Onota Township, Michigan

The former village of Onota, Michigan is located several miles to the east in Alger County.

"Rock River, Michigan" redirects here; Rock River Township, Michigan is adjacent to the south of Onota Township.

Onota Township, Michigan
—  Township  —
Onota Township, Michigan Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 46°28′37″N 86°59′24″W / 46.47694°N 86.99°W / 46.47694; -86.99Coordinates: 46°28′37″N 86°59′24″W / 46.47694°N 86.99°W / 46.47694; -86.99
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Alger
Area
– Total	96.1 sq mi (249.0 km2)
– Land	88.0 sq mi (227.9 km2)
– Water	8.1 sq mi (21.1 km2)
Elevation	748 ft (228 m)
Population (2000)
– Total	310
– Density	3.5/sq mi (1.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	49806 (Au Train), 49825 (Eben Junction), 49822 (Deerton), 49885 (Skandia)
FIPS code	26-60820[1]
GNIS feature ID	1626850[2]

Onota Township is a civil township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 310.

Communities

There are no incorporated municipalities in the township.

• Deerton is an unincorporated community at 46°28′28″N 87°02′31″W / 46.47444°N 87.04194°W / 46.47444; -87.04194 (Deerton, Michigan).^[3] Deerton began as a station on the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad in 1882. A post office has been in operation there since 1922.^[4] The Deerton ZIP Code, 49822, serves the western part of the township, as well as a portion of western Chocolay Township and northwestern Rock River Township.^[5]
• Rock River is an unincorporated community on M-28 near the mouth of the Rock River at 46°27′50″N 86°54′48″W / 46.46389°N 86.91333°W / 46.46389; -86.91333 (Rock River, Michigan)^[6] This is distinct from Rock River Township, which is adjacent to the south of Onota Township. The settlement was a station on the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad in 1882 at charcoal kilns near the mouth of the Rock River.^[7] A post office was established on February 20, 1886 with John H. Johnson as its first postmaster. The office closed on May 25, 1898, but was restored on October 19, 1898, and continued to operate until June 15, 1906. Various locations along the Rock River have been given this name.^[4][8]
• Sand River is an unincorporated community on M-28 near the mouth of the Sand River at 46°29′26″N 87°06′57″W / 46.49056°N 87.11583°W / 46.49056; -87.11583 (Sand River, Michigan)^[9] The community is on the western boundary of the township and is partially in Chocolay Township in Marquette County. It began as a station on the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad in 1882. A post office named Sand River was established in Alger County on March 14, 1891, with Charles A. Hazen as its first postmaster. The office was transferred to Marquette County on September 12, 1908 and closed on December 31, 1911.^[4] From 1904 through 1908 it was a Winter post office.^[10]
• Tyoga was a former post office and a station on the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway at 46°29′40″N 87°02′35″W / 46.49444°N 87.04306°W / 46.49444; -87.04306 (Tyoga, Michigan). The settlement formed around the mill and general store of the Tyoga Lumber Company. A post office was established on February 15, 1906, with John W. Bailey as postmaster. The office closed on July 31, 1907.^[4][11]
• Au Train is to the east and the Au Train ZIP code, 49806, serves eastern and northern portions of the township.^[12]
• Skandia is to the southwest and the Skandia ZIP code, 49885, serves southern and central areas of the township.^[13]
• Eben Junction is to the south and the Eben Junction ZIP code, 49825, serves as small area in the southern part of the township.^[14]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 96.1 square miles (249 km²), of which, 88.0 square miles (228 km²) of it is land and 8.1 square miles (21 km²) of it (8.47%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 310 people, 146 households, and 100 families residing in the township. The population density was 3.5 per square mile (1.4/km²). There were 373 housing units at an average density of 4.2 per square mile (1.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.06% White and 1.94% Native American. 20.2% were of German, 13.3% Finnish, 12.4% Irish, 9.2% Polish, 5.5% English, 5.5% French Canadian and 5.0% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 146 households out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 2.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.50.

In the township the population was spread out with 14.2% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 38.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 50 years. For every 100 females there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $44,500. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $22,188 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,267. About 3.8% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Onota Township, Michigan
3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Deerton, Michigan
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X. 
5. ^ 49822 5-Digit ZCTA, 498 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
6. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rock River, Michigan
7. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Old Charcoal Kilns Ruins (historical)
8. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rock River Post Office (historical)
9. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sand River, Michigan
10. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sand River Post Office (historical)
11. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tyoga Post Office (historical)
12. ^ 49806 5-Digit ZCTA, 498 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
13. ^ 49885 5-Digit ZCTA, 498 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census
14. ^ 49825 5-Digit ZCTA, 498 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census