Watersmeet Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Watersmeet Township is a civil township
of Gogebic County
in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 1,472 at the 2000 census
.
The unincorporated community of Watersmeet is within the township on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River
near the junction of U.S. Highway 2
and U.S. Highway 45
at 46°16′04"N 89°10′40"W.
In late 2003 and early 2004, the boys' high school basketball team of the K-12 Watersmeet Township School (at the time, 9-12 grade enrollment 78; it has since absorbed 13 of neighboring Marenisco's 60 K-12 students http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0117wmsc.htm and 2005-2006 enrollment now stands at 96 http://www.mhsaa.com/resources/0506enroll.rtf) was featured in a series of commercials on ESPN
. Part of the reason ESPN chose Watersmeet for the commercials was the school's unusual nickname of Nimrods. The tag line of the commercials was "Without sports, who would cheer for the Nimrods?" The ads were so popular that the team, its coach, and octogenarian fan Dale Jenkins, all of whom were featured on the commercials, appeared on The Tonight Show
on March 15, 2004.
The township and the Nimrods are the focus of an 8-part documentary
, Nimrod Nation, which aired on The Sundance Channel. Filming started in September 2005 and continued until June, 2006. The idea for a series was reportedly formed when actor Robert Redford
, one of the channel's owners and a champion of Native American
issues, was informed that Watersmeet Township School's student body (and varsity basketball team) was approximately 50 percent Native American in composition. http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:jcwb82VYcSgJ:www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/1229nimr.htm
Other attractions in Watersmeet include the Lac Vieux Desert casino and the nearby Lights of Paulding
.
, the township has a total area of 277.8 square miles (719.5 km²), of which, 254.8 square miles (659.9 km²) of it is land and 23 square miles (59.6 km²) of it (8.30%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,472 people, 552 households, and 385 families residing in the township. The population density
was 5.8 per square mile (2.2/km²). There were 1,466 housing units at an average density of 5.8 per square mile (2.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.76% White, 0.14% African American, 17.93% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.48% from other races
, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 552 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 121.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,019, and the median income for a family was $36,359. Males had a median income of $31,458 versus $20,588 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $17,874. About 6.5% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 6.2% 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 Gogebic County
Gogebic County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,370 people, 7,425 households, and 4,581 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 10,839 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
in the Upper Peninsula 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"....
. The population was 1,472 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...
.
The unincorporated community of Watersmeet is within the township on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River
Ontonagon River
The Ontonagon River is a river flowing to Lake Superior on the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States. The main stem of the river is 25 mi long and is formed by a confluence of several longer branches, portions of which have been collectively designated as a National Wild...
near the junction of U.S. Highway 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
and U.S. Highway 45
U.S. Route 45 in Michigan
US Highway 45 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Mobile, Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway forms a part of the state trunkline highway system that is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation . It enters the...
at 46°16′04"N 89°10′40"W.
In late 2003 and early 2004, the boys' high school basketball team of the K-12 Watersmeet Township School (at the time, 9-12 grade enrollment 78; it has since absorbed 13 of neighboring Marenisco's 60 K-12 students http://www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/0117wmsc.htm and 2005-2006 enrollment now stands at 96 http://www.mhsaa.com/resources/0506enroll.rtf) was featured in a series of commercials on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. Part of the reason ESPN chose Watersmeet for the commercials was the school's unusual nickname of Nimrods. The tag line of the commercials was "Without sports, who would cheer for the Nimrods?" The ads were so popular that the team, its coach, and octogenarian fan Dale Jenkins, all of whom were featured on the commercials, appeared on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
on March 15, 2004.
The township and the Nimrods are the focus of an 8-part documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, Nimrod Nation, which aired on The Sundance Channel. Filming started in September 2005 and continued until June, 2006. The idea for a series was reportedly formed when actor Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
, one of the channel's owners and a champion of 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...
issues, was informed that Watersmeet Township School's student body (and varsity basketball team) was approximately 50 percent Native American in composition. http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:jcwb82VYcSgJ:www.ironwooddailyglobe.com/1229nimr.htm
Other attractions in Watersmeet include the Lac Vieux Desert casino and the nearby Lights of Paulding
Paulding Light
The Paulding Light is a light that appears in a valley that lies outside of Paulding, Michigan. Reports of the light have appeared since the 1960s, with popular folklore providing such explanations as ghosts, geologic activity, or swamp gas...
.
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 277.8 square miles (719.5 km²), of which, 254.8 square miles (659.9 km²) of it is land and 23 square miles (59.6 km²) of it (8.30%) 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 1,472 people, 552 households, and 385 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 5.8 per square mile (2.2/km²). There were 1,466 housing units at an average density of 5.8 per square mile (2.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.76% White, 0.14% African American, 17.93% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.48% 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 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 552 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% 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, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 121.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,019, and the median income for a family was $36,359. Males had a median income of $31,458 versus $20,588 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 $17,874. About 6.5% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.