Thompson Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Thompson Township is a civil township
of Schoolcraft County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census
, the township had a total population of 671.
boom of the late 19th century, Thompson Township's chief assets included second-growth trees such as balsam and aspen
. The schooner Rouse Simmons
, loaded with balsam Christmas trees, left Thompson Harbor for Chicago
in November, 1912. The schooner sank with all hands off Two Rivers, Wisconsin
, becoming one of the most famous shipwreck
s in Lake Michigan history.
, the township has a total area of 118.4 square miles (306.7 km²), of which 112.9 square miles (292.4 km²) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km²) water. The total area is 4.59% water.
of 2000, there were 671 people, 278 households, and 219 families living in the township. The population density
was 5.9 per square mile (2.3/km²). There were 608 housing units at an average density of 5.4 per square mile (2.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.93% White, 0.30% African-American, 9.54% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.30% of the population.
There were 278 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.9% were married couples
living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 16.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.68.
In the township the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $41,731. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $26,500 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $24,045. About 7.5% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under the age of 18 and 3.8% of those 65 and older.
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 Schoolcraft County
Schoolcraft County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Seney National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 8,903 people, 3,606 households, and 2,498 families residing in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile . There were 5,700 housing units...
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 had a total population of 671.
History
After the timberTimber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
boom of the late 19th century, Thompson Township's chief assets included second-growth trees such as balsam and aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
. The schooner Rouse Simmons
Rouse Simmons
The Rouse Simmons was a three-masted schooner famous for having sunk in a violent storm on Lake Michigan in 1912. The ship was bound for Chicago with a cargo of Christmas trees when it foundered off the coast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, killing all on board....
, loaded with balsam Christmas trees, left Thompson Harbor for Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in November, 1912. The schooner sank with all hands off Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Two Rivers is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,712 at the 2010 census. It is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae...
, becoming one of the most famous shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
s in Lake Michigan history.
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 118.4 square miles (306.7 km²), of which 112.9 square miles (292.4 km²) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km²) water. The total area is 4.59% 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 671 people, 278 households, and 219 families living 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 5.9 per square mile (2.3/km²). There were 608 housing units at an average density of 5.4 per square mile (2.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.93% White, 0.30% African-American, 9.54% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.30% of the population.
There were 278 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.9% 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, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 16.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.68.
In the township the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $41,731. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $26,500 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 $24,045. About 7.5% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under the age of 18 and 3.8% of those 65 and older.