Editing Big Rapids Township, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Big Rapids Charter Township
|settlement_type          = [[Charter township]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label            = Big Rapids Township
|pushpin_label_position   = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = 
|pushpin_mapsize          =
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|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Mecosta County, Michigan|Mecosta]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022">{{cite web |title=2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Michigan |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_gaz_cousubs_26.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=September 11, 2023}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_land_km2            = 
|area_water_km2           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 30.90
|area_land_sq_mi          = 30.47
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.43

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US2610708320&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Big Rapids charter township, Michigan: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=September 11, 2023}}</ref>
|population_total         = 3917
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 128.5

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 311
|elevation_ft             = 1020
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|40|50|N|85|29|28|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 49307 ([[Big Rapids, Michigan|Big Rapids]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 231|231]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-107-08320<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1625935<ref name=gnis>{{gnis|1625935}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|bigrapidstownshipmi.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Big Rapids Township''' is a [[charter township]]<ref name=gnis>{{gnis|1625935}}</ref> of [[Mecosta County, Michigan|Mecosta County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the township population was 3,917.<ref name="Census 2020"/>

The city of [[Big Rapids, Michigan|Big Rapids]] is surrounded by the charter township but, like all cities in Michigan, is a completely separate jurisdiction from any townships adjacent to it. But whereas cities, as municipal corporations, can cross county lines, civil and charter townships, as administrative divisions of a county, cannot.

==History==
In February 1858, the Newaygo County Supervisors approved the organization of Green and Leonard townships in the unorganized "paper" county of Mecosta.<ref name=Wood1999>{{cite web |url = https://mecosta.migenweb.org/leonardvillage.html |title = The Village That Time Forgot |work = In The Woods |first = Jim |last = Wood |year = 1999 |access-date = December 11, 2023 |via = MIGenWeb }}{{sps|date=December 2023}}</ref> The Mecosta county government was organized on February 11, 1859, with the village of Leonard as its seat.<ref name=Wood1999 />
The Leonard post office changed its name to Big Rapids on September 29, 1859.<ref name=Wood1999 /> Thus the June 1, 1860, U.S. Federal Census lists inhabitants of '''Leonard Township''', with their post office as "Big Rapids".<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/45182292:7667  |title =Orange Wheeler |work = 1860 United States Federal Census |publisher = National Archives |location = Washington DC |id = Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Leonard, Mecosta, Michigan; Roll: M653_554; Page: 109  |via = Ancestry.com |access-date = December 11, 2023 }}</ref>

In 1865, by act of the Michigan Legislature, the name of Leonard Township was changed to Big Rapids Township.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://bigrapidstownshipmi.gov/town-history/ |title = Town History |publisher = Charter Township of Big Rapids |access-date = December 11, 2023 }}</ref>

==Geography==
The township is in western Mecosta County and is bordered to the west by [[Newaygo County, Michigan|Newaygo County]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|30.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|30.5|sqmi|km2}} are land and {{convert|0.4|sqmi|km2}}, or 1.40%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/> The [[Muskegon River]], a tributary of [[Lake Michigan]], flows southward through the eastern part of the township.

[[U.S. Route 131]], a four-lane freeway, crosses the township, leading north {{convert|41|mi}} to [[Cadillac, Michigan|Cadillac]] and south {{convert|54|mi}} to [[Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 465
|1880= 549
|1890= 655
|1900= 683
|1910= 668
|1920= 601
|1930= 509
|1940= 607
|1950= 698
|1960= 789
|1970= 1687
|1980= 2471
|1990= 3100
|2000= 3249
|2010= 4208
|2020= 3917
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/decennial-publications.html|title=Decennial Census Official Publications|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=September 11, 2023}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,249 people, 1,200 households, and 813 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|105.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,287 housing units at an average density of {{convert|42.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 94.06% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.06% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.91% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.37% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.17% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] residents of any race were 1.02% of the population.

There were 1,200 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the township, 23.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 15.3% was from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% was 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $47,933, and the median income for a family was $60,583. Males had a median income of $38,510 versus $30,893 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $22,761.  About 6.0% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official|www.bigrapidstownshipmi.gov}}

{{Mecosta County, Michigan}}

[[Category:Townships in Mecosta County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Charter townships in Michigan]]