Manlius Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manlius Township, Michigan
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Township
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C&O Railroad over the Kalamazoo River. Note the two piers closest together. The second pier was a center pivot to allow the bridge to open and boats to pass.
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 Manlius Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Allegan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.9 sq mi (93.1 km2) |
| • Land | 35.2 sq mi (91.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 584 ft (178 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,312 |
| • Density | 94.1/sq mi (36.34/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 26-50840 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626670 |
Manlius Township is a local government area called a civil township in Allegan County, Michigan. It is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 3,312 people lived here.
Contents
History of Manlius Township
Early Trading Post and Township Founding
In 1825, a trading post was set up here. A man named Campau started it to trade with the local Ottawa people. Later, in 1839, Manlius Township was officially created.
The Story of New Richmond
New Richmond is a small community within Manlius Township. It's located near where Old Allegan Road and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway cross the Kalamazoo River. It's also close to where the Rabbit River joins the Kalamazoo.
In 1836, three investors from the east, led by John Allen, planned to build a city here. Allen named the village "Richmond" after his hometown in Virginia. They cleared some land, built a general store, and some houses. A post office called "Richmond" opened in November 1837. However, Allen's business failed in 1838 because of a financial crisis. The post office closed in October 1839.
Ralph R. Mann, who worked for Allen, later moved south in 1844. He built a sawmill powered by water on the river. This new settlement was called "Manlius." A post office opened there in July 1846. It is believed to be named after Manlius, New York.
Manlius was a stop on the Chicago and West Michigan Railway for a while. But it was mostly left empty in 1874 after the mill's dam was destroyed and a local tavern burned down. When the railroad arrived, H. F. Marsh created a new village of Richmond near the older site. This new village grew and eventually took the place of Manlius. In October 1872, the Manlius post office closed. A new one opened called "New Richmond." Over time, the settlement became known as "New Richmond."
Communities in Manlius Township
The city of Fennville is located at the southwest corner of the township. However, it manages itself and is not part of the township's government.
New Richmond Community
New Richmond is an unincorporated community inside Manlius Township. This means it's a recognized place, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or village. It's managed by the township.
Geography of Manlius Township
Manlius Township covers a total area of about 93.1 square kilometers (about 35.9 square miles). Most of this area, 91.1 square kilometers (35.2 square miles), is land. The remaining 2.0 square kilometers (0.8 square miles), which is about 2.14% of the total, is water.
Population and People
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 1,429 | — | |
| 1970 | 1,202 | −15.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,458 | 21.3% | |
| 1990 | 1,776 | 21.8% | |
| 2000 | 2,634 | 48.3% | |
| 2010 | 3,017 | 14.5% | |
| 2020 | 3,312 | 9.8% | |
| Source: Census Bureau. Census 1960- 2000, 2010. | |||
In 2000, there were 2,634 people living in Manlius Township. There were 899 households, and 735 of these were families. The population density was about 74.5 people per square mile.
About 42.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (72.0%) were married couples living together. About 15.2% of all households were made up of single individuals.
The population was quite young, with 31.2% of people under the age of 18. The average age of people in the township was 34 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 106 males.
