Bennington Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bennington Township, Michigan
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Location within Shiawassee County
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 Bennington Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Bennington Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Shiawassee |
| Established | 1838 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 36.81 sq mi (95.3 km2) |
| • Land | 35.48 sq mi (91.9 km2) |
| Elevation | 823 ft (251 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,119 |
| • Density | 84.732/sq mi (32.715/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 989 |
| FIPS code | 26-07280 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1625913 |
Bennington Township is a local government area in Shiawassee County, Michigan. It is a part of the United States. In 2020, about 3,119 people lived here. Bennington Township is special because it is the exact center of population for the entire state of Michigan. This means if you imagine all the people in Michigan as dots on a map, Bennington Township would be the balancing point.
The township was created in 1838. It got its name from Bennington, Vermont, which was where the first families who settled here came from.
Contents
Communities in Bennington Township
Bennington Township has a few small communities within its borders. These are not separate cities but rather small groups of homes and businesses.
Bennington Community
- Bennington is a small, unnamed community inside the township. You can find it at Bennington and Ruess roads.
Pittsburg Community
- Pittsburg is another small community in the township. It was named after Moses Pitts, who first owned the land where the community grew.
History of Bennington Township
The story of Bennington Township began a long time ago with its first settlers and important events.
First Settlers and Land Purchases
The first people to buy land from the government in this area were Samuel Nichols, Israel Parsons, and Benjamin Powers in 1835. Samuel Nichols was the very first person to actually settle down and live in Bennington.
Early Businesses and Post Offices
The first store in the area was opened by Giles Tucker in a place called Hartwellville. Later, in 1838, Johnathon M. Hartwell took over the store. He was from Norwich, New York.
On February 11, 1841, Johnathon M. Hartwell also became the first postmaster for the Hartwell post office. Another post office opened in Bennington village on December 13, 1848, with Benjamin Davis as its first postmaster.
Township Formation
Bennington Township was officially organized on March 6, 1838. At first, it included the area that would later become Perry Township. Lemuel Castle was the first supervisor of the township. Perry Township became its own separate area on March 15, 1841. A train station was also built in the Bennington community, which helped people travel and transport goods.
Lost Communities
By 1878, there was a small village called Alton in the township. It was located west of Morrice Road on Grand River Trail. However, Alton was later abandoned and became a ghost town. The Hartwell post office closed on January 15, 1901, and Hartwellville was also abandoned. The Bennington post office closed much later, on February 28, 1958.
Geography of Bennington Township
Bennington Township covers a total area of about 36.81 square miles (95.34 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 35.48 square miles (91.89 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 1.33 square miles (3.44 square kilometers), is water. This means about 3.61% of the township is covered by water.
Rivers and Waterways
Two important rivers flow through Bennington Township: the Maple River and the Looking Glass River. These rivers are a key part of the township's natural landscape.
Population and People
In 2010, there were 3,168 people living in Bennington Township. These people lived in 1,252 households, and 906 of these were families.
Population Details
The population was spread out across different age groups:
- About 26.1% of the people were under 18 years old.
- About 9.9% were 65 years old or older.
The average age of people in the township was 38 years.
Most of the people living in Bennington Township were White (97.58%). A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 1.72% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Major Roads
Two main roads are important for getting around Bennington Township and connecting it to other places.
Interstate 69
- I-69 is a major highway that you can reach from exit 105. This exit is about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the township.
Michigan Highway 52
- M-52 is another state highway that runs through or near Bennington Township.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Bennington (Míchigan) para niños
