Pine Grove Township, Michigan Explained
| Official Name: | Pine Grove Township, Michigan |
| Settlement Type: | Township |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Michigan |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Van Buren |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 90.7 |
| Area Land Km2: | 89.2 |
| Area Water Km2: | 1.5 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 35.0 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 34.4 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.6 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 2994 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation M: | 284 |
| Elevation Ft: | 932 |
| Coordinates: | 42.3714°N -85.8211°W |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-64280[1] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1626904 |
Pine Grove Township is a civil township of Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,994 at the 2020 census.[2]
Communities
- The city of Gobles straddles the western boundary of the township with Bloomingdale Township, but as a city, it is administratively autonomous of both townships.
- Kendall is an unincorporated community and the township seat. It is located between sections 22 and 27 at . The ZIP Code is 49062. It is named for Lucius B. Kendall, who settled there in 1864 and built up a successful company producing Barrel staves from the surrounding oak forests with a steam saw-mill. In 1870, Kendall was a principal player in pushing for the construction of a railroad line between Kalamazoo and South Haven through the town, which became a station on the South Haven division of the Michigan Central Railroad. A post office was also established in 1870, in which Kendall and his associates platted the village of Kendall.[3] [4] The Panic of 1873 ruined many of the businesses in town, causing a decline in population from a high of about 400 to about 250 in 1880.
- Mentha is a ghost town, formerly known as a major source for peppermint for the production of mint oil by the company of Albert M. Todd. It was located at .
- North Lake is an unincorporated community at 42.3333°N -85.8194°W on the boundary with Almena Township.
- Pine Grove Mills is a small settlement about a mile east of Gobles. It was platted February 4, 1870, receiving a post office in 1857 with David D. Wise as postmaster. Now a private residence, the post office still stands today. The railroad extension from Kalamazoo reached Pine Grove Mills on January 10, 1870. The first buildings were simple log cabins, often with dirt floors. The first framed dwelling was erected in 1856 by Wise, Merrill & Co. and was used for housing their employees. Lumber was the main industry in this locality, with farming supplanting it within the first few decades. Prominent early settlers include Daniel B. Brown, David Wise, Benjamin Deputy, David O. Everest and Chauncey Wise.
The Kal-Haven Trail runs through the township on a generally east–west line, going through Mentha, Kendall, Pine Grove Mills and Gobles.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35sqmi, of which 34.4sqmi is land and 0.6sqmi (1.63%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,773 people, 1,018 households, and 778 families residing in the township. The population density was 80.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,123 housing units at an average density of 32.6sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the township was 96.21% White, 1.01% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.61% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.
There were 1,018 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.9% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the township the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $47,060, and the median income for a family was $52,788. Males had a median income of $38,828 versus $25,179 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,270. About 2.3% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Notes and References
- Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
- Web site: Explore Census Data . 2024-04-26 . data.census.gov.
- Book: Ellis, Franklin . History of Berrien and Van Buren counties, Michigan . 1880 . 2008-04-25 . 2005 . University of Michigan Library . Ann Arbor, Mich. . 524 . Township of Pine Grove . http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;rgn=full%20text;idno=ARH7541.0001.001;didno=ARH7541.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000775 .
- Book: Rowland, Oran W. . A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests . 1912 . 2008-04-25 . 2005 . University of Michigan Library . Ann Arbor, Mich. . 597. s.v. Pine Grove, Kendall, and Mentha . http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;rgn=full%20text;idno=BAD1051.0001.001;didno=BAD1051.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000637 .
