Columbus Township, St. Clair County, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Columbus Township, Michigan
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Columbus Township Hall
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Location within St. Clair County
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 Columbus Township, St. Clair County, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | St. Clair |
| Organized | 1849 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 37.2 sq mi (96.4 km2) |
| • Land | 37.1 sq mi (96.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,112 |
| • Density | 110.54/sq mi (42.656/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
48063
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| Area code(s) | 810 |
| FIPS code | 26-17520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626123 |
Columbus Township is a local government area in St. Clair County, which is part of the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 4,112 people lived here.
Contents
Communities in Columbus Township
Columbus Township is home to a few smaller communities. These are often called "unincorporated communities" because they don't have their own separate local government like a city or village.
- Belle River is a small community. You can find it on Gratiot Road, a bit southwest of where it crosses the Belle River. It's about 17 miles southwest of Port Huron.
- Columbus is another community located in the northeast part of the township. It's on Rattle Run Road, between the areas of Rattle Run and Memphis. This community is about 13 miles southwest of Port Huron. The ZIP code for this area is 48063.
- Snyderville is a community on Gratiot Road. It's less than two miles northeast of Belle River. Snyderville is about 15 miles southwest of Port Huron.
Geography of Columbus Township
Columbus Township covers an area of about 37.2 square miles (96.4 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 37.1 square miles (96.1 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.4 square kilometers), is water.
The Belle River flows through the township. It also has two smaller streams that feed into it: Gillett Drain and Dawson Drain.
History of Columbus Township
The story of Columbus Township began to unfold with the creation of the Fort Gratiot Turnpike in 1832. This road is now known as Gratiot Road. Its construction helped people settle in the area.
Columbus Township was officially set up as a township on March 11, 1837. It was named after the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus. Theodore Bethey was the very first leader, or "supervisor," of the township.
In 1839, the Grand Trunk Western Railroad opened a small train station in the area. A very famous person, Thomas Edison, had his first job here in 1859. When he was just 12 years old, he worked as a newsboy on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad line that ran between Port Huron and Detroit. Later, in 1992, an old train station from 1900 was moved from Hickey to the nearby community of Richmond.
The population of Columbus Township has grown over the years. In 1845, there were 315 people. By 1880, the population had grown to 1,327. In 2000, it reached 4,615 people.
Parks in Columbus Township
Columbus Township has two parks where people can enjoy the outdoors.
- Columbus County Park is a large park, covering 385 acres. It stretches across the Belle River. This park is a great place for many activities like fishing, hunting, hiking, sledding, kayaking, and horseback riding. It also has a lodge. The money to buy this park, over $2.2 million, came from a special grant called the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.
- The township's other park is a smaller roadside park. It's located on Gratiot Avenue, right next to the Belle River.
