Editing Free Soil, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Free Soil, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map            = Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label_position = right<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_label          = Free Soil
|pushpin_map_caption    = 
|pushpin_mapsize        = 
|image_map                = Free Soil (village), MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Mason County, Michigan|Mason County]]

<!-- 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        = [[Mason County, Michigan|Mason]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[Civil township|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Free Soil Township, Michigan|Free Soil]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Incorporated
|established_date         = 1912

<!-- 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_place_26.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=August 24, 2023}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 2.69
|area_land_km2            = 2.69
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.04
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.04
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- 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=1600000US2630600&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Free Soil village, Michigan: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=August 24, 2023}}</ref>
|population_total         = 158
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|population_density_km2   = 58.78
|population_density_sq_mi = 152.22

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 209
|elevation_ft             = 686
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|06|28|N|86|12|57|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 49411
|area_code                = [[Area code 231|231]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-30600<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1617399<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Free Soil''' is a village in [[Mason County, Michigan|Mason County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 158 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/> The village is located within [[Free Soil Township, Michigan|Free Soil Township]].

==History==
The current village is actually the second settlement in Mason County to be named Free Soil.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eZBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u0IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6741%2C3548624 | title=Freesoil village in national forest | work=Ludington Daily News | date=July 11, 1957 | access-date=December 2, 2015 | pages=5}}</ref> There are still a few homes in the area now known as "Old Freesoil".

The railroad was extended to Free Soil around 1882, and the village was incorporated in 1912.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pIxkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5UsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6887%2C7813007 | title=Free Soil gets history write-up | work=Ludington Daily News | date=June 25, 1981 | access-date=December 2, 2015 | pages=4}}</ref> The community derives its name from the [[Free Soil Party]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moyer|first1=Armond|last2=Moyer|first2=Winifred|title=The origins of unusual place-names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89058322223;view=1up;seq=57|year=1958|publisher=Keystone Pub. Associates|page=53}}</ref>

==Geography==
Free Soil is in northern Mason County, {{convert|15|mi}} northeast of [[Ludington, Michigan|Ludington]], the [[county seat]] ({{convert|20|mi}} by road), and {{convert|13|mi}} southeast of [[Manistee, Michigan|Manistee]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|1.04|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/>  The village is close to the intersection of Free Soil and Custer Roads, and the [[Big Sable River]] runs just north of the village limits.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 306
|1920= 210
|1930= 239
|1940= 236
|1950= 208
|1960= 209
|1970= 186
|1980= 212
|1990= 148
|2000= 177
|2010= 144
|2020= 158
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 25, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 144 people, 64 households, and 41 families residing in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|138.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 84 housing units at an average density of {{convert|80.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 95.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.4% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], and 2.8% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]].

There were 64 households, of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.76.

The median age in the village was 44.9 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 to 44; 28.5% were from 45 to 64; and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 177 people, 75 households, and 48 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|171.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 93 housing units at an average density of {{convert|90.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 93.22% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.56% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 3.95% from two or more races.

There were 75 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $27,083, and the median income for a family was $36,000. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,833 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $13,329. About 5.6% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.4% of those 65 or over.

==Education==
Free Soil previously operated a two-building K-12 school district, with the high school closing in 2007 and elementary closing in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.9and10news.com/2013/06/21/free-soil-says-goodbye-to-century-old-school/ |title=Free Soil Says Goodbye to Century Old School |website=www.9and10news.com |date= June 21, 2013|access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref>  The school had been in operation since 1913.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.shorelinemedia.net/ludington_daily_news/archives/free-soil-s-first-graduating-class-had-one-member/article_a61c926f-9dd0-5dfb-9a0d-47fedfa64052.html |title=Free Soil's first graduating class had one member |website=www.shorelinemedia.net |access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Mason County, Michigan}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Mason County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Villages in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1912]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in Michigan]]