Rock River Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Rock River Township is a civil township
of Alger County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 1,213 at the 2000 census
.
, the township has a total area of 81 square miles (209.8 km²), of which, 80.9 square miles (209.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.10%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,213 people, 505 households, and 363 families residing in the township. The population density
was 15.0 per square mile (5.8/km²). There were 635 housing units at an average density of 7.8 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.13% White, 1.98% Native American, 0.08% Asian, and 1.81% from two or more races. 42.2% were of Finnish, 8.1% German
, 6.5% French
, 6.3% Polish and 5.6% United States
or American ancestry.
There were 505 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,619, and the median income for a family was $36,750. Males had a median income of $32,132 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,360. About 8.1% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 11.1% 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 Alger County
Alger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
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 1,213 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
- ChathamChatham, MichiganChatham is a village in Rock River Township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 231...
is a village at the junction of M-67M-69 (Michigan highway)M-69 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects with US Highway 2 on both ends in Crystal Falls and near Bark River. In between, the highway runs for in rural UP forest lands.Before the creation of the U.S. Highway System, the...
and M-94M-94 (Michigan highway)M-94 is a state trunkline in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for from K. I. Sawyer to Manistique. The highway is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour during a concurrency with M-28. M-94 crosses the Siphon Bridge in Manistique, unique for the fact that the bridge roadway...
. - Eben Junction is an unincorporated community at 46°21′18"N 86°58′12"W. The Eben River 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...
49825 provides P.O. box service for a portion of Rock River Township and an area of adjacent Onota TownshipOnota Township, MichiganOnota Township is a civil township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 310.-Communities:There are no incorporated municipalities in the township....
. It was a station at the junction of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie RailroadMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie RailroadThe Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the...
and the Munising Railway. A post office was established on August 1, 1908, with Emil Hoppe as the first postmaster of the Finnish settlement. - Rumely is an unincorporated community at 46°20′54"N 87°01′59"W. It was named for Mr. Rumely, who settled here from Ohio about 1873. It was a station on the Munising Railway about 1890. A post office was established on September 24, 1906, with Cyrill Valind as its first postmaster. The office closed on March 31, 1943, and was reestablished on December 16, 1947. It closed on August 31, 1959, and is now a CPO of Eben Junction providing P.O. box service for 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...
49826. - Slapneck is a place at 46°20′34"N 86°53′11"W.
- Sundell is an unincorporated community at 46°20′50"N 87°04′47"W. In 1908, Dorsey was a station on the Munising, Marquette and Southeastern Railway. The first postmaster, Selma Harsila, submitted her maiden name, Sundell (Swedish), as the name of the new post office. The office operated from August 31, 1922 until August 25, 1967. Dorsey is approximately a half mile to the west at 46°20′23"N 87°05′04"W.
- Winters was a former post office in the township at 46°11′42"N 86°55′43"W. The settlement was named for John D. Winters, who was also the first postmaster. The post office first opened September 20, 1889 and closed August 15, 1923. It reopened from February 25, 1924, until June 15, 1928.
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 81 square miles (209.8 km²), of which, 80.9 square miles (209.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.10%) 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 1,213 people, 505 households, and 363 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 15.0 per square mile (5.8/km²). There were 635 housing units at an average density of 7.8 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.13% White, 1.98% Native American, 0.08% Asian, and 1.81% from two or more races. 42.2% were of Finnish, 8.1% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 6.5% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 6.3% Polish and 5.6% United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American ancestry.
There were 505 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% 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, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,619, and the median income for a family was $36,750. Males had a median income of $32,132 versus $24,583 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 $16,360. About 8.1% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.