Garfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garfield Township, Michigan
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Charter township
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| Charter Township of Garfield | |
Garfield Township Hall near Traverse City
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Location within Grand Traverse County
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 Garfield Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| County |  Grand Traverse |
| Organized | 1853 (Traverse Township) |
| Renamed | 1882 |
| Named for | James A. Garfield |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.7 sq mi (71.7 km2) |
| • Land | 26.7 sq mi (69.1 km2) |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 702 ft (214 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 19,499 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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20,032 |
| • Density | 730/sq mi (282/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49684, 49685, 49686, 49696 (Traverse City)
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| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-31580 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626337 |
Garfield Township, also known as the Charter Township of Garfield, is a special kind of town area in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. In 2020, about 19,499 people lived here.
Garfield Township is the biggest town area in Northern Lower Michigan when you look at how many people live there. It's mostly a suburban area, meaning it's close to a bigger city, Traverse City. It is one of four special "charter townships" in the Traverse City metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Garfield Township
The first two town areas in Grand Traverse County were set up in 1853. The Old Mission Peninsula became Peninsula Township. The rest of the county, including Traverse City, was called Traverse Township.
In 1882, Traverse Township was renamed to honor James A. Garfield. He was a president who had recently passed away. In 1977, Garfield Township became a "charter township." This means it has more local control over its government.
Geography of the Township
Garfield Township covers about 27.7 square miles (71.7 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 26.7 square miles (69.1 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 1.0 square mile (2.5 square kilometers) is water.
The Boardman River flows through the eastern part of the township. It runs from south to north. Silver Lake, the township's biggest lake, is in the southwest. It is shared with Blair Township to the south.
Two train tracks for the Great Lakes Central Railroad also run through the eastern part of the township. They follow along the Boardman River.
Neighboring Areas
Garfield Township shares borders with several other townships and one city. All these townships are in Grand Traverse County, unless noted.
- Elmwood Charter Township, in Leelanau County (to the north)
- Traverse City (to the northeast)
- East Bay Charter Township (to the east)
- Blair Township (to the south)
- Green Lake Township (to the southwest)
- Long Lake Charter Township (to the west)
Getting Around Garfield Township
There are several important roads and services that help people travel in and out of Garfield Township.
Main Roads
US 31 is a major road that goes north and south. It runs close to Lake Michigan. In Garfield Township, this road has many businesses along it.
M-37 runs along the same path as US 31 in Garfield Township. South of the county, M-37 goes further inland.
M-72 is a road that goes east and west in the northern part of the township. It forms much of the border with Leelanau County. This road crosses the entire Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
Bus Service
The Bay Area Transportation Authority (BETA) provides bus services. These buses connect Garfield Township with the larger Traverse City area. There are three main bus routes: the City Loop, Bayline, and Village Loop. They help people travel between Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.
Air Travel
Cherry Capital Airport is very close to Garfield Township, located within Traverse City. This airport offers flights all year round. You can fly to major cities like Detroit and Chicago O'Hare.
Communities in Garfield Township
Garfield Township includes a few smaller communities:
- Brookside (44°44′32″N 85°38′48.28″W / 44.74222°N 85.6467444°W) is a small community located just outside Traverse City.
- Kratochvil's Plat was once a resort community. It was on the northwest shore of Silver Lake. Its location was at 44°42′41.3″N 85°41′20″W / 44.711472°N 85.68889°W.
- The city of Traverse City is right next to Garfield Township. Before it became its own city, Traverse City was actually part of Garfield Township.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 986 | — | |
| 1910 | 932 | −5.5% | |
| 1920 | 726 | −22.1% | |
| 1930 | 696 | −4.1% | |
| 1940 | 970 | 39.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,676 | 72.8% | |
| 1960 | 2,595 | 54.8% | |
| 1970 | 4,917 | 89.5% | |
| 1980 | 8,747 | 77.9% | |
| 1990 | 10,516 | 20.2% | |
| 2000 | 13,840 | 31.6% | |
| 2010 | 16,256 | 17.5% | |
| 2020 | 19,499 | 19.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 20,032 | 23.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 16,256 people living in Garfield Township. There were 7,367 households, which are groups of people living together. The population density was about 609 people per square mile.
About 22.3% of households had children under 18. Many households were married couples living together. The average household had 2.16 people. The average family had 2.83 people.
The median age in the township was 43 years old. This means half the people were older than 43, and half were younger.
Education in Garfield Township
The Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) system serves all of Garfield Township. Students in the eastern part of the township go to Traverse City Central High School. Students in the western part go to Traverse City West Senior High School. Traverse City West Senior High School is located within Garfield Township itself.
TCAPS also runs two other schools in the township. These are Traverse City West Middle School and Silver Lake Elementary School.
