Norton Shores, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norton Shores, Michigan
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Location in Muskegon County and the state of Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Muskegon |
| Norton Township | 1845 |
| City of Norton Shores | 1968 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 24.63 sq mi (63.78 km2) |
| • Land | 23.24 sq mi (60.20 km2) |
| • Water | 1.38 sq mi (3.58 km2) |
| Elevation | 614 ft (187 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,030 |
| • Density | 1,076.88/sq mi (415.78/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
49441, 49444, 49456
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| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-59140 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0633743 |
Norton Shores is a city in Muskegon County, located in the state of Michigan in the United States. In 2020, about 25,030 people lived here.
Contents
History of Norton Shores
For hundreds of years, Native American tribes like the Ojibwe, Bodewadmi, and Odawa lived in the wild areas of western Michigan. When people from Europe arrived, they found open spaces in the forests. Native Americans had created these clearings to grow food.
Early Beginnings as Norton Township
Norton Township was first set up in 1845. It was named after Col. Amos Norton, a Canadian who was involved in a rebellion in 1837. At first, Norton Township was part of Ottawa County. It also included areas that are now Fruitport and Sullivan.
In 1855, Spring Lake Township became its own separate area. Also in 1855, a village called Black Lake started in Norton Township. It had a train station and a sawmill. In 1859, Norton Township became part of Muskegon County. In 1860, only 197 people lived in Norton Township.
Growth and Industry
The first sawmill in Norton Township was built in 1847. It was called Robinson's Mill and was located near what is now Mona Lake. In 1850, Ira Porter arrived and started his own sawmill and a fruit farm.
Fruit farming became a very important business in Norton Township. One of the biggest fruit farms belonged to G. N. Cobb. He also ran a factory that made boxes for 15 years, starting in 1869. After the sawmills and box factory closed, people focused on growing fruit. This became a very successful industry. Boats would travel around Mona Lake, picking up crates of berries from different farms. Then, they would take the fruit to Lake Michigan and load it onto large ships going to Chicago.
Becoming a City
In 1894, a summer vacation spot called Hackley Park was created. It was located on Lake Michigan and Mona Lake. This resort was named after Charles Hackley. The name was later shortened to "Hackley."
Norton Township officially became the City of Norton Shores in 1968. This change helped protect the area from being taken over by nearby cities.
Geography and Nature
Norton Shores is located in the southwest part of Muskegon County. To the west, it borders Lake Michigan, a very large freshwater lake. To the south, it touches Ottawa County. The cities of Muskegon, Roosevelt Park, and Muskegon Heights are to the north.
Norton Shores covers about 24.6 square miles (63.78 square kilometers). A small part of this area, about 1.4 square miles (3.58 square kilometers), is water. Mona Lake, also known as Black Lake, is in the northern part of the city. Little Black Lake is in the south.
Hoffmaster State Park is a beautiful park in the western part of the city. It has forests and sand dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Learning Opportunities
The city offers many places for education. Students can attend schools in the Mona Shores Public Schools district. For higher education, there is Muskegon Community College, Baker College, and Grand Valley State University nearby.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 22,271 | — | |
| 1980 | 22,025 | −1.1% | |
| 1990 | 21,755 | −1.2% | |
| 2000 | 22,527 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 23,994 | 6.5% | |
| 2020 | 25,030 | 4.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 23,994 people living in Norton Shores. There were 9,977 households, which are groups of people living together. About 28.5% of these households had children under 18 years old.
The average age of people in the city was 43.3 years. About 22% of residents were under 18. About 17.8% of residents were 65 years old or older.
Climate
Norton Shores has a humid continental climate. This means the area experiences big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are usually warm to hot, and often humid. Winters are cold, and sometimes very cold.
See also
In Spanish: Norton Shores para niños
