Allendale Charter Township, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Allendale Township, Michigan
Charter township
Allendale Charter Township
Grand Valley State University main campus
Logo
Location within Ottawa County (red) and the administered CDP of Allendale (pink)
Allendale Township, Michigan Location in Michigan Show map of Michigan Allendale Township, Michigan Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Ottawa
Established	1849
Area
• Total	32.05 sq mi (83.01 km2)
• Land	31.13 sq mi (80.63 km2)
• Water	0.92 sq mi (2.38 km2)
Elevation	627 ft (191 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,582
• Density	853.9/sq mi (329.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	49401 (Allendale) 49426 (Hudsonville) 49428 (Jenison)
Area code(s)	616
FIPS code	26-01360
GNIS feature ID	1625822

Allendale Charter Township is a special kind of local government area called a charter township in Ottawa County, Michigan. In 2020, about 26,582 people lived here. Allendale is most famous for being home to the main campus of Grand Valley State University.

Allendale is in the middle of Ottawa County. It shares borders with several other townships. These include Tallmadge, Polkton, Robinson, Blendon, and Georgetown.

History of Allendale

People have lived in the Allendale area for a very long time. The earliest signs show people lived here between 200 BCE and 500 CE. These early people were part of the Hopewell culture, known for their mounds and artwork. When Europeans first arrived, Odawa and Potawatomi people, who spoke the Anishinaabe language, lived here.

The first European to visit Allendale was Pierre Constant. He was a French fur trader who set up a trading post in 1810. This post was for the American Fur Company. The first European to settle here permanently was Richard Roberts from Wales. He bought land in 1842 and built a log cabin. This cabin became known as the Half-way House. It was about halfway between Grand Haven and Grandville. Roberts also started a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, and a store.

In the winter of 1848–49, some settlers met to ask to form an official township. They wanted to call it "Township of Isaac." James Scott wrote the petition, and everyone signed it. A state senator changed the name to "Allandale" after Agnes Allen. She was the first person on the tax list and the widow of Hannibal Allen. Hannibal's father was Ethan Allen, a hero from the American Revolutionary War. Later, the spelling was changed to the current "Allendale." In 1854, the township of Blendon was created from part of Allendale.

Communities in Allendale

Allendale Township does not have any cities or towns inside its borders. However, there are a few communities:

• Allendale is a census-designated place. This means it's an area identified by the census for statistics. It covers the northern two-thirds of the township. Most of the township uses the Allendale ZIP code 49401.
• Conger was a small rural post office in the township. It operated from 1899 to 1907.
• Hudsonville is to the southeast. A small part of southern Allendale Township uses the Hudsonville ZIP code.
• Jenison is also to the southeast. A small area in the southeast corner of Allendale Township uses the Jenison ZIP code 49428.
• Pearline, also called East Allendale, is a small community. It is about one mile east of Allendale on M-45. A post office was here from 1891 to 1908.

Geography of Allendale

Allendale Township covers about 32.2 square miles (83.01 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 31.3 square miles (80.63 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.9 square miles (2.38 square kilometers), is water.

The Grand River forms the northern and eastern edges of the township. Allendale is surrounded by other townships. These include Georgetown to the southeast and Blendon to the south. To the southwest is Olive, and to the west is Robinson. Across the Grand River, you'll find Crockery to the northwest. Polkton is to the north, and Tallmadge is to the east and northeast.

M-45 is a main road that goes east to west through the township. It crosses the Grand River in the eastern part of Allendale. Besides US-31 in Grand Haven, M-45 is one of the few roads that cross the Grand River in Ottawa County.

Climate in Allendale

Allendale has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm to hot summers and cold winters. It's similar to much of the Midwestern United States. Summers can often feel humid.

Allendale gets about 132 inches of precipitation each year. This includes about 33 inches of rain and 82 inches of snow. There are about 162 sunny days each year. The comfort index, which measures humidity in hot months, is 51 out of 100. A higher number means it's more comfortable. The average for the U.S. is 44.

People in Allendale

In 2010, there were 20,708 people living in Allendale Township. There were 3,306 households and 2,294 families. The population density was about 661.6 people per square mile. Most people (93.61%) were White. About 2.68% were African American, and 0.84% were Asian. About 2.88% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In terms of age, 22.3% of the people were under 18. A large group, 39.3%, were between 18 and 24 years old. The average age was 21 years. For every 100 females, there were about 89.3 males. The average income for a household was $48,669. About 11.7% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Education in Allendale

Cook Carillon Tower at Grand Valley State University Allendale campus

Local Schools

Allendale Township has several schools for younger students. These are part of the Allendale Public Schools district.

• Allendale High School
• New Options Alternative High School
• Allendale Middle School
• Oakwood Intermediate School
• Evergreen Elementary
• Allendale Early Childhood Center
• Allendale Christian School

Higher Education

The main campus of Grand Valley State University is located in Allendale. It was started in 1960. The campus covers about 1,237 acres (5 square kilometers). Grand Valley State University is growing quickly. It is adding new buildings all the time. The university is also known as one of the best up-and-coming schools in the Midwest.

Almost 25,000 students attend Grand Valley State University. This includes students at the Allendale campus and two other nearby campuses. The university offers over 200 different subjects to study. This makes it the largest university in the Grand Rapids area.

Parks in Allendale

Allendale Community Park is a 40-acre (0.16 square kilometer) park. It is located near the township office. The park has a Veterans Garden of Honor. This garden honors U.S. soldiers. It has nine statues that represent veterans from different U.S. wars.

One of these statues was put in place in 1998. It shows two soldiers and a young person. This statue has caused some discussion. People have different ideas about what it means and where it should be. In 2020 and 2021, there were discussions about the statue. The Allendale Township Board voted to keep the statue in the park.

Points of Interest

Allendale has several interesting places to visit.

On Campus

These places are located on the Grand Valley State University campus:

• Lubbers Stadium: This is where the Grand Valley State Laker football team plays.
• Cook Carillon Tower: A tall tower with bells that play music.
• The Meadows at Grand Valley State University: A golf course.
• GVSU Fieldhouse: A large sports complex.

Off Campus

These places are located outside the university campus:

• Allendale Township has many student housing complexes. These are homes for students who live off campus. In 2021, there were about 8,000 beds available.
• Grand River: A large river that forms part of the township's border.
• Bass River Recreation Area: A park area near the river.
• Grand River Park: Another park along the Grand River.

Local Media

Allendale has its own local news and entertainment.

Newspapers

• Grand Valley Advance
• Grand Valley Lanthorn

Radio

• WGVU-FM (88.5 FM): This is Grand Valley State University's public radio station. It plays NPR news and jazz music.
• WCKS "The Whale": This is a radio station run by Grand Valley State University students.

Television

• WGVU-TV: This is Grand Valley State University's PBS TV station.
• GVBN: This is a TV station run by Grand Valley State University students.

Transportation

Mass Transit

• The Rapid provides bus service to the Grand Valley State University Allendale campus. The Laker Line connects the Allendale campus to Downtown Grand Rapids. The Rapid also runs shuttle services in Allendale. These shuttles connect to off-campus student housing.

Major Highways

• M-45 (Lake Michigan Drive): This is a main highway that runs through Allendale.

Images for kids

• 

  A statue in Allendale Community Park.

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Allendale (Míchigan) para niños