Editing Whitefish Township, Michigan

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Whitefish_Township,_MI_community_center.jpg
|imagesize                = 275
|image_caption            = Township Community Center in [[Paradise, Michigan|Paradise]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
||pushpin_map             = Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label            = Whitefish Township
|pushpin_label_position   = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States
|pushpin_mapsize          =
|image_map                = Whitefish Township, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Chippewa County, Michigan|Chippewa 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        = [[Chippewa County, Michigan|Chippewa]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Supervisor
|leader_name              = Frank Lada
|leader_title1            = [[Municipal clerk|Clerk]]
|leader_name1             = Glenn Gomery
|established_title        = Organized
|established_date         = 1888

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_land_km2            = 
|area_water_km2           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 293.64
|area_land_sq_mi          = 241.50
|area_water_sq_mi         = 52.14

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 474
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 1.96

<!-- 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|46|37|17|N|85|05|23|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
|postal_code              = 49728 ([[Chippewa Township, Chippewa County, Michigan|Eckerman]])<br>49748 ([[Hulbert Township, Michigan|Hulbert]])<br>49768 ([[Paradise, Michigan|Paradise]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 906|906]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-86700<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1627260<ref>{{GNIS|1627260}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}
{{Infobox historic site
  | name                    = Whitefish Township<br>Informational Designation
  | image                   = Whitefish_Township,_MI_historic_marker.jpg
  | image_size              = 275
  | caption                 = 
  | location                = 7052 [[M-123 (Michigan highway)|M-123]]<br>[[Paradise, Michigan]] 49768
  | coordinates             = {{coord|46.608171|-85.037948|format=dms|display=inline}}
  | built                   = 
  | architect               = 
  | architecture            = 
  | designation1            = Michigan State Historic Site
  | designation1_date       = March 15, 1990
  }}
'''Whitefish Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Chippewa County, Michigan|Chippewa County]] in the U.S. state of [[Michigan]]. The population was 474 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

With a land area of {{convert|241.50|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, Whitefish Township is the [[List of municipalities in Michigan|sixth-largest municipality]] in the state by land area and among the least-densely populated.  Located along [[Whitefish Bay]] on the shores of [[Lake Superior]], the township contains [[Whitefish Point Light]] and the [[Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum]], as well as portions of [[Tahquamenon Falls State Park]].

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|293.64|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|241.50|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|52.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (17.76%) is water.<ref name="CENS">{{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 = March 23, 2021|page=19 Michigan}}</ref>  Whitefish Township is the [[List of municipalities in Michigan|sixth-largest municipality]] by land area in the state after the townships of [[McMillan Township, Luce County, Michigan|McMillan]], [[Marenisco Township, Michigan|Marenisco]], [[Hiawatha Township, Michigan|Hiawatha]], [[Watersmeet Township, Michigan|Watersmeet]], and [[L'Anse Township, Michigan|L'Anse]].

Whitefish Township occupies the northwest corner of Chippewa County in the [[Upper Peninsula of Michigan|Upper Peninsula]].  It is on the shores of [[Lake Superior]] to the north with [[Whitefish Bay]] to the east.  [[Whitefish Point]] forms the northern tip of the township and also includes [[Vermilion Point]] to the west.  The township of [[Bay Mills Township, Michigan|Bay Mills]], [[Chippewa Township, Chippewa County, Michigan|Chippewa]], and [[Hulbert Township, Michigan|Hulbert]] are to the south and southeast, while McMillan Township in [[Luce County, Michigan|Luce County]] borders to the west.

The mouth of the [[Tahquamenon River]] is within the township.  The eastern portion of [[Tahquamenon Falls State Park]], including the [[Tahquamenon Falls|Lower Tahquamenon Falls]], is within Whitefish Township, while a smaller portion of the state park extends west into McMillan Township.  The township also contains [[Whitefish Point Light]], the [[Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum]], the [[Whitefish Point Bird Observatory]], and the Whitefish Point Unit of the [[Seney National Wildlife Refuge]].

===Major highways===
* {{jct|state=MI|MI|123}} runs south–north through the township before turning east within the community of Paradise.
* [[File:Forest Route 42.svg|24px]] [[Whitefish Bay National Forest Scenic Byway]] (Lake Superior Shoreline Road) enters briefly in the southern portion of the township before having its western terminus at M-123.
==Communities==
*'''[[Emerson, Michigan|Emerson]]''' is an uninhabited [[unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] located within the township at {{coord|46|33|23|N|85|01|45|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|1617545|Emerson, Michigan}}</ref>
*'''[[Paradise, Michigan|Paradise]]''' is an unincorporated community located along [[M-123 (Michigan highway)|M-123]] at {{coord|46|37|39|N|85|02|15|W|}} along the shores of Whitefish Bay.<ref>{{GNIS|1621151|Paradise, Michigan}}</ref>  The Paradise 49768 ZIP Code serves the majority of Whitefish Township.<ref>{{cite web|last=UnitedStatesZipCodes.org|url=https://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/49768/|title=ZIP Code 49768: Paradise|date=2021|accessdate=March 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{google maps |url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Paradise,+MI+49768/@46.6259171,-85.4082662,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x4d49ae0391946b45:0x20e203abd74d8a90!8m2!3d46.6087783!4d-85.2019472 |title = 49768 ZIP Code map |access-date = March 17, 2021 }}</ref>
*'''[[Shelldrake, Michigan|Shelldrake]]''' is an unincorporated community located within the township at {{coord|46|40|40|N|85|02|01|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|637729|Shelldrake, Michigan}}</ref>  
*'''Snug Harbor''' is an unincorporated community located along the Tahquamenon River at {{coord|46.5552972|-85.0698123|format=dms}}.<ref>{{GNIS|1621667|Snug Harbor, Michigan}}</ref>
*'''Timberlost''' is an unincorporated community located along the Tahquamenon River at {{coord|46.5614060|-85.1706558|format=dms}}.<ref>{{GNIS|1614871|Timberlost, Michigan}}</ref>  
*''' Vermilion''' is an uninhabited unincorporated community and located at {{coord|46|45|47|N|85|08|56|W}} in the northern portion of the township at [[Vermilion Point]] along the shores of Lake Superior.<ref>{{GNIS|1621667|Vermilion, Michigan}}</ref>  The remote area was only previously surveyed until the Vermilion Lifesaving Station began operation in 1877.  The small community grew to include mainly the servicemen at the station and their families.  A post office in Vermilion was in operation from May 23, 1896 to October 31, 1922.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=571}}  When the station was closed in 1944, the community was abandoned.  Only one original station structure exists along with several recently restored structures.<ref>{{cite web|last=U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association|url=https://uslife-savingservice.org/station/endangered-stations/vermilion-life-saving-station-1876-station-only-paradise-mi/|title=Vermilion Point Life-Saving Station (1876 Station only) Paradise, MI|accessdate=March 20, 2021}}</ref>
*'''Whitefish Landing''' is an unincorporated community located along the Tahquamenon River just upstream from Timberlost at {{coord|46.5519612|-85.1717667|format=dms}}.<ref>{{GNIS|1617941|Whitefish Landing, Michigan}}</ref> 
*'''Whitefish Point''' is an unincorporated community located at {{coord|46|46|14|N|84|57|24|W|}} at the northern end of the township near [[Whitefish Point]].<ref>{{GNIS|1615545|Whitefish Point, Michigan}}</ref>  The [[Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum]], [[Whitefish Point Bird Observatory]] and [[Whitefish Point Light]] are located in Whitefish Point. The community was settled in 1871 and had its own post office from September 24, 1877 to February 15, 1974.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=599}}  While the post office is no longer in operation, it was listed as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979.<ref>{{cite web|last=MichMarkers.com|url=http://www.michmarkers.com/default?page=L0724|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126234927/http://michmarkers.com/default?page=L0724|url-status=usurped|archive-date=November 26, 2020|title=Post Office: Registered Site L0724|date=2021|accessdate=March 23, 2021}}</ref>

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 588 people, 285 households, and 196 families residing in the township. By 2020, its population was 474.

==Images==
<gallery widths="220" heights="125">
File:Paradise, Michigan.JPG|{{center|Unincorporated community of [[Paradise, Michigan|Paradise]]}}
File:Whitefish_Lighthouse.JPG|{{center|[[Whitefish Point Light]]}}
File:Tahquamenon Lower Falls - 51143432695.jpg|{{center|[[Tahquamenon Falls|Lower Tahquamenon Falls]]}}
</gallery>

==References==
{{Commons}}
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book |first1=Walter |last1=Romig |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities  |type=Paperback  |orig-date= 1973 |date=October 1, 1986 |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |isbn = 978-0-8143-1838-6 |location=Detroit, Michigan| pages=181, 571, 599}}

{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Whitefish Township
| North     = ''[[Lake Superior]]''
| Northeast = 
| East      = ''[[Whitefish Bay]]''<br>[[Bay Mills Township, Michigan|Bay Mills Township]]
| South     = [[Hulbert Township, Michigan|Hulbert Township]]
| Southeast = [[Chippewa Township, Chippewa County, Michigan|Chippewa Township]]
| Southwest = 
| West      = [[McMillan Township, Luce County, Michigan|McMillan Township]]<br>([[Luce County, Michigan|Luce County]])
| Northwest = 
}}
{{Chippewa County, Michigan}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Chippewa County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]
[[Category:Michigan populated places on Lake Superior]]
[[Category:1888 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1888]]
[[Category:Michigan State Historic Sites in Chippewa County]]