| Official Name: | Norman Township, Michigan |
| Settlement Type: | Township |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Norman Township |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Manistee |
| Government Type: | Board of Trustees |
| Leader Title: | Kevin Schuessler |
| Leader Name: | Supervisor |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 72.3 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 70.8 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 1.5 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 1567 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 22.1 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation M: | 238 |
| Elevation Ft: | 781 |
| Coordinates: | 44.2133°N -85.9539°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Postal Code: | 49689 (Wellston) 49644 (Irons) 49660 (Manistee) |
| Area Code: | 231 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-101-57900[3] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1626809 |
Norman Township is a civil township of Manistee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,567 at the 2020 census.[2]
Norman Township was formed in 1911 and named after Ed Norman. He was a surveyor and estimated, bought and sold timber, cutting a lot of it himself. He located here in about 1897, and in the second year, E. G. Filer, who owned the standing timber, donated the school house. Norman and his wife Elizabeth had 16 children.
During this time Ed was supervisor of Stronach Township. He cut limbs off his poplars at home and planted them along the road to Filer City. Mrs. Norman recalled that there was some criticism about it by a neighboring township. Residents from this section usually got what they wanted at Stronach. They thought it would be better to divide the township. Ed took about 200 men who were working on Stronach Dam over to vote and they won their point. Thus Norman township was formed in 1911.[4]
Dublin is where James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, grew up.
There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. There are two unincorporated communities:
Norman Township occupies the southeast corner of Manistee County and is bordered by Wexford County to the east, Lake County to the south, and Mason County to the southwest. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 72.3sqmi, of which 70.8sqmi are land and 1.5sqmi, or 2.08%, are water.[1] The Pine River crosses the township from east to north, flowing into Tippy Reservoir on the Manistee River, which continues west to Lake Michigan.
This climatic region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Norman Township has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[7]
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,676 people, 681 households, and 493 families residing in the township. The population density was 23.7 per square mile (9.1/km). There were 1,632 housing units at an average density of 23.0 per square mile (8.9/km). The racial makeup of the township was 96.00% White, 0.72% African American, 1.25% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.78% of the population.
There were 681 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the township the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $31,010, and the median income for a family was $35,057. Males had a median income of $33,958 versus $19,688 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,081. About 8.6% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.