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Sodus Township, Michigan

Coordinates: 42°02′39″N 86°22′54″W / 42.04417°N 86.38167°W / 42.04417; -86.38167
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Sodus Township, Michigan
Civil township
Official seal of Sodus Township, Michigan
logo
Location within Berrien County
Location within Berrien County
Sodus Township is located in Michigan
Sodus Township
Sodus Township
Location within the state of Michigan
Sodus Township is located in the United States
Sodus Township
Sodus Township
Sodus Township (the United States)
Coordinates: 42°02′39″N 86°22′54″W / 42.04417°N 86.38167°W / 42.04417; -86.38167
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountyBerrien
Established1859
Area
 • Total20.0 sq mi (51.8 km2)
 • Land19.4 sq mi (50.3 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2)
Elevation
682 ft (208 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,995
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
49126
Area code269
FIPS code26-74440[1]
GNIS feature ID1627087[2]
WebsiteOfficial website

Sodus Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,995 at the 2020 census.[3] There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. The unincorporated community of Sodus[4] in the northwest of the township is its main settlement; the portion of the township just to the west is part of the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph urban area.[5]

History

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Probably the first entrepreneur in Sodus Township was James LaRue, a New Jersey native, who purchased riverfront land for the construction of a sawmill in 1835. The first permanent settler, however, was David S. Rector who, in 1837, took possession of 40 acres of land. [6] The name of the township came from Rector. He and his brother, William H., came to the area by way of keel boat from Sodus, New York, so the township was named such in 1859 after the town from which they departed.[7]

Post card showing the resort at Tabor Farms.

In 1853, Joab Enos built a flour mill, also on Pipestone Creek.[8] The township was organized on October 11, 1859.[6] In 1891, Ernest Tabor established Tabor Farm Summer Resort on the banks of the St. Joseph River. The resort was open during summers and hosted reunions, conventions and banquets.[9] From 1961 to 1983, it was owned and managed by Alma and Valdas Adamkus, future President of Lithuania.[10] The resort was closed in 1990.[9]

Sodus has had retail establishments in the past, though it has none now.[11]

Geography

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The St. Joseph River forms most of the western boundary of the township, with Royalton Township on the other side of the river. The township shares a short western border with the community of Fair Plain in Benton Charter Township north of the St. Joseph River. Benton Charter Township continues as the township to the north, Bainbridge Township is to the northeast, Pipestone Township to the east, Berrien Township to the southeast, and Oronoko Charter Township to the south. A new segment of US 31 was completed in August 2003 that re-routed the highway through the township. Interstate 94 crosses the northwest corner of the township with two interchanges located nearby.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 20.0 square miles (51.8 km2), of which 19.4 square miles (50.3 km2) is land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 2.91%, is water.[12]

Demographics

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As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,139 people, 884 households, and 570 families residing in the township. The population density was 109.5 inhabitants per square mile (42.3/km2). There were 957 housing units at an average density of 49.0 per square mile (18.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 87.19% White, 8.37% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.74% of the population.

There were 884 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $33,804, and the median income for a family was $42,250. Males had a median income of $34,018 versus $22,824 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,646. About 6.6% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

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The novel At Home in Old Sodus by Michael Jewell (ISBN 1603832343) is set in Sodus Township.[13]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sodus Township, Michigan
  3. ^ "Sodus township, Berrien County, Michigan - Census Bureau Profile". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sodus
  5. ^ Urbanized Area Outline Map (Census 2000), Benton Harbor–St. Joseph, MI (PDF) (Map). 1 : 33,208. United States Census Bureau. 2000. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 21, 2003.
  6. ^ a b Sodus Township Archived 2010-06-13 at the Wayback Machine, Berrien County Community Development Department, August 2008.
  7. ^ A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan, pg. 960
  8. ^ Cowles, Edward B. (1871). Berrien County Directory and History, p. 213. Buchanan, Michigan: Record Steam Printing House.
  9. ^ a b Tabor's Farm Resort
  10. ^ Book Review: Marius K. Gražulis, Lithuanians in Michigan. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, 2009.
  11. ^ Heibutzki, Ralph (September 22, 2009). "Shadow of its former self". The Herald-Palladium. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  12. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Sodus township, Berrien County, Michigan". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  13. ^ "'Old Sodus' in the early 1970s". The Herald-Palladium. April 24, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
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