Ganges Township, Michigan

Ganges Township, Michigan
Township
Ganges Township Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 42°32′32″N 86°11′56″W / 42.54222°N 86.19889°WCoordinates: 42°32′32″N 86°11′56″W / 42.54222°N 86.19889°W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Allegan
Area
• Total	32.7 sq mi (84.7 km^2)
• Land	32.0 sq mi (83.0 km^2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (1.7 km^2)
Elevation	699 ft (213 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	2,530
• Density	79/sq mi (30.5/km^2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP Code	49408
FIPS code	26-31360[1]
GNIS feature ID	1626332[2]
Website	www.gangestownship.org

Ganges Township is a civil township of Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,530 at the 2010 census.^[3]

Communities

There are no incorporated villages with in the township, but several unincorporated communities:

• Belknap is located at 66th Street and 116th Avenue in the southern part of the township.^[4]
• Ganges is located in the northwest part of the township at the junction of 122nd Ave and Blue Star Highway at 42°34′37″N 86°12′37″W / 42.57694°N 86.21028°W.^[5] Interstate 196 / US 31 is less than a quarter mile to the west, but the nearest access is from M-89 about a mile to the north.
• Glenn is located within the southwest part of the township at the junction of 114th Ave and A-2 (Blue Star Highway/Adams Rd) at 42°31′13″N 86°13′39″W / 42.52028°N 86.22750°W.^[6] A post office was established here in 1876.^[7] Glenn is known as "Pancake Town", stemming from an incident during a 1937 snowstorm in which travelers stranded at a restaurant had nothing to eat except for pancakes.^[8]
• Grange Corners is located in the northern part of the township at 66th Street and 122nd Avenue (42°34′39″N 86°11′26″W / 42.57750°N 86.19056°W; Elevation: 682 feet/208 meter).^[9]
• Pier Cove is located in the northwestern corner of the township at Lake Shore Drive and 123rd Avenue (42°35′09″N 86°13′34″W / 42.58583°N 86.22611°W; Elevation: 584 feet/178 meter).^[10]
• Plummerville is located in the northwestern part of the township at Lake Shore Drive and 121st Avenue.^[4]
• Shorecrest is located in the southwestern corner of the township off Adams Road/Blue Star Highway (42°30′23″N 86°14′40″W / 42.50639°N 86.24444°W; Elevation: 656 feet/200 meter).^[11]

History

Ganges Township was established in 1847.^[12] Esther was the name of a post office here from 1894 until 1901.^[13]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 32.7 square miles (84.7 km²), of which 32.0 square miles (83.0 km²) is land and 0.66 square miles (1.7 km²), or 1.95%, is water.^[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1960	1,672		—
1970	2,061		23.3%
1980	2,009		−2.5%
1990	2,124		5.7%
2000	2,524		18.8%
2010	2,530		0.2%
Source: Census Bureau. Census 1960- 2000, 2010.

At the 2000 census,^[1] there were 2,524 people, 982 households and 676 families residing in the township. The population density was 77.8 per square mile (30.0/km²). There were 1,384 housing units at an average density of 42.6 per square mile (16.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.38% White, 0.48% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 4.12% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.93% of the population.

There were 982 households of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.

24.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.

The median household income was $47,143 and the median family income was $52,333. Males had a median income of $38,235 and females $24,917. The per capita income was $22,753. About 4.7% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

References

Notes

1. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ganges Township, Michigan
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Ganges township, Allegan County, Michigan". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
4. Allegan County. Center for Shared Solutions and Technology Partnerships, Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, 08/05/10. Access on December 24, 2013.
5. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ganges, Michigan
6. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Glenn, Michigan
7. Romig 1986, p. 226.
8. Russell, Matthew S. (2009-08-10). "'Pancake Town' Glenn has a tasty history". Penasee Globe (Advance Newspapers). Retrieved 2010-08-30.
9. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Grange Corners, Michigan
10. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pier Cove, Michigan & Maquest.
11. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Shorecrest, Michigan & Maquest.
12. Romig 1986, p. 217.
13. Romig 1986, p. 187.

Sources

• • Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Great Lakes Books Series (Paperback). Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 081431838X. ISBN 978-0814318386.

External links

• Ganges Township official website