Oronoko Charter Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Oronoko Charter Township is a charter township
of Berrien County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. The population was 9,843 at the 2000 census
.
The Village of Berrien Springs
is the only incorporated municipality within the township. Much of the eastern portion of the township is considered to be part of the Berrien Springs urban area. The western portion is primarily agricultural.
The township was organized on March 11, 1837 from a portion of Berrien Township
. Oronoko initially included what is now Lake Township, which was organized in 1846. Originally, portions of both Oronoko and Berrien townships were on either side of the St. Joseph River
and at the time, a large portion of the village of Berrien Springs was in Berrien Township, even though it was on the other side of the river from most of the township. In 1847, the river was made the dividing line between the townships.
There are several accounts given for the name of the township. One is that it was named by Governor Stevens T. Mason
after the Indian Chief named "Oronoko". However, apart from this story, there is no record that there ever was such a chief. Another is that it is a variant spelling of Orinoco
, the name of a South American river that was adopted with various spellings in other states besides Michigan: Oronoco
, Minnesota
and Oronoque
, Kansas
. Others believe the township was named after the literary character Oroonoko
, which was also derived from the South American river. A final possibility suggested by Vogel is that the name was taken from a variety of tobacco known as oronoco, orinoko, or oronooka.
Andrews University
(Seventh-day Adventist
) is located in the township.
forms the eastern boundary of the township. Berrien Charter Township
lies across the river directly to the east and Sodus Township
to the north and northeast. Buchanan Township is to the south, Baroda Township
to the west, and Royalton Township
to the north,
U.S. Highway 31 passes through the eastern corner of the township.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the township has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.5 square miles (84.2 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (2.52%) is water.
of 2000, there were 9,843 people, 3,295 households, and 2,303 families residing in the township. The population density
was 302.5 per square mile (116.8/km²). There were 3,545 housing units at an average density of 109.0 per square mile (42.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 66.54% White, 17.48% African American, 0.40% Native American, 7.03% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 4.38% from other races
, and 3.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.53% of the population.
There were 3,295 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 18.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $35,980, and the median income for a family was $45,998. Males had a median income of $36,341 versus $26,330 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,904. About 9.9% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.
Charter township
A charter township is a form of local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. Townships in Michigan are organized governments. A charter township is a township that has been granted a charter, which allows it certain rights and responsibilities of home rule that are generally intermediary in...
of Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
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 9,843 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 Village of Berrien Springs
Berrien Springs, Michigan
Berrien Springs is a village in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,862 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Oronoko Charter Township. Berrien Springs is best known for its Seventh-day Adventist community and Andrews University...
is the only incorporated municipality within the township. Much of the eastern portion of the township is considered to be part of the Berrien Springs urban area. The western portion is primarily agricultural.
The township was organized on March 11, 1837 from a portion of Berrien Township
Berrien Charter Township, Michigan
Berrien Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,075.- Communities :...
. Oronoko initially included what is now Lake Township, which was organized in 1846. Originally, portions of both Oronoko and Berrien townships were on either side of the St. Joseph River
St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
and at the time, a large portion of the village of Berrien Springs was in Berrien Township, even though it was on the other side of the river from most of the township. In 1847, the river was made the dividing line between the townships.
There are several accounts given for the name of the township. One is that it was named by Governor Stevens T. Mason
Stevens T. Mason
Stevens Thomson Mason , also known as Stevens T. Mason, Tom Mason, The Boy Governor, and lesser known nicknames Young Hotspur and The Stripling, was the territorial governor of the Michigan Territory, and later the first Governor of the state of Michigan. Mason guided the Michigan Territory into...
after the Indian Chief named "Oronoko". However, apart from this story, there is no record that there ever was such a chief. Another is that it is a variant spelling of Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
, the name of a South American river that was adopted with various spellings in other states besides Michigan: Oronoco
Oronoco, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 883 people, 335 households, and 253 families residing in the city. The population density was 482.8 people per square mile . There were 343 housing units at an average density of 187.6 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and Oronoque
Oronoque, Kansas
Oronoque is a tiny community in Norton County in the U.S. state of Kansas. Virgil Vogel, in Indian Names in Michigan refers to Oronoque as a variant spelling of Orinoco, the name of a South American river that was adopted with various spellings in other states: Oronoko Charter Township, Michigan...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Others believe the township was named after the literary character Oroonoko
Oroonoko
Oroonoko is a short work of prose fiction by Aphra Behn , published in 1688, concerning the love of its hero, an enslaved African in Surinam in the 1660s, and the author's own experiences in the new South American colony....
, which was also derived from the South American river. A final possibility suggested by Vogel is that the name was taken from a variety of tobacco known as oronoco, orinoko, or oronooka.
Andrews University
Andrews University
Andrews University is a Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College in Battle Creek, Michigan, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists, and is the flagship university of the Seventh-day...
(Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
) is located in the township.
Geography
The St. Joseph RiverSt. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)
The St. Joseph River is a river, approximately long, in southern Michigan and northern Indiana in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Michigan...
forms the eastern boundary of the township. Berrien Charter Township
Berrien Charter Township, Michigan
Berrien Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,075.- Communities :...
lies across the river directly to the east and Sodus Township
Sodus Township, Michigan
Sodus Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,139 at the 2000 census. There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. The unincorporated community of Sodus in the northwest of the township is its main settlement; the portion of...
to the north and northeast. Buchanan Township is to the south, Baroda Township
Baroda Township, Michigan
Baroda Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,880....
to the west, and Royalton Township
Royalton Township, Michigan
Royalton Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan, a few miles southeast of the city of St. Joseph. The population was 3,888 at the 2000 census. There are no incorporated municipalities in the township, but portions are considered to be part of the Benton...
to the north,
U.S. Highway 31 passes through the eastern corner of the township.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.5 square miles (84.2 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (2.52%) 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 9,843 people, 3,295 households, and 2,303 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 302.5 per square mile (116.8/km²). There were 3,545 housing units at an average density of 109.0 per square mile (42.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 66.54% White, 17.48% African American, 0.40% Native American, 7.03% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 4.38% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.53% of the population.
There were 3,295 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% 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, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 18.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $35,980, and the median income for a family was $45,998. Males had a median income of $36,341 versus $26,330 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 $16,904. About 9.9% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.