Delta Charter Township, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charter Township of Delta
Charter township
Seal
Delta Charter Township, Michigan Location in Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Eaton
Settled	1837
Organization	1842
Government
• Type	Supervisor-Board of Trustees
Area
• Total	33.21 sq mi (86.0 km2)
• Land	32.46 sq mi (84.1 km2)
• Water	0.74 sq mi (1.9 km2)
Elevation	860 ft (262 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	33,119
• Density	1,003.6/sq mi (387.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	48917
Area code(s)	517
FIPS code	26-21520
GNIS feature ID	1626175
Website	http://www.deltami.gov/

Delta Charter Township, often called Delta Township, is a special kind of town in Eaton County, Michigan. It's known as a "charter township" because it has a special local government. In 2020, about 33,119 people lived here, making it the biggest town in Eaton County.

Delta Township has its own fire department. The Eaton County Sheriff's Department helps with police work. This township is an important part of the bigger Lansing area.

Exploring Delta Township's Communities

Delta Township is home to several smaller communities. These places have their own history and character.

Delta Mills: A Historic River Spot

Delta Mills is a community in the northern part of the township. It sits right on the Grand River. This area was first settled in 1836. It was planned as "Grand River City" in 1841, but it never became an official city. People started calling it Delta Mills because of a grist mill there and the township's name.

Delta Center: The Township's Original Heart

Delta Center is a community located near the middle of the township. It's found at Canal Street and St. Joseph Highway. This spot was where the first township hall was built in the 1870s. The hall served the community until 1955.

Millett: A Place with History and Nature

Millett is a community in the southwest part of the township. You can find it east of Creyts Road and west of Waverly Road, along Lansing Road. The old Millett School building is here. Also, the former Grand Trunk Western's Millett train station and the Woldumar Nature Center are in this area. A former county sheriff named Silas Millett planned this village in 1874.

Waverly: A Statistical Community

Waverly is a Census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the government uses for counting people and collecting statistics. It is not an official town or city with its own local government. In 2010, about 23,925 people lived in Waverly. This community holds most of the people who live in the more developed parts of Delta Township.

Delta Township's Geography

Delta Township covers about 33.2 square miles (86 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 32.4 square miles (84 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.7 square miles (1.8 square kilometers), is water.

Since 2000, Delta Township has worked with the nearby city of Lansing. They made agreements to temporarily transfer some land to Lansing. These agreements helped build the Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant. They also helped build three auto parts suppliers.

Delta Township's Population Over Time

Population in 2010

In 2010, about 32,408 people lived in Delta Township. There were 14,201 households, which are groups of people living together. The township had about 998 people per square mile (385 people per square kilometer). There were also 15,186 housing units, like houses or apartments.

The people living in the township came from many different backgrounds. About 76.8% were White, 11.6% were African American, and 3.8% were Asian. About 0.5% were Native American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 6.2% of the population.

Getting Around Delta Township

A welcome sign for Delta Charter Township along M-43.

Several major highways pass through Delta Charter Township. These include Interstate 69 (I-69), I-96, and I-496. Saginaw Highway (M-43) is a very important road. Many businesses are located along this highway.

You can also use public transportation in the area. The Eaton County Transportation Authority (EATRAN) and the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) both offer bus services.

For longer trips, Amtrak provides train service in nearby East Lansing. This train line, called the Blue Water, travels between Chicago and Port Huron.

Freight trains also operate in the township. The Canadian National Railway (CN) has a rail yard here. This yard mainly handles goods like automobiles, coal, grain, and lumber for local businesses.