Norman Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norman Township, Michigan
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Township
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 Norman Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Norman Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Manistee |
| Government | |
| • Type | Board of Trustees |
| Area | |
| • Total | 72.3 sq mi (187 km2) |
| • Land | 70.8 sq mi (183 km2) |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (4 km2) |
| Elevation | 781 ft (238 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,567 |
| • Density | 22.1/sq mi (8.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | |
| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-101-57900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626809 |
Norman Township is a special area in Manistee County, located in the state of Michigan in the United States. It's a type of local government area called a civil township. In 2020, about 1,567 people called Norman Township home. It's known for its beautiful natural areas and interesting past.
Contents
Township History
Norman Township was created in 1911. It was named after a man named Ed Norman. Ed was a surveyor who worked with timber, buying, selling, and cutting trees. He moved to the area around 1897. A few years later, E. G. Filer, who owned a lot of timber, donated land for a school. Ed and his wife Elizabeth had 16 children!
At the time, Ed was a supervisor for a nearby area called Stronach Township. He planted poplar trees along the road leading to Filer City. People from a neighboring township weren't happy about it. Residents in this part of Michigan often got what they wanted from Stronach. They thought it would be better to divide the township into smaller parts. Ed gathered about 200 men who were working on the Stronach Dam. They all voted, and their idea won! That's how Norman Township was officially formed in 1911.
Did you know that James Earl Jones, the famous voice of Darth Vader, grew up in Dublin, a community within Norman Township?
Local Communities
Norman Township has no big cities or towns within its borders. Instead, it has two smaller, unincorporated communities. These are places where people live close together, but they don't have their own separate local government like a city or town.
Dublin
Dublin is located in the southern part of the township. It's found deep inside the Manistee National Forest. You can find it near the coordinates 44°10′46″N 85°55′53″W / 44.17944°N 85.93139°W. The main roads here are Seaman Road, Snyder Road, and Hoxeyville Road. Dublin is just a short distance north of Sand Lake Camp, which is a public campground run by the U.S. Forest Service. Part of Dublin also stretches into Lake County. This is because Sand Lake itself is in both counties. As mentioned, the famous actor James Earl Jones was raised on a farm in Dublin by his grandparents.
Wellston
Wellston is another community in the Manistee National Forest. It's just south of M-55, a main highway. Wellston is about 20 miles (32 km) east of Manistee and 29 miles (47 km) west of Cadillac. Its coordinates are 44°13′01″N 85°57′28″W / 44.21694°N 85.95778°W. Key roads include Seaman Road, Bosschem Road, Tippy Dam Road, and M-55. The ZIP code for Wellston is 49689. This ZIP code covers the northern and eastern parts of Norman Township. It also includes parts of Dickson Township to the north and South Branch Township to the east.
Wellston was named after Adelmer J. Wells, who was the first postmaster. The post office officially opened on June 30, 1892. The Swigart Land Company founded the town along the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad. Wellston is also home to Little Mary's Hospitality House. This special place, started in 1982, helps seriously ill children and their families.
Geography and Climate
Norman Township is in the southeast corner of Manistee County. It shares borders with Wexford County to the east, Lake County to the south, and Mason County to the southwest. The township covers a total area of about 72.3 square miles (187.3 km2). Most of this area, about 70.8 square miles (183.4 km2), is land. The rest, about 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2), is water.
The Pine River flows through the township from east to north. It eventually empties into Tippy Reservoir. This reservoir is on the Manistee River, which then continues west all the way to Lake Michigan.
Weather Patterns
Norman Township has a type of weather called a humid continental climate. This means there are big differences in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot, and often feel humid. Winters are cold, and sometimes very cold.
Population Information
Based on the census from 2000, Norman Township had 1,676 people living there. These people lived in 681 households, and 493 of these were families. The population density was about 23.7 people for every square mile (9.1 people per km2). There were also 1,632 housing units, which are places where people can live.
About 26.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households, 60.1%, were married couples living together. About 22.2% of all households were made up of people living alone. The average household had 2.46 people, and the average family had 2.82 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 23.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 17.1% were 65 years or older. The average age of people in the township was 43 years old.
