Spurr Township, Michigan

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Spurr Township is a civil township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 227.

The township had been organized while it was part of Houghton County. It was one of the four original townships of Baraga County when it was set off from Houghton in 1875. It is named for "Spurr Mountain", the site of an iron ore mine, first named the "Spurr Mountain Mining Company", organized in 1872. Operations ceased in 1878, and then resumed again in 1881 under a reorganized "Spurr Iron Mining Company". ^[1]

1 Communities
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 References

[edit] Communities

There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. There are a few unincorporated communities and historic locales:

Nestoria is an unincorporated community at 46°34′13″N, 88°15′49″W about fourteen miles east of Covington on US 41/M-28. The name comes from the Nestor Lumber Company, which was operating in the area when the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway (now part of the Soo Line Railroad) built its lines in the region. A depot established near the lumber operations in 1871 was called "Nestonia", which was later altered to the present spelling in 1887 after a post office was established there. ^[2]
Imperial Heights is an unincorporated community located about a mile west of Michigamme on the Spurr River near the west end of Lake Michigamme at 46°32′01″N, 88°07′52″W. ^[3]
Three Lakes is an unincorporated community a few miles east of Nestoria on US 41/M-28 at 46°33′16″N, 88°12′04″W. ^[4] It is named for nearby Lake Ruth, Lake George, and Beaufort Lake.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 412.4 km² (159.2 mi²). 393.4 km² (151.9 mi²) of it is land and 19.0 km² (7.3 mi²) of it (4.60%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 227 people, 105 households, and 78 families residing in the township. The population density was 0.6/km² (1.5/mi²). There were 300 housing units at an average density of 0.8/km² (2.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.68% White, 0.44% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 105 households out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.47.

In the township the population was spread out with 17.2% under the age of 18, 1.8% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 35.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $36,667, and the median income for a family was $40,417. Males had a median income of $27,813 versus $14,821 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,316. About 4.5% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 6.1% of those sixty five or over.