad from Prescott ceased operations and into the early 1900s, as the timber reached depletion, the logging railroads disappeared along with businesses. Today, Wells and Culver no longer exist and Alger has slowly downsized to a small community of approximately 1,000 people.
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 32.1 square miles (83.1 km²), of which, 31.7 square miles (82.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (1.28%) is water.
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 1,121 people, 484 households, and 327 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 35.4 per square mile (13.7/km²). There were 862 housing units at an average density of 27.2 per square mile (10.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.86% White, 0.62% Native American, 0.27% Asian, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 484 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% 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, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,250, and the median income for a family was $40,724. Males had a median income of $35,769 versus $17,917 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 $16,058. About 5.7% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Organization Camps
Cole Canoe BaseEdward N. Cole Canoe Base
Great Lakes Council serves Scouts in southeast Michigan.On August 4, 2009 the Detroit Area Council and the Clinton Valley Council voted to merge into a new council serving Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties. The new Council was officially started on October 1, 2009...
is a nearby camp for the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
. It is located on East Greenwood Road, a few miles from the Skidway Lake and Prescott, Michigan
Prescott, Michigan
Prescott is a village in Ogemaw County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 286 at the 2000 census. The village is within Richland Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
area.