Rudyard Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rudyard Township, Michigan
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| Nickname(s):
"Snowy Owl Capital of Michigan"
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| Motto(s):
Small but Friendly
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Location within Chippewa County
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 Rudyard Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Chippewa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 90.0 sq mi (233.2 km2) |
| • Land | 89.7 sq mi (232.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 676 ft (206 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,289 |
| • Density | 14.316/sq mi (5.527/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49780 (Rudyard)
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| FIPS code | 26-70220 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627015 |
Rudyard Township is a small community in Chippewa County, Michigan. It's a type of local government area called a civil township. In 2020, about 1,289 people lived here.
In 2023, Rudyard Township got a special title. It was named the "Snowy Owl Capital of Michigan." This means it's a great place to see these beautiful white owls.
Contents
Discovering Rudyard's Past
Rudyard is a small town within the township. It's located on M-48, close to I-75. The community was first called "Pine River."
However, there was already another town in Michigan with that name. So, in 1890, the name was changed to Rudyard. The new name was suggested by Frederick Douglas Underwood. He was an executive for the Soo Line Railroad. Mr. Underwood greatly admired a famous writer named Rudyard Kipling.
Rudyard Kipling himself even wrote back to Mr. Underwood. He mentioned the towns named Rudyard and Kipling, Michigan.
Exploring Rudyard's Location and Landscape
Rudyard Township is in the southern part of Chippewa County. This area is on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. To the south, it shares a border with Mackinac County.
Interstate 75 runs through the township. You can get to Rudyard village from Exit 373. From this exit, I-75 goes north about 22 miles to Sault Ste. Marie. It goes south about 29 miles to St. Ignace. St. Ignace is located on the Straits of Mackinac.
The total area of Rudyard Township is about 90 square miles (233.2 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 89.6 square miles (232.2 square kilometers), is land. Only a small part, about 0.4 square miles (1.1 square kilometers), is water.
Rudyard's Climate
Rudyard experiences a climate with cold, snowy winters and warm summers. Here's a look at the average temperatures and precipitation:
| Climate data for Rudyard 5SE, Michigan, 1991–2020 normals: 667ft (203m) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 23.4 (−4.8) |
26.1 (−3.3) |
35.2 (1.8) |
47.6 (8.7) |
62.4 (16.9) |
71.7 (22.1) |
76.2 (24.6) |
75.2 (24.0) |
67.6 (19.8) |
54.0 (12.2) |
40.6 (4.8) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
50.8 (10.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 14.3 (−9.8) |
15.7 (−9.1) |
22.9 (−5.1) |
36.5 (2.5) |
49.7 (9.8) |
58.9 (14.9) |
63.4 (17.4) |
62.5 (16.9) |
55.6 (13.1) |
43.8 (6.6) |
33.1 (0.6) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
39.9 (4.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 5.1 (−14.9) |
5.3 (−14.8) |
10.5 (−11.9) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
37.0 (2.8) |
46.1 (7.8) |
50.6 (10.3) |
49.8 (9.9) |
43.6 (6.4) |
33.5 (0.8) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
14.0 (−10.0) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.13 (54) |
1.60 (41) |
1.88 (48) |
2.93 (74) |
2.68 (68) |
2.94 (75) |
3.25 (83) |
3.52 (89) |
3.73 (95) |
4.40 (112) |
3.13 (80) |
2.38 (60) |
34.57 (879) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 20.8 (53) |
14.7 (37) |
10.3 (26) |
7.7 (20) |
trace | trace | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
trace | 1.0 (2.5) |
11.7 (30) |
17.8 (45) |
84 (213.5) |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS (2012-2020 snowfall) | |||||||||||||
Communities in Rudyard Township
- Dryburg was once a station on the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad. It had its own post office from 1903 until 1943.
People of Rudyard Township
In 2000, about 1,315 people lived in Rudyard Township. Most residents were White, with smaller groups of Native American, African American, and Asian people. Some residents identified as Hispanic or Latino.
About 39.9% of homes had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 2.67 people. The median age in the township was 37 years old.
Famous People from Rudyard
Rudyard Township has been home to some notable individuals:
- Bernice Steadman: An American aviator. She was part of the Mercury 13 group. These women trained to be astronauts in the early days of space travel.
- John Petersen: A talented drummer. He played for popular bands like The Beau Brummels and Harpers Bizarre.
- Gary McDowell: A politician who served as a Michigan State Representative.
