Mellen Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mellen Township, Michigan
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Location within Menominee County and the state of Michigan
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 Mellen Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Mellen Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Menominee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 31.4 sq mi (81 km2) |
| • Land | 30.8 sq mi (80 km2) |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (2 km2) |
| Elevation | 699 ft (213 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,109 |
| • Density | 36.0/sq mi (13.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | |
| Area code(s) | 906 |
| FIPS code | 26-109-52860 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626718 |
Mellen Township is a community located in Menominee County, in the state of Michigan, United States. It is a type of local government area called a civil township. In 2020, about 1,109 people lived here. The township was named after an early settler, Mellen Smith (1829–1905). He was the first postmaster in the nearby community of Wallace.
Contents
Geography of Mellen Township
Mellen Township is found in the southern part of Menominee County. To its west, you'll find the Menominee River. Across this river is Marinette County in the state of Wisconsin.
Travel and Roads in Mellen Township
U.S. Route 41 is a main road that goes through the township. If you travel south on this road, you will reach Menominee. This city is about 15 miles (24 km) away and is the main town for the county. If you go north on U.S. Route 41, you will reach Powers, which is about 26 miles (42 km) away.
Land and Water Areas
The United States Census Bureau says that Mellen Township covers a total area of 31.4 square miles (81.3 km²). Most of this area, about 30.8 square miles (79.8 km²), is land. The rest, about 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), is water. This means about 1.80% of the township is covered by water.
Communities in Mellen Township
Mellen Township is home to a couple of smaller communities. These are places where people live, but they don't have their own separate local governments.
Ingalls Community
Ingalls is one of these communities. It is located along U.S. Highway 41. Ingalls is about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of another community called Stephenson. Ingalls has its own post office with the ZIP code 49848.
Wallace Community
Wallace is another community in Mellen Township. It is about 15 miles (24 km) north of Menominee on US Highway 41. Wallace is a small village with several businesses. You can find the DeYoung Family Zoo here, which is a fun place to visit. There is also a used-car dealership, a tavern, a lumber yard, and a post office. Other businesses include an ice maker, wood businesses, a grocery market, and a service station.
Churches and Schools in Wallace
Wallace has three churches: the Country Bible Church (which is non-denominational), a Covenant Church, and a Lutheran church. The Mellen Elementary School is also located in Wallace, serving the younger students in the area.
History of Wallace
Wallace was first known as "Wallace's Siding." This name came from Wallace Sutherland (1858–1890), who worked at the railroad depot. Later, the name was shortened to "Wallace" when the post office opened in 1877. On April 12, 1931, a big fire happened in Wallace. This fire unfortunately destroyed most of the village. Wallace also has a post office with the ZIP code 49893.
Population of Mellen Township
The number of people living in Mellen Township has changed over the years.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,022 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,062 | 3.9% | |
| 1920 | 808 | −23.9% | |
| 1930 | 753 | −6.8% | |
| 1940 | 865 | 14.9% | |
| 1950 | 878 | 1.5% | |
| 1960 | 800 | −8.9% | |
| 1970 | 822 | 2.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,159 | 41.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,183 | 2.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,260 | 6.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,150 | −8.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,109 | −3.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In the year 2000, there were 1,260 people living in the township. These people made up 520 households, and 368 of those were families. By the year 2020, the population had changed to 1,109 people.
Notable People from Mellen Township
- John Noppenberg was an American football player who came from Mellen Township.
