Thetford Township, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thetford Township, Michigan
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Location within Genesee County
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 Thetford Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Thetford Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Genesee |
| Settled | 1835 |
| Established | 1842 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 34.66 sq mi (89.77 km2) |
| • Land | 34.55 sq mi (89.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2) |
| Elevation | 781 ft (238 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,640 |
| • Density | 191.58/sq mi (73.97/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | |
| Area code(s) | 810 |
| FIPS code | 26-79460 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627159 |
Thetford Township is a special kind of local government area called a civil township. It's located in Genesee County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 6,640 people lived here. This was a bit less than the 7,049 people counted in 2010.
Contents
Communities in Thetford Township
Thetford Township is home to a few smaller areas that aren't officially separate towns. These are called unincorporated communities.
- Thetford Center is one of these communities. You can find it where Center Road and Vienna Road meet.
- Whitesburg (sometimes spelled Whitesburgh) is another community. It's located on Vassar Road, between Scott Road and Dodge Road. Long ago, Whitesburg had its own post office and even a train station!
History of Thetford Township
Thetford Township has a long history, with different communities growing and changing over time.
Early Settlements and Post Offices
The area saw its first post office, called Pine Run, open on January 15, 1836. This post office later changed its name to Thetford on December 26, 1844.
Another post office, East Thetford, started on December 15, 1855. It was located on Vienna Road. On August 2, 1861, East Thetford Post Office was renamed Thetford Center.
Whitesburgh Post Office opened on March 14, 1866. However, the original Thetford Post Office closed on April 12, 1867.
Over the years, post offices moved and changed names. For example, the Whitesburgh Post Office moved and became Rogersville in Richfield Township on March 28, 1873. Thetford Center Post Office went back to being called East Thetford on June 9, 1873. The Rogersville office returned to Whitesburg for a short time in 1895 before going back to Rogersville in 1897. The Thetford location was re-opened on July 12, 1898.
Eventually, both Thetford post offices closed on August 30, 1902. The Rogersville office also closed on August 30, 1919.
Modern Developments
In 2001, Thetford Township started its own police department. This department was funded by the township's general budget.
A big change for the township happened on November 27, 2017. On this day, Thetford and other nearby towns began receiving water from the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline. This new water source is treated by the Genesee County Drain Commission.
The township's police department also took part in a program that allowed them to get surplus equipment. This program helps police departments get items that are no longer needed by the military.
Geography of Thetford Township
Thetford Township covers a total area of about 34.66 square miles (89.77 km2). Most of this area, about 34.55 square miles (89.48 km2), is land. A small part, about 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) (which is 0.29% of the total), is water.
Population and People
Based on the census from 2000, there were 8,277 people living in Thetford Township. These people lived in 2,975 households, and 2,299 of those were families.
The population was spread out by age:
- 26.9% were under 18 years old.
- 9.0% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 31.4% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 24.7% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 7.9% were 65 years old or older.
The average age of people in the township was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were about 99.8 males.
Education in Thetford Township
Students in Thetford Township attend schools in five different public school districts.
- Most of the township is part of the Clio Area School District, located to the west in Clio.
- Much of the southern part of the township is served by Mount Morris Consolidated Schools, found southwest in Mount Morris.
- A very small section in the southeast corner is part of the Genesee School District.
- Small areas along the eastern border are served by LakeVille Community Schools in Otisville.
