Frenchtown Charter Township, Michigan

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Frenchtown Township, Michigan
Charter township
Frenchtown Charter Township
Frenchtown Township Hall
Frenchtown Township Hall
Location within Monroe County and the administered communities of Detroit Beach (1), Stony Point (2), and Woodland Beach (3)
Location within Monroe County and the administered communities of Detroit Beach (1), Stony Point (2), and Woodland Beach (3)
Country United States
State Michigan
County Monroe
Settled 1784
Organized 1837
Government
 • Supervisor James McDevitt
 • Clerk Mark Baker
Area
 • Total 43.12 sq mi (111.7 km2)
 • Land 41.82 sq mi (108.3 km2)
 • Water 1.30 sq mi (3.4 km2)
Elevation 594 ft (181 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 20,428
 • Density 488.5/sq mi (188.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code(s) 48117 (Carleton)
48162 (Monroe)
48166 (Newport)
Area code 734
FIPS code 26-30820[1]
GNIS feature ID 1626321[2]
Website Official website

Frenchtown Charter Township is a charter township within Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,428 at the 2010 census.[3]

The township is bordered on the south by the city of Monroe. Sterling State Park and the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station are located within Frenchtown, and the township was the site of the Battle of Frenchtown during the War of 1812.

Communities

  • Detroit Beach is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[4]
  • Golfcrest is an unincorporated community at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[5]
  • Newport is an unincorporated community centered at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. mostly in Berlin Charter Township.[6] As an unincorporated community, Newport has no legal boundaries or demographic statistics of its own. Newport contains its own post office with the 48166 ZIP Code, which serves most of Berlin Charter Township, while portions of the ZIP Code extend into Frenchtown Charter Township. The Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station is within the Frenchtown portion of the Newport ZIP Code.
  • Pointe aux Peaux is an unincorporated community located near Stony Point along the shores of Lake Erie at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[7]
  • Steiner is a historic community located along a railway line at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[8][9] Steiner contained its own post office from September 7, 1886 to July 31, 1925.[10]
  • Stony Creek is a historic community located along a railway line at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[11][12] Stony Creek contained its own post office very briefly from July 6, 1840 to January 18, 1841.[13][14]
  • Stony Point is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[15]
  • Woodland Beach is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found..[16] While the main community and namesake within the CDP is Woodland Beach, the CDP also includes the lakefront communities of Baycrest Beach, Erie Shores, Grand Beach, and Indian Trails.

History

This area was long occupied by Native Americans, including the historic Potawatomi. They had trading relations with French-Canadians in the area. Frenchtown area reflected the ethnicity of its first European settlers: French Canadians took land along the banks of the River Raisin as early as 1784. There had been other French colonial settlements closer to Detroit and on both sides of the Detroit River. Their descendants are known as Muskrat French. Around the same time, the Sandy Creek Settlement was founded near this by Joseph Porlier Benec.[17] The United States acquired this area, which had been considered part of British Canadian territory after the Treaty of Paris (1783) settling the American Revolutionary War. It was specifically part of state claims (from 1783); the Northwest Territory (1787); Indiana Territory (1803); Michigan Territory (1805); and, finally, the State of Michigan (1837).[18]

During the War of 1812, the area was the site of the Battle of Frenchtown, in which 397 Americans were killed by the coalition of British Army and Native Americans ; this was the highest number of American fatalities of any battle during the war.[19] The battlefield site today is within the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, which was designated in 2009 and falls within the present-day city limits of Monroe.[20][21]

In 1817 that portion of Frenchtown was renamed and incorporated as the village of Monroe, named in honor of President James Monroe's planned visit to the Michigan Territory later that year, and burying the history of the original French-Canadian settlers. In the same year, the village of Monroe was named as the county seat of the newly created Monroe County. Monroe was incorporated as a city in 1837.[22] At that time, the remaining area known as Frenchtown was reorganized as a township, encompassing much of the northern portion of the county: the area from the River Raisin to the Huron River at Wayne County's southern border.[23] Shortly after, the northern portion of the township was broken off to form Ash Township. Later, by 1867, Berlin Charter Township was formed from other territory of the township. In addition the city of Monroe has annexed pieces of the southern portion of Frenchtown several times. As a result, the boundary between the current Frenchtown Charter Township and the city limits of Monroe is jagged.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 43.12 square miles (111.7 km2), of which 41.83 square miles (108.3 km2) is land and 1.30 square miles (3.4 km2) (3.01%) is water.[3]

The township is bordered on the east by Lake Erie, and many of the township's communities are located near the lake. Sterling State Park is located along the southern edge of the township and is the only of state park located on Lake Erie. Small pieces of the township are also organized into the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Frenchtown Township is bordered on the south by the city of Monroe, but a small portion of the southern border touches Monroe Charter Township. Raisinville Township is to the west, and Ash and Berlin Township border on the north. A very small portion of the northwest corner of Frenchtown Township touches Exeter Township. The River Raisin serves as the boundary between Frenchtown and the city of Monroe for a short length near Lake Erie and then again further upstream for a small portion near the Custer Airport. Sandy Creek also runs through the township. Frenchtown Township, as well as the rest of the county's Lake Erie shoreline, is at the lowest elevation in the state of Michigan at 571 feet (174 m) above sea level.

Major highways

  • I-75 runs north through the center of the township with two exits at North Dixie Highway (exit 15) and Nadeau Road (exit 18).
  • I-275 has its southern terminus within the township at the boundary with Berlin Township.
  • US 24 (North Telegraph Road) runs parallel just west of Interstate 75.
  • US 25 Michigan 1948.svg US 25 is a former highway that ran through the township but was replaced with the present-day U.S. Route 24 and M-125 in the early-1970s.
  • M-125 (North Monroe Street) runs through the township before its northern terminus at Telegraph Road.
  • M-130 1948.svg M-130 (North Custer Road) is a former highway that runs briefly through the southwestern portion of the township. It was state highway from 1929–1955.

Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 20,428 people, 7,733 households, and 5,598 families residing in the township. The population density was 493.4 per square mile (190.5/km2). There were 8,244 housing units at an average density of 195.8 per square mile (75.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.51% White, 1.59% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of the population.

There were 7,733 households, out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the township the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $47,699, and the median income for a family was $54,032. Males had a median income of $44,338 versus $25,787 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,335. About 4.9% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Gallery

  • Frenchtown Township Michigan Historical Marker.JPG

    Frenchtown Township historical marker

  • Vivian Library and former town hall Frenchtown Township Michigan.JPG

    Vivian Library and former town hall, 1910

  • Monroe Golf & Country Club Frenchtown Township Michigan.JPG

    Monroe Golf & Country Club, 1919

  • Bluebush Road Library & Fire Station No.3 Frenchtown Township Michigan.JPG

    Bluebush Road Library & Fire Station No. 3

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Frenchtown Charter Township, Michigan
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Detroit Beach
  5. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Golfcrest
  6. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Newport
  7. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pointe aux Peaux
  8. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Steiner, Michigan
  9. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Steiner Station
  10. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Steiner Post Office (historical)
  11. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stony Creek
  12. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stony Creek Station (historical)
  13. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stony Creek Post Office (historical)
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stony Point
  16. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Woodland Beach
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

 Exeter Township Ash Township Berlin Charter Township
Raisinville Township Lake Erie / Point Pelee National Park
  Frenchtown Charter Township  
Monroe Charter Township Monroe Lake Erie / Ohio Put-in-Bay Township, CanadaOntario Pelee
Ohio Put-in-Bay

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