Editing Chikaming Township, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Chikaming Township, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Civil township]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Lake Michigan and the beach, Harbert, Michigan.jpg
|imagesize                = 275
|image_caption            = [[Lake Michigan]] from the beach at Harbert
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = Chikaming Township Seal.png

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map            =Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label_position =top<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_label          =Chikaming Township
|pushpin_map_caption    =Location within the state of Michigan
|pushpin_mapsize        =
|image_map                = Chikaming Township, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Berrien County, Michigan|Berrien County]] (red) and the administered communities of [[Shorewood–Tower Hills–Harbert, Michigan|Shorewood–Tower Hills–Harbert]] (pink)

<!-- 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        = [[Berrien County, Michigan|Berrien]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Supervisor
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Established
|established_date         = 1856

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 57.3
|area_land_km2            = 56.8
|area_water_km2           = 0.5
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_sq_mi         =

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2778
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 195
|elevation_ft             = 640
|coordinates              = {{coord|41|51|54|N|86|38|10|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
|postal_code              = 49115, 49116, 49125, 49128, 49129
|area_code                = [[Area code 269|269]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-15480<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1626076<ref>{{gnis|1626076}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.chikamingtownship.org/|Official website}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Chikaming Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Berrien County, Michigan|Berrien County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the township population was 2,778.<ref name="2020 census">{{cite web |title=Chikaming township, Berrien County, Michigan - Census Bureau Profile |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Chikaming_township,_Berrien_County,_Michigan?g=060XX00US2602115480 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=17 March 2024}}</ref> The township is located in the west central portion of the county. [[Lake Michigan]] lies to the northwest, [[Lake Charter Township, Michigan|Lake Township]] is to the north and northeast, [[Weesaw Township, Michigan|Weesaw Township]] is to the east, [[Three Oaks Township, Michigan|Three Oaks Township]] is to the south, and [[New Buffalo Township, Michigan|New Buffalo Township]] is to the southwest.

==History==
Chikaming Township was established once the [[Miami people#Towns and cities|Miami]] people were deported from their land in Southwest Michigan. Chikaming Township was established in 1856.<ref>Walter Romig, ''Michigan Place Names'', p. 114</ref> Although most traces of native history have been erased from the area, the name "Chikaming" (historically also spelled "Chickaming") is derived from one of the Algonquin languages meaning "lake".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bcgensoc.com/facts.php?sid=3 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313101635/https://bcgensoc.com/facts.php?sid=3 | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 March 2018 | title=Origins - Old Place Names | publisher=Berrien County Genealogical Society | accessdate=13 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ellis|first=Franklin|date=1880|title=History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofberrien00ensi/page/232/mode/2up|location=Philadelphia|publisher=D.W. Ensign & Co|page=232}}</ref>

==Communities==
The unincorporated communities of [[Sawyer, Michigan|Sawyer]], [[Harbert, Michigan|Harbert]], and [[Lakeside, Berrien County, Michigan|Lakeside]] are all within the township, and [[Union Pier, Michigan|Union Pier]] is partially located in both Chikaming and [[New Buffalo Township, Michigan|New Buffalo Township]]. The U.S. Census Bureau recognizes the [[Shorewood-Tower Hills-Harbert, Michigan|Shorewood-Tower Hills-Harbert]] [[census-designated place]] in the northern third of the township for statistical purposes.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|57.3|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|56.8|km2|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.5|km2|disp=flip}}, or 0.83%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2602115480| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212164130/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2602115480| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Chikaming township, Berrien County, Michigan| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=January 10, 2014}}</ref>

[[Interstate 94 in Michigan|Interstate 94]] passes northeast–southwest through the township, parallel to the Lake Michigan shoreline.

[[Warren Woods State Park]] is within the township. The [[Galien River]] flows from northeast to southwest through the township.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|2000= 3678
|2010= 3100
|2020= 2778
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="GR2" /><ref name="Census 2010"/><ref name="2020 census"/>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,678 people, 1,646 households, and 1,097 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|166.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 3,473 housing units at an average density of {{convert|157.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 95.70% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.38% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.30% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.35% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.98% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.95% of the population.

There were 1,646 households, out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the township the population was spread out, with 19.8% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $47,778, and the median income for a family was $53,942. Males had a median income of $37,292 versus $22,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $30,868.  About 2.2% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.chikamingtownship.org/ Chikaming Township official website]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/mi/berr-chickaming.htm Early History of Chikaming Township]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre =Chikaming Township
|North=[[Lake Charter Township, Michigan|Lake Township]] and [[Lake Michigan]]
|Northeast=[[Lake Charter Township, Michigan|Lake Township]]
|East=[[Weesaw Township, Michigan|Weesaw Township]]
|Southeast=[[Weesaw Township, Michigan|Weesaw Township]]
|South=[[New Buffalo Township, Michigan|New Buffalo]] and [[Three Oaks Township, Michigan|Three Oaks]] townships
|Southwest=[[Lake Michigan]] and [[New Buffalo Township, Michigan|New Buffalo Township]]
|West=[[Lake Michigan]]
|Northwest=[[Lake Michigan]]
}}

{{Berrien County, Michigan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Berrien County, Michigan]]
[[Category:1856 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1856]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]