Grand Blanc Township, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grand Blanc Township, Michigan
Charter township
Charter Township of Grand Blanc
Seal
Location within Genesee County
Grand Blanc Township, Michigan Location in Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Genesee
Settled	1823
Organized	1833
Area
• Total	32.7 sq mi (84.8 km2)
• Land	32.6 sq mi (84.5 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)  0.37%
Elevation	846 ft (258 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	39,846
• Density	1,218.5/sq mi (469.88/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	48439 (Grand Blanc) 48507 (Flint) 48442 (Holly)
Area code(s)	810
FIPS code	26-33300
GNIS feature ID	1626368

Grand Blanc Township is a special kind of local government area called a charter township in Genesee County, Michigan. In 2020, about 39,846 people lived here. It's grown a bit since 2010. The nearby city of Grand Blanc was actually formed from part of this township. Grand Blanc Township is the biggest suburb of Flint.

Communities in Grand Blanc Township

• Whigville is a small community within the township. You might also hear it called Gibsonville. Signs mark its location along Hill Road, Dort Highway, and Saginaw Street.

History of Grand Blanc Township

Early Settlers and Name Origin

Long ago, the area was home to Chippewa Indians. French traders arrived before 1800 and gave the township its name, "Grand Blanc," which means "Great White" in French. Pioneer families began to settle here later. Jacob Stevens and his family were among the first, arriving in 1823.

Forming the Township Government

Grand Blanc Township was officially organized on March 9, 1833. This makes it the oldest local government unit in Genesee County. When it was first formed, it was much larger, including areas that later became other townships like Atlas, Burton, and Flint. Over time, these other townships became separate.

Growth and Changes Over Time

In 1864, the township center started to grow quickly when the railroad arrived. This railroad is now known as the CSX Saginaw Subdivision.

The city of Grand Blanc, which is a separate government, was created in 1930. In 1939, the township and the city decided to work together to create a joint fire department. Later, in the 1970s, they also teamed up with the school district to form a joint parks and recreation department.

There was an idea to combine the city and township into one big government in 2006, but voters in both areas said no. In 2019, the township decided to end its joint fire department agreement with the city, and the city started its own fire department.

Also in 2019, the township and city decided to end their joint parks and recreation commission. The township took over running the parks department in January 2020.

Geography of Grand Blanc Township

Grand Blanc Township covers about 32.7 square miles (84.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 32.6 square miles (84.5 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.3 square kilometers), is water. A stream called Thread Creek flows through the township from south to north. It eventually joins the Flint River.

People of Grand Blanc Township

In 2000, there were about 29,827 people living in Grand Blanc Township. The population density was about 914 people per square mile.

Most people in the township were White (88.12%). There were also African American (6.70%), Asian (2.51%), Native American (0.39%), and other groups. About 2.09% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average household had 2.50 people, and the average family had 3.02 people. About 33.5% of households had children under 18 living with them.

The median age in the township was 36 years old. This means half the people were younger than 36, and half were older. About 25.5% of the population was under 18.

The median income for a household in the township was about $61,458. This means half the households earned more than this, and half earned less. For families, the median income was $68,220.