Peninsula Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
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 Grand Traverse County
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
-Air service:*Grand Traverse County is served by Cherry Capital Airport, which is located near Traverse City.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,654 people, 30,396 households, and 20,730 families residing in the county. The population density was 167 people 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
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 5,265. The township is coterminous with the Old Mission Peninsula, which projects into the Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. The Old Mission Point Lighthouse is located at the northern end of the peninsula. The peninsula is included in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA
Old Mission Peninsula AVA
The Old Mission Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan known for well-regarded Michigan wine. The Old Mission Peninsula extends northward from Traverse City into the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan, ending at Old Mission Point. The peninsula...
, an American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
known for its fine Michigan wine
Michigan wine
Michigan wine refers to any wine that is made in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2007, there were under wine-grape cultivation and 64 commercial wineries in Michigan, producing 425,000 cases of wine . According to another count there were 112 operating wineries in Michigan in 2007.Wine and...
. The Grand Traverse region has two of Michigan's four federally-recognized wine growing areas.
Communities
- Old Mission is an unincorporated community in the township near the end of the peninsula on the east arm of the bay at 44°57′44"N 85°29′07"W.
- Mapleton is an unincorporated community in the township on M-37M-37 (Michigan highway)M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
about midway on the peninsula at 44°53′43"N 85°30′24"W. - The southern part of the township is adjacent to Traverse CityTraverse City, MichiganTraverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
and is considered part of its urban area.
History
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
region. It was founded in May, 1839 by Rev. Peter Dougherty and Rev. John Fleming. They had spent the winter on Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
, and founded a Presbyterian mission at the small Old Mission Harbor, which of course did not yet have that name. At the time of their arrival there were a few Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
residents of a nearly abandoned village at the harbor, and the mission had peaceful relations with those and other native residents in the surrounding area.
In June that year Henry Schoolcraft
Henry Schoolcraft
Henry Rowe Schoolcraft was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his 1832 discovery of the source of the Mississippi River. He married Jane Johnston, whose parents were Ojibwe and Scots-Irish...
arrived at the mission in a small vessel and helped found a school there. By 1841 there were 5 log buildings as well as several wigwams at the settlement. By 1850 the settlement had grown to a considerable size, and the schooner Arrow was making weekly trips to the mission from Mackinaw City.
Leelanau County, Michigan
-History:The county's name is said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life", but it is a neologism made up by Indian agent and ethnographer Henry Schoolcraft, who sometimes gave the name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created many faux Indian place names in...
to an existing native American village at the site of modern Omena, Michigan
Omena, Michigan
Omena is a small unincorporated community in Leelanau Township of Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Overlooking Omena Bay, on the western side of Grand Traverse Bay, Omena is home to wineries and farms including a thriving organic farming movement that includes cherries and...
, thus establishing a "New Mission." The previous community was therefore already known as the "Old Mission" in the early 1850s. By the time of the civil war, the Presbyterian organization which funded Dougherty had financial difficulty, and missionary activities were discontinued. Dougherty sold his land there in 1868.
The post office at the mission was formally established in 1851 with W. R. Stone as first postmaster. The post office was known at this time as Grand Traverse, being the only official post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region, indeed the only one between Mackinaw City and Croton
Croton Township, Michigan
Croton Township is a civil township of Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,042 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
. By the winter of 1852-3, a community had formed at the head of the bay at the Boardman river, at which a new post office was founded. The U.S. post office in consultation with Mr. A. T. Lay, a founder of Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
, decided to rename the post office at Dougherty's settlement to "Old Mission" and named the post office at the Boardman River
Boardman River
The Boardman River flows into the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan. The Boardman's upper tributaries rise near Kalkaska, Michigan, and its watershed drains an area of through of river and tributaries. The Boardman River is considered one of the top ten trout streams in...
"Traverse City." The "Grand" had to be dropped, as "Grand Traverse City" was too long a name per post office guidelines.
Geography
- According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census BureauThe 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 31.8 square miles (82.5 km²), of which, 27.9 square miles (72.2 km²) of it is land and 4.0 square miles (10.3 km²) of it (12.50%) is water. - The Mission Point Light stands a few hundred yards south of the 45th parallel north, halfway between the North PoleNorth PoleThe North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
and the EquatorEquatorAn equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. There is a sign that denotes its location on the parallel, and it is one of 26 places in the U.S.A. where such signs are known to exist. 
M-37M-37 (Michigan highway)M-37 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is near the border between Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties at exit 92 of Interstate 94 southwest of Battle Creek. The northern terminus is at the Mission Point Light on Old Mission Point in Grand...
is the central 17.25 miles (27.8 km) long road on the peninsula, and terminates at Old Mission Point. It was designated a Scenic Heritage Route in June, 2007. The M-37 Scenic Heritage Route proposal is itself a unique resource concerning the character of the peninsula, and the activities along this byway.
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 5,265 people, 2,131 households, and 1,625 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 189.0 per square mile (73.0/km²). There were 2,613 housing units at an average density of 93.8 per square mile (36.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.28% White, 0.06% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.97% 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 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population.
There were 2,131 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% 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, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 33.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $66,019, and the median income for a family was $82,426. Males had a median income of $52,750 versus $34,620 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 $40,753. About 1.1% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.3% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
- The "Old Mission Peninsula Cruise" is considered to be a "serendipitous" adventure for road bike riders. It is favored by local riders, including bicycle clubs, because of the beautiful scenery, good road, and lack of traffic.
- The peninsula is a great place to sea kayak. The bay offers a shelter from the prevailing westerly winds and from the Lake Michigan waves. One can get close to shore, the lighthouse, picnic grounds and parks. Maps, rentals and guided tours are available.
- There are many recurrent and special events. A calendar is available.
Wineries
There are seven wineries on the Old Mission Peninsula. The Old Mission Peninsula sits close to the 45th parallel, a longitude known for growing prestigious grapes. The two Grand Traverse BaysGrand Traverse County, Michigan
-Air service:*Grand Traverse County is served by Cherry Capital Airport, which is located near Traverse City.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,654 people, 30,396 households, and 20,730 families residing in the county. The population density was 167 people per square mile . ...
provide the ideal maritime climate and the rich soil does the rest. Northern Michigan specializes in growing white grapes and is known for its reislings which grow well in the summer months and late fall which Traverse City is known for. Every October the wineries host a harvest fest. Some reisling grapes are spared being picked in the fall to be picked when they freeze, from which Ice Wine
Ice wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
is made. The wineries along the Old Mission Peninsula are 2 Lads Winery, Black Star Farms, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, Chateau Chantal Winery And Inn
Chateau Chantal
Chateau Chantal is a winery located on the Old Mission Peninsula, only a few miles north of Traverse City, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The chateau sits atop one of the highest points on the Old Mission Peninsula and has stunning views of both East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay. The...
, Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse
Chateau Grand Traverse is a Michigan winery located in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA around Traverse City. The winery was founded by Edward O’Keefe Jr. and is notable for having the first large-scale planting of Vitis vinifera in Michigan...
, and Peninsula Cellars.
Further reading
- Clarke Historical Library, Central, Michigan University, Bibliography for Grand Traverse County
- Potter, Elizabeth V. The Story of Old Mission. (Ann Arbor, MI: Edward Brothers, 1956).