Banks Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Banks Township, Michigan
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Location within Antrim County (red) and the administered village of Ellsworth (pink)
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 Banks Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Banks Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Antrim |
| Established | 1898 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 51.2 sq mi (132.7 km2) |
| • Land | 44.9 sq mi (116.4 km2) |
| • Water | 6.3 sq mi (16.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 735 ft (224 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,588 |
| • Density | 30.994/sq mi (11.967/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-05240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1625881 |
Banks Township is a special area in Antrim County, located in the state of Michigan. It's like a local government area, also known as a civil township. In 2020, about 1,588 people lived here. The township was officially started in 1898.
Contents
Exploring Banks Township
Banks Township is home to a few interesting communities. Each has its own unique story.
Past Communities
Some communities in Banks Township were active for a while but are no longer major settlements.
Antrim City
Antrim City was a small town right on the shores of Lake Michigan. It started around 1861 when a company called Wood, Pearl and Company began shipping things. A post office was open here from 1862 until 1882. The people who started the company later moved their business to Norwood, Michigan.
Essex
Essex was another community in Banks Township. It was mainly a place for lumbering, which means cutting down trees for wood. Essex had its own post office from 1900 to 1904.
Current Communities
These communities are still active parts of Banks Township today.
Atwood
Atwood is a small, unincorporated community. This means it's not officially a city or village, but it's a recognized place where people live. It's located where country road C-48 meets US 31. Atwood was once a lumber town and had a post office from 1868 to 1905.
In 1931, Atwood became famous across the country. Many buildings, like a church, stores, and homes, were very close to US 31. To make things safer, these buildings were moved back about 50 feet from the highway.
Atwood is also the birthplace of a famous writer named Rex Beach. He wrote a well-known novel called The Spoilers in 1906. This book was made into a movie five times! Some famous actors like Gary Cooper and John Wayne starred in these movies.
Ellsworth
Ellsworth is a village located on the eastern side of Banks Township. It's a central part of the township.
Geography of the Township
Banks Township covers a total area of about 132.7 square kilometers (which is about 51.2 square miles). Most of this area is land, about 116.4 square kilometers (44.9 square miles). The rest is water, making up about 16.3 square kilometers (6.3 square miles). This means about 12.30% of the township is covered by water.
People of Banks Township
In the year 2000, there were 1,813 people living in Banks Township. There were 675 households, and 517 of these were families. The average household had about 2.63 people, and the average family had about 3.00 people.
The people in the township were of different ages. About 28.3% were under 18 years old. The median age, which is the middle age of all the people, was 39 years old.
The average income for a household in the township was $41,500. For families, the average income was $46,250.
