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66-573: Peninsula Township is a civil township of Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan . The township had a population of 6,068 at the 2020 census , an increase from 5,433 at the 2010 census . Peninsula Township is coterminous with the Old Mission Peninsula , which projects about 17 miles (27 km) north from its base in Traverse City into Grand Traverse Bay , an arm of Lake Michigan . The peninsula divides

132-542: A bay of Lake Michigan . The peninsula separates Grand Traverse Bay into its West Arm and East Arm. Additionally, the peninsula is adjacent to Bowers Harbor and Old Mission Harbor, smaller inlets of the West Arm and East Arm, respectively. At its widest, the peninsula is only about 3.25 miles shore-to-shore (5.23 kilometers). Unlike the rest of mainland Grand Traverse County, the Old Mission Peninsula, like

198-545: A 1 mi (1.6 km) macadam road. He even ran for the state senate in 1900 at the urging of the Detroit Wheelmen bicycle club. The legislature set up a state reward system for highways and created the State Highway Department with an office of Highway Commissioner. Earle was appointed by Governor Aaron Bliss . This appointment and department were voided when the attorney general ruled

264-461: A household in the township was $ 66,019, and the median income for a family was $ 82,426. Males had a median income of $ 52,750 versus $ 34,620 for females. The per capita income for the township was $ 40,753. About 1.1% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 0.3% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over. There are eleven wineries on the Old Mission Peninsula . The Old Mission Peninsula sits close to

330-435: A name in the form " Name Township". In both documents and conversation, "town" and "township" are used interchangeably. Minnesota townships can be either Non-Urban or Urban (giving the township government greater power), but this is not reflected in the township's name. In Ohio , a city or village is overlaid onto a township unless it withdraws by establishing a paper township . Where the paper township does not extend to

396-538: A permanent village, with 5 log buildings as well as several wigwams at the settlement. By 1850 the settlement had grown to a considerable size, and the schooner Arrow was making weekly trips to the mission from Mackinaw City . In 1851, a post office was established in Grand Traverse, with W.R. Stone as first postmaster. This was the only official post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region, indeed

462-574: A small island in the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. The settlement at Old Mission was the first community founded by Europeans in the Grand Traverse Bay region, as a duty of the federal government under the Treaty of Washington (1836) . It was founded in May 1839 by Rev. Peter Dougherty and Rev. John Fleming. They had spent the winter on Mackinac Island , and founded a Presbyterian mission at

528-483: A state. For example, townships in the northern part of Illinois are active in providing public services—such as road maintenance, after-school care, and senior services—whereas townships in southern Illinois frequently delegate these services to the county. Most townships in Illinois also provide services such as snow removal, senior transportation, and emergency services to households residing in unincorporated parts of

594-531: A substantial number of men of the tribe to canoe across the bay to join the visitors for a multi-day parlay. The mission had peaceful relations with native residents in the surrounding area. The settlement was originally known as Grand Traverse . In June 1839 Henry Schoolcraft arrived at the mission in a small vessel and helped found a school there. By 1841 a seasonal village that was important for sheltering tribal members during trading expeditions, hunts, fishing endeavors, and gathering nearby wild rice had grown to

660-504: Is divided into townships as mandated since the North Carolina Constitution of 1868. Some urbanized counties such as Mecklenburg County ( Charlotte ) now number their townships (e.g. "Township 12") rather than using names. Townships all over the state used to have some official organization and duties but now are only considered ceremonial divisions of each county. Township names are still used quite extensively at

726-852: Is no government per se at the township level in North Carolina, and there are no elected or appointed offices associated with townships. In 2015 Utah created a form of civil township called a metro township . While each metro township has a mayor and township council, and manage a budget, and cannot be annexed without its permission, its powers of taxation are limited, and must contract with other municipalities or municipal shared-service districts for most municipal services (police, for example). The five metro townships—all located in Salt Lake County —are Kearns , Magna , Copperton , Emigration Canyon and White City . As of 2012, there were 16,360 organized town or township governments in

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792-575: Is organized into seven regions statewide and a series of divisions and bureaus that report through two chief officers to the department director. The chief administrative officer oversees the sections of the department related to aviation and aeronautics, finances, transportation planning and human resources. The chief operations officers supervises the seven regional offices, and the divisions devoted to highway research, design and construction. The offices devoted to communications, passenger transportation and business and economic affairs report to director of

858-471: Is similar, in that it is a form of municipal government equal in status to a village , town , borough , or city , and provides similar services to a Pennsylvania township, and varies in size from one-tenth ( Shrewsbury Twp. ) to one hundred ( Jackson Twp. ) square miles. In the Southern U.S. , outside cities and towns there is generally no local government other than the county. Arkansas townships are

924-538: Is subdivided into counties, which are subdivided into cities and towns—except for New York City , whose five coextensive counties for state government purposes are municipal boroughs for city government purposes ( Bronx County/The Bronx , Kings County/Brooklyn , New York County/Manhattan , Queens County/Queens , and Richmond County/Staten Island ). As in New England, the term "town" equates to "township" in most other states. Additionally, New Yorkers colloquially use

990-403: Is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. North Carolina is no exception to that rule, but it does have townships as minor geographical subdivisions of counties, including both unincorporated territory and also land within the bounds of incorporated cities and towns (as well as the extraterritorial jurisdiction of municipalities). Every county

1056-434: The 45th parallel , a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes. The two Grand Traverse Bays provide the ideal maritime climate and the rich soil does the rest. Northern Michigan specializes in growing white grapes and is known for its Rieslings which grow well in the summer months and late fall which Traverse City is known for. Every October the wineries host a harvest fest. Some Riesling grapes are spared being picked in

1122-703: The Detroit Industrial Expressway in 11 months so workers could get to the Ford Motor Company 's bomber plant at Willow Run . When the Interstate Highway System was created in the late 1950s, Michigan modified existing freeway plans to fit the Interstate standards. In the 1960s nearly 1,000 mi (2,000 km) of freeways were built at an average pace of one new mile every three to four days. Michigan

1188-522: The Fisher Freeway (I-75) . This bridge was 8,367 ft (2,550 m) long and 115 ft (35 m) high. The adoption of the 1963 Constitution reorganized the department. No longer would the highway commissioner be elected. Instead, a six-member commission appointed by the governor and headed day to day by a department director initial appointed by the commission. The new commission would also have jurisdiction over "such other public works of

1254-532: The Governor of Michigan with the advice and consent of the Michigan Senate . The Constitution of Michigan requires that no more than three members be from the same political party. The Michigan Aeronautics Commission is charged with creating rules regarding airports, related facilities and pilot training. It is composed of five gubernatorial appointees and 4 department head representatives. MDOT

1320-542: The Michigan State Legislature to form a State Highway Commission in 1892. Another law in 1893 allowed voters in each county to establish county road commissions. The attention of Michigan residents was turned to the good-roads movement by Horatio S. Earle , the first state highway commission. In 1900 he organized the first International Road Congress in Port Huron and even put together a tour of

1386-499: The U.S. Postal Service , in consultation with Albert Tracy Lay, a founding father of Traverse City , decided to rename the post office at Grand Traverse to " Old Mission " and named the post office at the Boardman River from "Grand Traverse City" to "Traverse City", as the former was too long a name per post office guidelines. In 1853, Peninsula Township was organized as one of Grand Traverse County's first two townships ,

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1452-470: The maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island ) in 1749 in the form of townships controlled by a court of quarter sessions , a system that had characterized local government in Britain and Virginia. This court had both administrative and judicial functions, and took over most responsibilities of local government, including the appointment of necessary officers. A form of direct democracy

1518-462: The 20th century, many townships also added a township administrator or supervisor to the officers as an executive for the board. In some cases, townships run local libraries , senior citizen services, youth services, disabled citizen services, cemetery services, besides emergency assistance. In some states, a township and a municipality that is coterminous with that township may wholly or partially consolidate their operations. Depending on

1584-546: The Grand Traverse Bay into an East Arm and West Arm. The peninsula is well known for its cherry harvest and viticulture , and is included in the Old Mission Peninsula AVA , a federally recognized viticultural region . At the northern tip of the peninsula is Mission Point Light , which lies just south of the 45th parallel north . Also included within Peninsula Township is Power Island ,

1650-719: The Michigan State Highway Commission with the Michigan State Transportation Commission. By 1983, the department director became appointed by the state governor. The Michigan State Transportation Commission establishes policy for the Michigan Department of Transportation as they relate to transportation programs, facilities, and developments. The Michigan State Transportation Commission is composed of six members, serving three-year terms, appointed by

1716-580: The boundaries of a town that provide additional government services not provided by their parent town, such as sewage, fire, law enforcement, garbage collection, public facilities, water and building code enforcement. In Vermont, most current cities were actually former villages that broke off from their parent town. Connecticut has boroughs and non-consolidated cities, although these communities are not as autonomous as villages in New York and Vermont, and today there are only eight non-consolidated boroughs (plus

1782-502: The city limits, property owners pay taxes for both the township and municipality, though these overlaps are sometimes overlooked by mistake. Ten other states also allow townships and municipalities to overlap. In Kansas , some civil townships provide services such as road maintenance and fire protection services not provided by the county. In New England and New York , states are generally subdivided into towns and cities, which are municipalities that provide most local services. With

1848-431: The community of Groton Long Point ) and one non-consolidated city. A Pennsylvania township is a unit of local government, responsible for services such as police departments, local road and street maintenance . It acts the same as a city or borough . Townships were established based on convenient geographical boundaries and vary in size from six to fifty-two square miles (10–135 km ). A New Jersey township

1914-491: The counties for road funding starting in 1932 and road crews made of "reliefers". The federal aid money was split between the highway department and the welfare department. The county welfare agencies supplied workers on road construction projects across the state. Roadside parks and travel information centers debuted in the 1930s as well. During World War II the department built the Willow Run Expressway and

1980-840: The county government level in North Carolina as a way of determining and dividing up areas for administrative purposes; primarily for collecting county taxes, determining fire districts (e.g. Lebanon Township in Durham County gives its name to the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department ), for real estate purposes such as categorizing land deeds, land surveys and other real estate documents, and for voter registration purposes. In most areas of North Carolina that are outside any municipal limit (outside cities or towns), townships are used to determine voter polling places, and in most instances county election boards divide up their voter precincts by township. However, there

2046-650: The county. The townships in Illinois each have a township board, whose board members were formerly called township trustees , and a single township supervisor. In contrast, civil townships in Indiana are operated in a relatively consistent manner statewide and tend to be well organized, with each served by a single township trustee and a three-member board. Civil townships in these states are generally not incorporated , and nearby cities may annex land in adjoining townships with relative ease. In Michigan, however, general law townships are corporate entities (e.g. they can be

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2112-533: The department acquired the Ann Arbor Railroad . The acquisition included right-of-way from Ashley to Cadillac and from Ann Arbor to Toledo, Ohio . At the time, the department gained the rolling stock of the railroad in the first such purchase by the department. The name of the department was later shortened to the current form in 1978. In November 1978, Michigan voters approved Proposal M, which, in addition to allocating gas tax revenues, replaced

2178-658: The department. The Mackinac Bridge Authority coordinates its activities to maintain the Mackinac Bridge as an independent agency through the department director. The International Bridge Administration (IBA) is the arm of the department responsible to the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority. That authority maintains the International Bridge . The IBA reports to the chief administrative officer. The Bureau of Aeronautics and Freight Services carries out

2244-463: The divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the U.S. census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city

2310-861: The enforcement of the Commission's rules. It has three divisions: Airports Division, Aviation Services, and Freight Services. The bureau, along with the Passenger Transportation Bureau, was formed out of the Multi-Modal Transportation Services Bureau in 2006. The Airports Division runs development programs for airports which includes planning, design safety evaluation and construction. Additionally, this division licenses airports, flight schools, aircraft, and aircraft dealers and inspects airports. Seminars for pilots are run to keep license pilots up to date on current procedures. Mike Trout oversees

2376-579: The exception of a few remote areas of New Hampshire and Vermont and about half of Maine , all of New England lies within the borders of an incorporated municipality. New England has counties, though in southern New England, they are strictly used as dividing lines for judicial systems and statistical purposes, while in northern New England, they often handle other limited functions, such as law enforcement, education and some public facilities in addition to judicial systems. New England also has cities , most of which are towns whose residents have voted to replace

2442-615: The exception of the Mackinac Bridge . Other responsibilities that fall under MDOT's mandate include airports, shipping and rail in Michigan. The predecessor to today's MDOT was the Michigan State Highway Department ( MSHD ) that was formed on July 1, 1905 after a constitutional amendment was approved that year. The first activities of the department were to distribute rewards payments to local units of government for road construction and maintenance. In 1913,

2508-479: The fall to be picked when they freeze, from which Ice Wine is made. Civil township Township functions are generally overseen by a governing board (the name varies from state to state) and a clerk, trustee, or mayor (in New Jersey and the metro townships of Utah ). Township officers frequently include justice of the peace , road commissioner , assessor , constable , in addition to surveyor . In

2574-474: The following 21 states: There were 29 states without organized town or township governments as of 2012: The provinces of Eastern Canada have, or have had, divisions that are analogous to the townships of the United States. Ontario and Quebec continue to have townships that subdivide their respective counties. Local government was introduced into Nova Scotia (which at the time also included

2640-452: The gas tax in 1927. Highway construction in the 1920s earned Michigan national attention. The first trunklline completed in concrete was M-16 (later part of US 16 ). The road was built to a standard of 20 ft (6.1 m) and between 7–9 in (17.8–22.9 cm) thick. The current standard at the time was 16 ft (4.9 m) wide and 6 in (15.2 cm) thick. The 1920s were also busy for Michigan highways as Michigan developed

2706-568: The landmass known as the Old Mission Peninsula , and Power Island . According to the United States Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 31.8 square miles (82.5 km), of which 27.9 square miles (72.2 km) is land and 4.0 square miles (10.3 km) (13%) is water. The Old Mission Peninsula extends about 17 miles (27 km) from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan into Grand Traverse Bay , itself

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2772-568: The law unconstitutional. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1905 to reverse this decision. The department was formed, and Earle was appointed commissioner by Governor Fred M. Warner on July 1, 1905. At first the department administered rewards to the counties and townships for building roads to state minimum specifications. In 1905 there were 68,000 mi (110,000 km) of roads in Michigan. Of these roads, only 7,700 mi (12,000 km) were improved with gravel and 245 mi (394 km) were macadam. The state's "statute labor system"

2838-598: The neighboring Leelanau Peninsula , has unusually steep and rising terrain for the region. The northern end of the peninsula, however, is much flatter than the rest, and is a part of the Antrim–Charlevoix Drumlin Field . As of the census of 2000, there were 5,265 people, 2,131 households, and 1,625 families residing in the township. The population density was 189.0 inhabitants per square mile (73.0/km). There were 2,613 housing units at an average density of 93.8 per square mile (36.2/km). The racial makeup of

2904-667: The only one between Mackinaw City and Croton . In 1852, Rev. Dougherty decided to move his mission across the west bay along the Leelanau Peninsula to an existing Native American village at the site of modern Omena , thus establishing a "New Mission." The previous community was nicknamed as the "Old Mission" in the early 1850s. By the time of the civil war, the Presbyterian organization which funded Dougherty had financial difficulty, and missionary activities were discontinued. Dougherty sold his land there in 1868. In 1852,

2970-539: The other being Traverse Township (taking up all of mainland Grand Traverse County, excluding the Old Mission Peninsula). Beginning in the early 1940s, the Michigan State Highway Department (now MDOT) constructed Center Road to allow for easier access up the peninsula, with motorists previously having to remain on narrow and winding shoreline roads. Center Road is today the northernmost leg of state trunkline highway M-37 . Peninsula Township contains

3036-609: The posting of signage with the names and distances to towns. The centerline was first invented in 1911 in Wayne County by Edward N. Hines, and saw its first implementation on a state highway in 1917 along the Marquette-Negaunee Road, then M-15 and now County Road 492 in Marquette County. That same year, the first stop sign was put in place and the country's first "crow's nest" traffic signal tower

3102-658: The prospect after three years. These acts were repealed in 1879, and townships were replaced in the third quarter of the 19th century by self-governing municipalities. Michigan State Highway Department The Michigan Department of Transportation ( MDOT ) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan . The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with

3168-507: The rewards system. Passage of the "State Trunkline Act" provided for 3,000 mi (4,828 km) of roadways with double rewards payments. Further legislation during the Rogers administration allowed for special assessment taxing districts for road improvements, taxation of automobiles based on weight and horsepower and tree-planting along highway roadsides. Another law allowed the commissioner to name all unnamed state roads. It also allowed for

3234-409: The small Old Mission Harbor, which of course did not yet have that name. The location is a convenient and strategic location along canoe routes between native settlements in the Grand Traverse Bay region. At the time of their arrival there were a few Native American residents of what appeared to be a nearly abandoned village at the harbor. These natives made smoke signals over their watch fire to summon

3300-585: The start of Michigan's section of the Interstate Highway System . Since the mid-1960s, the department was reorganized. It was renamed the Michigan Department of State Highways for a time. Further changes culminated in adding all modes of transportation to the department's portfolio. In August 1973, the department was once again renamed to the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation by executive order. The name

3366-549: The state as provided by law. At the time, the name was rearranged to the Michigan Department of State Highways. The legislative authorization led to 1970s reorganization of the department. An executive order by Governor William G. Milliken gave the department authority over all transportation programs in Michigan. The department was renamed on August 23, 1973, to the Michigan Department of State Highways and Transportation giving it responsibility for aviation, railroads, buses, ships, ports and non-motorized pathways and trails. In 1976,

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3432-550: The state legislature authorized the creation of the state trunkline highway system, and the MSHD paid double rewards for those roads. These trunklines were signed in 1919, making Michigan the second state to post numbers on its highways. The department continued to improve roadways under its control through the Great Depression and into World War II . During the war, the state built its first freeways . These freeways became

3498-643: The state, the township government has varying degrees of authority. In the Upper Midwestern states near the Great Lakes , civil townships (known in Michigan as general law townships and in Wisconsin as towns), are often, but not always, overlaid on survey townships. The degree to which these townships are functioning governmental entities varies from state to state and in some cases even within

3564-463: The subject of lawsuits), and some can become reformulated as charter townships , a status intended to protect against annexation from nearby municipalities and which grants the township some home rule powers similar to cities. In Wisconsin , civil townships are known as " towns " rather than townships, but they function essentially the same as in neighboring states. In Minnesota , state statute refers to such entities as towns yet requires them to have

3630-544: The term "township" to mean "town". Townships and hamlets are unincorporated areas within a town or towns. Because towns are administrative divisions of a county, town boundaries cannot cross county lines. In addition to administrative subdivisions, New York State also has cities . Cities in New York are fully autonomous municipal corporations and, thus, are able to cross county lines and whose governments fully independent of county control. Finally, New York and Vermont also have villages, which are smaller communities lying within

3696-463: The town meeting form of government with a city form. Maine has a third type of township called a plantation , which previously existed in other New England states, that has more limited self-governance than other New England towns. In portions of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, county subdivisions that are not incorporated are occasionally called townships, or by other terms such as " gore ", "grant", "location", or "purchase". The State of New York

3762-546: The township was 97.28% White , 0.06% African American , 0.36% Native American , 0.59% Asian , 0.97% from other races , and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population. There were 2,131 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who

3828-429: The yellow-line center line to indicate no-passing zones for sight-restricted hills and curves. Roadside picnic tables, soil testing and aerial surveying of highways also debuted at this time. As MDOT historians put it, "the age of mud was over; the age of concrete was moving in. During the Great Depression , highway construction slowed down with decreased gas tax and property tax revenues. License plate fees were sent to

3894-584: Was 17 feet 8 inches (5.38 m) wide. Work began by the Wayne County Road Commission on April 2, 1909 and finished on July 4, 1909, at a cost of $ 13,354 (equivalent to $ 323,967 in 2023 ). In 1913 voters elected Frank Rogers to the post of highway commissioner. This election was the first after the legislature made it an elective post. Automobile registrations surged to 20 times the level at the department's formation, to 60,438, and there were 1,754 mi (2,823 km) of roads built under

3960-455: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.84. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 33.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males. The median income for

4026-454: Was abolished in 1907. Under that system, a farmer and a team of horses could work on road improvements in place of paying road taxes. Instead a property tax system was instituted with the funding only for permanent improvements, not maintenance. The nation's first mile of concrete roadway was laid along Woodward Avenue between Six Mile and Seven Mile roads in Detroit . This section of street

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4092-550: Was also the first state to complete a border to border Interstate, I-94 from New Buffalo to Detroit running 205 mi (330 km). The 1950s and 60s also brought the completion of several major bridges in Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge in 1957, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge in 1959 and the International Bridge in 1962. The biggest bridge designed by the department spanned the River Rouge carrying

4158-464: Was installed in Detroit. This traffic light using red-yellow-green was developed by William Potts, a Detroit police officer. Michigan is also home to the first snowplow . This winter maintenance started during World War I to keep 590 mi (950 km) of strategic highways clear. In 1919 Michigan first signed the trunklines, the second state after Wisconsin to do so. The first ferry service

4224-457: Was introduced into the townships by settlers from New England in 1760 with the help of a provincial statute. However, the statute was disallowed by the King in 1761, and direct democracy was replaced in the townships that had adopted it by the quarter sessions. Acts in 1855 and 1856 provided for the incorporation of self-governing townships, but only Yarmouth partook in incorporating, and abandoned

4290-580: Was later simplified and shortened to that of today. The first State Highway Department was created on July 1, 1905. The department was born out of the Good Roads Movement at the turn of the century. Bicycle enthusiasts as a part of the League of American Wheelmen pushed for better roads and streets. They also wanted to ensure that bicyclists could use these streets and roads free from interference from horsedrawn vehicles. This movement persuaded

4356-483: Was started on July 1, 1923, linking Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. The first gasoline tax was enacted in 1923 at the rate of $ 0.02/gal (equivalent to $ 0.36/gal in 2023 ), but vetoed by Governor Alex Groesbeck . It was later enacted effective in 1926. The highway commissioner was also given complete control over the planning and maintenance of the state trunklines. Construction switched to concrete or asphalt only instead of gravel and macadam with an increase in

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