Stanton Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stanton Township, Michigan
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Redridge Steel Dam on the Salmon Trout River
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Location within Houghton County
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 Stanton Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Stanton Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Houghton |
| Established | 1902 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 123.6 sq mi (320.0 km2) |
| • Land | 122.3 sq mi (316.8 km2) |
| • Water | 1.2 sq mi (3.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 863 ft (263 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,590 |
| • Density | 10.4/sq mi (4.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 906 |
| FIPS code | 26-76200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627121 |
Stanton Township is a special place in Houghton County, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It's a "civil township," which is like a local government area that helps manage things for the people living there. In 2020, about 1,590 people called Stanton Township home.
One of the most interesting facts about Stanton Township is that it has the highest number of people with Finnish family backgrounds in the entire United States. Almost half of the people living there have Finnish ancestry!
Contents
Exploring Stanton Township's Geography
Stanton Township covers a large area. Most of it is land, but a small part is water. According to the United States Census Bureau, the total area is about 123.6 square miles (320.0 square kilometers). Of this, 122.3 square miles (316.8 square kilometers) is land, and 1.2 square miles (3.2 square kilometers) is water.
Discovering Communities in Stanton Township
Stanton Township is home to several small communities. Many of these are "unincorporated communities," meaning they don't have their own separate local government like a city or village. Instead, they are part of the larger township.
Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is an unincorporated community. It was once an important center for the Trimountain Mining Company. This company was supported by people from Boston, so the settlement was named after the Beacon Hill neighborhood there. It even had a train station on the Copper Range Railroad.
Craig Roy
Craig Roy was planned to be a village in 1903, but it never fully developed into one.
Coles Creek
Coles Creek is a community that is partly in Stanton Township and partly in the nearby Adams Township.
Edgemere
Edgemere is a small hamlet located near Redridge and Beacon Hill. It was where the copper stamp mill for the Adventure Mine and Adventure Mining Company was located. A stamp mill was a place where copper ore was crushed to get the valuable metal out.
Freda
Freda is another unincorporated community in the township. It was the location of the Champion stamp mill, which also processed copper.
Liminga
Liminga is an unincorporated community in Stanton Township.
Obenhoff
Obenhoff is an unincorporated community in Stanton Township.
Onnela
Onnela is an unincorporated community with a special name. "Onnela" is a Finnish word that means "a place of happiness." The first settler, Iisakki Tolonen, arrived here from Finland in 1886. Other Finnish settlers joined him a couple of years later.
Oskar
Oskar is an unincorporated community named after Oskar Eliasson, a Finnish man who became very successful in the charcoal business. He was the first postmaster for this settlement.
Redridge
Redridge is an unincorporated community known for the Redridge Steel Dam. This dam is a famous landmark in the area. Redridge was also the site of the Atlantic and Baltic stamp mills, where copper was processed.
Schmidt Corner
Schmidt Corner is an unincorporated community in the township.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
Stanton Township offers a great place for outdoor activities.
North Canal Township Park
The North Canal Township Park is located at the northern end of the Keweenaw Canal. It's right across from McLain State Park, offering beautiful views and opportunities for recreation.
People and Heritage in Stanton Township
Stanton Township has a unique population, especially known for its strong Finnish heritage.
Ancestry and Languages
As of the 2000 census, about 1,268 people lived in the township. The community is very diverse, with many different backgrounds.
Here's a look at the largest ancestries reported in 2000:
| Largest ancestries (2000) | Percent |
|---|---|
Finnish  |
46.9% |
German  |
10.9% |
English  |
8.4% |
Irish  |
6.3% |
French  |
4.8% |
Swedish  |
4.0% |
American  |
2.9% |
Norwegian  |
2.5% |
Most people in Stanton Township speak only English at home. However, a notable number of residents also speak Finnish.
Here's a look at the languages spoken at home in 2000:
| Languages (2000) | Percent |
|---|---|
| Spoke only English at home | 81.99% |
| Spoke Finnish at home | 6.40% |
| Spoke German at home | 0.88% |
| Spoke Spanish at home | 0.70% |
| Spoke English "not well" or "not at all." | 0.76% |
The median age in the township was 38 years old. This means half the population was younger than 38 and half was older.
