Solon Township, Leelanau County, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Solon Township, Michigan
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| Motto(s):
The Community that Cares
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Location within Leelanau County
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 Solon Township, Leelanau County, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Solon Township, Leelanau County, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| County |  Leelanau |
| Organized | October 1871 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 29.7 sq mi (76.9 km2) |
| • Land | 26.6 sq mi (68.9 km2) |
| • Water | 3.1 sq mi (8.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 610 ft (186 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,562 |
| • Density | 57.9/sq mi (22.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
49621 (Cedar),
49684 (Traverse City) |
| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-74500 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627089 |
Solon Township (pronounced SOH-lən) is a small area in Leelanau County, Michigan, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,562 people lived here. Solon Township is also home to a community called Cedar.
Contents
History of Solon Township
Solon Township was officially created in October 1871.
Communities in Solon Township
Solon Township has a few small communities, each with its own story.
Cedar: A Town Built on Trees
- Cedar is a small community located where four land sections meet. It was started around 1885 by a lumberman named Benjamin Boughey. He called it Cedar City because it was surrounded by many cedar trees.
- A post office, simply named Cedar, opened in 1893. It still serves most of Solon Township today.
- In 1905, the Cedar State Bank opened. It survived the Great Depression but closed later. The building was then used by the local phone company.
- Every July, Cedar hosts the annual Cedar Polka Festival. This fun event started in 1975.
Fouch: A Fishing Spot
- Fouch is another small community found at the southern end of Lake Leelanau. It was named after John R. Fouch, who settled there in 1866.
- In 1893, John Fouch built a hotel for people who came to fish. When the railroad came through, the station on his land was named Fouch.
- Fouch had a post office for a short time in the late 1800s and again as a summer post office in the early 1900s.
- Later, in 1927, the land was bought by Daniel Perrin, who created a summer vacation area called Perrin's Landing.
- Fouch Hill, which is now home to Timberlee Hills, is just south of Fouch.
Solon: Named After Ohio
- Solon is a small community in the middle of the township, near Cedar Run Creek. It was first settled in the 1860s.
- Many of the first settlers came from Solon, Ohio, so they named their new community after their old home.
- A post office operated in Solon from 1870 until 1909.
Traverse City Connection
- The city of Traverse City is located to the east of Solon Township.
- The Traverse City post office also serves parts of southern and eastern Solon Township.
Geography and Climate
Solon Township covers a total area of about 29.7 square miles (76.9 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 26.6 square miles (68.9 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 3.1 square miles (8.0 square kilometers) is water, making up about 10.40% of the township's total area.
Weather in Solon Township
Solon Township has a climate with big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot and can be humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold. This type of weather is known as a humid continental climate.
| Climate data for Solon Township, Leelanau County, Michigan | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 28 (−2) |
31 (−1) |
40 (4) |
55 (13) |
67 (19) |
77 (25) |
81 (27) |
79 (26) |
71 (22) |
59 (15) |
45 (7) |
33 (1) |
56 (13) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16 (−9) |
15 (−9) |
21 (−6) |
32 (0) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
57 (14) |
57 (14) |
50 (10) |
40 (4) |
31 (−1) |
21 (−6) |
36 (2) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.8 (71) |
2 (51) |
2 (51) |
2.7 (69) |
2.8 (71) |
3 (76) |
2.6 (66) |
3.2 (81) |
4.2 (110) |
3.4 (86) |
3.2 (81) |
2.9 (74) |
34.7 (880) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
People of Solon Township
In 2000, there were 1,542 people living in Solon Township. There were 595 households, and 464 of these were families.
Population Details
- About 35.1% of households had children under 18 living with them.
- Most households (66.7%) were married couples living together.
- About 26.5% of the population was under 18 years old.
- The average age of people in the township was 39 years old.
- For every 100 females, there were about 95 males.
