| Frenchtown Charter Township | |
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| — Charter township — | |
| Location within Monroe County, Michigan | |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Monroe |
| Largest community | Detroit Beach |
| Organized | 1837 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 43.3 sq mi (112.0 km2) |
| • Land | 42.1 sq mi (109.1 km2) |
| • Water | 1.1 sq mi (3.0 km2) 2.54% |
| Elevation | 594 ft (181 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 20,777 |
| • Density | 493.4/sq mi (190.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 48117, 48162, 48166[1] |
| Area code | 734 |
| FIPS code | 26-30820[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626321[3] |
| Website | Official website |
Frenchtown Charter Township is a charter township of Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,777 at the 2000 census. Frenchtown is the second most populated township in Monroe County after Bedford Township. The township — itself having no incorporated cities or villages but numerous unincorporated areas — is bordered by the city of Monroe to the south, but the two are politically independent. Sterling State Park and the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station are within the township.
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Frenchtown was settled along the banks of the River Raisin in as early as 1784 by the French in what would later become the Michigan Territory and the state of Michigan.[4] Around the same time, the Sandy Creek Settlement was established near the main settlement of Frenchtown by Joseph Porlier Benec.[5] The area was the site of the devastating Battle of Frenchtown, which saw hundreds of Americans fall at the hands of the British Army and Native American coalition during the War of 1812. The battlefield site today is now part of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, which is not located in the township but within the present-day city limits of Monroe.[6][7]
The area of Frenchtown was renamed and incorporated in 1817 as the village of Monroe in honor of then-President James Monroe's future visit to the Michigan Territory later that year. In the same year, the city of Monroe was named the county seat of the newly-created Monroe County. Monroe re-incorporated as a city in 1837.[8] When that happened, the area known as Frenchtown was reorganized as a township and encompassed much of the northern portion of the county — the area from the River Raisin to the Huron River at Wayne County's southern border.[9] Shortly after, the northern portion of the township was broken off to form Ash Township and Berlin Charter Township by 1867. In addition to that, pieces of the southern portion of Frenchtown have been annexed into the city of Monroe on many occasions. Because of that, the boundary between the current Frenchtown Charter Township and the city limits of Monroe is jagged.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 43.2 square miles (112 km2) of land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) of water. The township is bordered on the east by Lake Erie, and many of the township’s communities are located near the lake. Sterling State Park is located along the southern edge of the township and is the only of Michigan’s 98 state parks located on or near Lake Erie. Small pieces of the township are also organized into the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Frenchtown Charter Township is bordered on the south by the city of Monroe, but a small portion of the southern border touches Monroe Charter Township. Raisinville Township is to the west, and Ash and Berlin Charter Township border on the north. A very small portion of the northwest corner of Frenchtown Charter Township touches Exeter Township. The River Raisin serves as the boundary between Frenchtown and the city of Monroe for a short length near Lake Erie and then again further upstream for a small portion near the Custer Airport. Sandy Creek also runs through Frenchtown before ending in Lake Erie. Frenchtown Charter Township, as well as the rest of the county, sits at the lowest elevation in the state of Michigan at 571 feet (174 m) above sea level at Lake Erie.
Interstate 75 passes through Frenchtown Charter Township, and the southern terminus of Interstate 275 is at Interstate 75 in the extreme northern portion of the township. U.S. Route 24 (Telegraph Road) and Michigan State Highway 125 (North Monroe Street) pass through the township as well.
Frenchtown Charter Township is served by one area code (734) and three zip codes: 48162, 48166, and 48117. The majority of the township is served by 48162 (which also serves a portion of the city of Monroe), while the area to the north near Newport falls into 48166. A very small portion in the northwest corner near the terminus of M-125 at US-24 is within 48117.[1] No portion of Frenchtown Charter Township falls within 48161, used primarily for Monroe and Monroe Charter Township, as the boundary between 48161 and 48162 is the River Raisin; no portion of the township is south of the River Raisin.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 20,777 people, 7,733 households, and 5,598 families residing in the township. The population density was 493.4 per square mile (190.5/km²). There were 8,244 housing units at an average density of 195.8 per square mile (75.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.51% White, 1.59% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of the population.
There were 7,733 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $47,699, and the median income for a family was $54,032. Males had a median income of $44,338 versus $25,787 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,335. About 4.9% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
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