Watersmeet Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Watersmeet Township, Michigan
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Location within Gogebic County (red) and the administered community of Watersmeet (pink)
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 Watersmeet Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Gogebic |
| Area | |
| • Total | 277.8 sq mi (719.5 km2) |
| • Land | 254.8 sq mi (659.8 km2) |
| • Water | 23.1 sq mi (59.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,736 ft (529 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,456 |
| • Density | 5.8/sq mi (2.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49969 (Watersmeet)
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| FIPS code | 26-84380 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627220 |
Watersmeet Township is a special kind of local government area called a civil township. It's located in Gogebic County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 2020, about 1,456 people lived here. A small part of the Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation is also found within Watersmeet Township.
Contents
History of Watersmeet Township
Native American History
The Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation was created by a treaty with the United States in 1854. However, the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa people have lived in this area for a very long time. They have been here since the 1600s! Today, the band runs a fun resort on the reservation. This resort includes a casino and a golf course.
Founding of Watersmeet Community
The community of Watersmeet is located inside the township. It's an unincorporated community, meaning it's not a separate city or town. Watersmeet was officially mapped out in 1884. It started as a station for the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. The community is found near the middle branch of the Ontonagon River. It's also close to where two major highways, U.S. Highway 2 and U.S. Highway 45, meet. You might also hear about the mysterious Lights of Paulding nearby.
Watersmeet Township Schools
The Famous Nimrods Basketball Team
In 2003 and 2004, the boys' high school basketball team from Watersmeet Township School became famous. This school teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The team was featured in a series of commercials on ESPN, a popular sports TV channel. ESPN chose Watersmeet partly because of their unique team nickname: the Nimrods. The commercials had a funny slogan: "Without sports, who would cheer for the Nimrods?" The ads were so popular that the team, their coach, and a very old fan named Dale Jenkins appeared on The Tonight Show in March 2004.
Nimrod Nation Documentary
The township and its Nimrods team were also the focus of an 8-part documentary called Nimrod Nation. This series aired on The Sundance Channel. Filming for the documentary started in September 2005 and finished in June 2006. The famous actor Robert Redford, who helps own the channel, was interested in the documentary. He is known for supporting Native American issues. He was inspired to make the documentary because about half of the students at Watersmeet Township School, including the basketball team, were Native American. The documentary won a Peabody Award in 2007, which is a big honor for TV shows.
School Enrollment Changes
Since the documentary, the township has combined some of its schools. At one point, the high school (grades 9-12) had 78 students. The school system also took in 13 students from the neighboring Marenisco school system. In the 2005-2006 school year, Watersmeet Township High School had a total of 96 students.
Geography and Climate
Area of the Township
Watersmeet Township covers a large area. According to the United States Census Bureau, the total area is about 277.8 square miles (719.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 254.8 square miles (659.8 square kilometers). The rest, about 23.0 square miles (59.7 square kilometers), is water. This means about 8.30% of the township is covered by water.
Local Climate
The climate in Watersmeet is described as a Humid Continental climate. This type of climate is known for having warm summers and cold, snowy winters. It's often abbreviated as Dfb in the Köppen Climate System.
| Climate data for Watersmeet, Michigan | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −6 (21) |
−3 (26) |
2 (36) |
11 (51) |
18 (65) |
23 (74) |
26 (78) |
24 (76) |
19 (66) |
13 (55) |
3 (37) |
−3 (27) |
11 (51) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −17 (1) |
−16 (3) |
−10 (14) |
−3 (27) |
3 (38) |
8 (47) |
12 (53) |
11 (51) |
6 (43) |
1 (34) |
−6 (22) |
−13 (9) |
2 (36) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 41 (1.6) |
28 (1.1) |
43 (1.7) |
58 (2.3) |
89 (3.5) |
100 (4) |
91 (3.6) |
94 (3.7) |
91 (3.6) |
71 (2.8) |
58 (2.3) |
46 (1.8) |
810 (31.9) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Population Information
In the year 2000, a census (a count of people) showed that 1,472 people lived in Watersmeet Township. These people lived in 552 households, and 385 of those were families. By 2020, the population was 1,456 people.
Transportation Options
Indian Trails offers daily bus service for people traveling between St. Ignace and Ironwood, Michigan. This makes it easier for residents to travel to other towns.
