Watervliet Township, Michigan
| Watervliet Charter Township, Michigan | |
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| Charter township | |
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 Watervliet Charter Township
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| Coordinates: 42°12′0″N 86°15′24″W / 42.20000°N 86.25667°WCoordinates: 42°12′0″N 86°15′24″W / 42.20000°N 86.25667°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Berrien |
| Government | |
| • Supervisor | Dan Hutchins |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.5 sq mi (37.5 km2) |
| • Land | 13.5 sq mi (34.9 km2) |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2) |
| Elevation | 656 ft (200 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,102 |
| • Density | 230/sq mi (88.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 49098 |
| Area code(s) | 269 |
| FIPS code | 26-84520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1627225 |
| Website | www |
Watervliet Charter Township is a charter township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,102 at the 2010 census.
The township originally included the area of Coloma Charter Township, which was separated in 1917. The city of Watervliet is the only incorporated municipality in the township. The Paw Paw River and Paw Paw Lake are prominent features of the township.
The Watervliet area is host to many "summer homes", which has contributed considerably to the local economy as well as increased development.
Interstate 94 crosses east–west through the south of the township with two interchanges, and M-140 runs north–south through the area.
Watervliet Township began as a much larger block of land that included the areas now known as Watervliet Township and Coloma Township. It was a perfect location for industry, with its rolling land of timber and the flowing waters of the Paw Paw River emptying into Lake Michigan at the harbor of St. Joseph. Prior to the formation of Coloma Township in 1917, prosperous sawmills encouraged the formation of the early village of Shingle Diggings, which was followed by the birth of the cities of Coloma and Watervliet.
As timber was cleared, and the early village of Waterford (later called Watervliet) was established, farming of the newly cleared land became a lucrative business in Watervliet Township. Hard working, resourceful men turned harvested land into thriving farms. Harvey Sherwood came to the township in 1870 and became known as the "Apple King of Michigan", with one of the largest orchards in the state. His farm was called Lake View, because of its panoramic view of Sherwood Bay on Paw Paw Lake.
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