Editing Gerrish Township, Michigan

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Gerrish Township, Michigan.jpg
|imagesize                = 275
|image_caption            = Gerrish Township Municipal Building 
|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 = Gerrish Township
|pushpin_map_caption    =Location within the state of Michigan
|pushpin_mapsize        =
|image_map                = Gerrish Township, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Roscommon County, Michigan|Roscommon County]] 
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

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

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Supervisor
|leader_name              = David Udy
|leader_title1            = [[Municipal clerk|Clerk]]
|leader_name1             = Kathleen Patchin
|established_title        = Organized
|established_date         = 1880

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_land_km2            = 
|area_water_km2           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 37.23
|area_land_sq_mi          = 27.60
|area_water_sq_mi         = 9.63

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2796
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 101.3

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 353
|elevation_ft             = 1158
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|28|05|N|84|41|06|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
|postal_code              = 48653 ([[Roscommon, Michigan|Roscommon]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 989|989]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-31960<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              = 1626348<ref>{{gnis|1626348}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.gerrishtownship.org/|Official website}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
{{Infobox historic site
  | name = Gerrish Township<br>Informational Site
  | image = 
  | image_size = 
  | caption = 
  | location= 2997 E. Higgins Lake Drive<br>[[Roscommon, Michigan]]
  | coordinates = {{coord|44|27|28|N|84|39|50|W}}
  | locmapin = 
  | map_caption = 
  | architecture = 
  | built = 
  | added =
  | area =
  | governing_body = 
  | designation1 = Michigan State Historic Site
  | designation1_date = December 12, 1979
}}
'''Gerrish Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Roscommon County, Michigan|Roscommon County]] in the U.S. state of [[Michigan]]. The population was 2,796 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==Communities==
*'''Sharps Corner''' is an [[unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] located near [[South Higgins Lake State Park]] along the township line with [[Markey Township, Michigan|Markey Township]] at {{coord|44|25|16|N|84|41|01|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|637675|Sharps Corner, Michigan}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|37.23|sqmi|km2|2}}, of which {{convert|27.60|sqmi|km2|2}} is land and {{convert|9.63|sqmi|km2|2}} (25.87%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-24.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019111423/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-24.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-19 |url-status=live|format=PDF |title=Michigan: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing | date = September 2012|publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]]| work = [[2010 United States Census]]| accessdate = April 12, 2020|page=39 Michigan}}</ref>

Gerrish Township has a long coastline and mostly surrounds [[Higgins Lake]] and the much smaller [[Marl Lake]], as well as most of the boundaries of [[South Higgins Lake State Park]].  The [[Cut River (Roscommon County, Michigan)|Cut River]] begins at Higgins Lake within Gerrish Township and flows south through [[Markey Township, Michigan|Markey Township]] to [[Houghton Lake (Michigan)|Houghton Lake]].

==History==
The location started as the Gerrish Logging Camp. On April 5, 1880, at the camp, area residents met and elected officers for their newly formed township. The first Township Supervisor was James Watson (1880, 1883-1889). The longest serving Township Supervisor was Wiley E. Sims (1901-1905, 1921-1928). As originally platted, the township included present-day Gerrish, Lyon, and Markey townships. In 1920, the boundary line was reestablished to its present lines. The second permanent town hall was built in 1970.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,072 people, 1,343 households, and 957 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|111.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 3,366 housing units at an average density of {{convert|121.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 98.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.33% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.29% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.10% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.16% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.72% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.62% of the population.

There were 1,343 households, out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the township the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $37,147, and the median income for a family was $46,469. Males had a median income of $41,542 versus $23,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $19,877.  About 5.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.gerrishtownship.org/ Gerrish Township home page]
*[http://www.hlrcc.com/ Higgins Lake/Roscommon Chamber of Commerce]

{{Roscommon County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Roscommon County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]
[[Category:1880 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1880]]