Matchwood Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Matchwood Township is a civil township
of Ontonagon County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 115 at the 2000 census
.
The tiny unincorporated community of Matchwood is at 46°33′23"N 89°23′47"W on M-28
about 6 miles west of Ewen and 9 miles east of Bergland. It was named for the Diamond Match Company
, which owned most of the pine
forest it the area. The company founded the settlement in 1888 to provide for logging camps. It received a Post Office in 1889 and was nearly destroyed by a forest fire in 1893. The community was rebuilt, only to be ruined by another fire in 1906. The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway
(now the Soo Line Railroad
) passed through the settlement.
, the township has a total area of 109.5 square miles (283.6 km²), of which, 109.46 square miles (283.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.04%) is water.
of 2000, there were 115 people, 52 households, and 33 families residing in the township. The population density
was 1.1 per square mile (0.4/km²). There were 153 housing units at an average density of 1.4 per square mile (0.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.39% White, and 2.61% from two or more races.
There were 52 households out of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples
living together, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the township the population was spread out with 20.9% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 37.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $18,125, and the median income for a family was $33,125. Males had a median income of $38,333 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $15,190. There were 16.1% of families and 25.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 75.0% of under eighteens and 7.4% of those over 64.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Ontonagon County
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The population was 115 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
The tiny unincorporated community of Matchwood is at 46°33′23"N 89°23′47"W on M-28
M-28 (Michigan highway)
M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
about 6 miles west of Ewen and 9 miles east of Bergland. It was named for the Diamond Match Company
Diamond Match Company
The Diamond Match Company was the largest manufacturer of matches in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Jarden is the current owner of the Diamond brand.-History:...
, which owned most of the pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forest it the area. The company founded the settlement in 1888 to provide for logging camps. It received a Post Office in 1889 and was nearly destroyed by a forest fire in 1893. The community was rebuilt, only to be ruined by another fire in 1906. The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway
Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway
The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway was an American railroad serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lake Superior shoreline of Wisconsin. It provided service from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and St. Ignace, Michigan, westward through Marquette, Michigan to Superior, Wisconsin,...
(now the Soo Line Railroad
Soo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
) passed through the settlement.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 109.5 square miles (283.6 km²), of which, 109.46 square miles (283.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.04%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 115 people, 52 households, and 33 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1.1 per square mile (0.4/km²). There were 153 housing units at an average density of 1.4 per square mile (0.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.39% White, and 2.61% from two or more races.
There were 52 households out of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the township the population was spread out with 20.9% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 37.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $18,125, and the median income for a family was $33,125. Males had a median income of $38,333 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $15,190. There were 16.1% of families and 25.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 75.0% of under eighteens and 7.4% of those over 64.