Portage Charter Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Portage Township, Michigan
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Charter township
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| Charter Township of Portage | |
Location within Houghton County
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 Portage Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Houghton |
| Established | 1849 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 116.6 sq mi (301.9 km2) |
| • Land | 112.1 sq mi (290.3 km2) |
| • Water | 4.5 sq mi (11.6 km2) |
| Elevation | 896 ft (273 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,189 |
| • Density | 27.358/sq mi (10.563/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 906 |
| FIPS code | 26-65540 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626925 |
Portage Charter Township is a special kind of local government area in Houghton County, Michigan. It's called a "charter township" because it has more powers than a regular township. In 2020, about 3,189 people lived here. The city of Houghton is right next to the northern part of the township. Portage Lake forms the eastern edge in the north. The township stretches far south from Houghton, all the way to the Baraga County line.
Contents
Exploring Portage Township
Portage Township is a large area with different communities. It was first established in 1849. A "township" is a type of local government that helps manage services for the people living there.
Communities in Portage Township
Portage Township is home to several smaller communities. These are places where people live, but they don't have their own separate city governments.
- Askel is a small community within the township.
- Dakota Heights is another small community. It's actually separated from the rest of the township by the city of Houghton.
- Dodgeville is a community that is also recognized as a "census-designated place." This means the government counts its population separately for official records.
- Elo was founded in 1900. It used to have its own post office from 1908 until 1957.
- Hurontown is another community and census-designated place in the township.
- Isle Royale Location is a community in the township.
- Pilgrim is a small community here.
- Superior Location is also a community in the township.
- Tapiola is a community located near Otter Lake within the township.
Where is Portage Township? (Geography)
Portage Township covers a total area of about 301.9 square kilometers (or 116.6 square miles). Most of this area is land, about 290.3 square kilometers (112.1 square miles). The rest, about 11.6 square kilometers (4.5 square miles), is water. This water includes parts of Portage Lake, which is an important feature of the area.
Who Lives in Portage Township? (Population)
As of the 2020 census, there were 3,189 people living in Portage Charter Township. The township is a mix of different backgrounds. Many residents have Finnish, German, English, French, and Italian family histories.
