Athens Township, Michigan
| Athens Township, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| Township | |
 Athens Township
|
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| Coordinates: 42°6′27″N 85°14′1″W / 42.10750°N 85.23361°WCoordinates: 42°6′27″N 85°14′1″W / 42.10750°N 85.23361°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Calhoun |
| Area | |
| • Total | 36.1 sq mi (93.6 km2) |
| • Land | 35.9 sq mi (93.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 873 ft (266 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 2,554 |
| • Density | 71/sq mi (27.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 49011 |
| Area code(s) | 269 |
| FIPS code | 26-03900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1625856 |
Athens Township is a civil township of southwest Calhoun County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Battle Creek. It is part of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 2,554. The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi is based in Athens Township.
Euro-American settlers first came to what would become Athens Township in 1831. Unlike in many other parts of Michigan the Potawatomi people were never fully driven out, although their reservation was dissolved in 1833. The first Athens Township Meeting was held in 1835. As of 1913 there were about 60 Potawatomi residents of Athens Township, out of about 1,500 residents total. Based on the 1910 US census for Athens township and village there were 1,537 residents, of whom five were listed as mulattoes (four of them children of a mulatto mother and white father) and 69 were listed as Indians. Of the 69 Indians, 40 were living in the Indian Village Reservation that at that time existed in Athens Township. At least two of the Indians were Ottawa and not Potawatomi.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.1 square miles (93.6 km2), of which 35.9 square miles (93.1 km2) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km2), or 0.53%, is water.Nottawa Creek and Pine Creek are the largest streams in the township, both flowing generally from northeast to southwest towards the St. Joseph River. Pine Creek joins Nottowa Creek approximately one mile west of the village of Athens.
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,571 people, 956 households, and 738 families residing in the township. The population density was 71.1 per square mile (27.5/km²). There were 1,003 housing units at an average density of 27.7 per square mile (10.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.93% White, 0.19% African American, 1.21% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.
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