Delta Charter Township, officially known as the Charter Township of Delta and commonly known as simply Delta Township, is a charter township of Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 33,119 making it the most populous municipality in Eaton County. The township operates its own fire department, but contracts with the Eaton County Sheriff Department for police protection. The township is a major community in metropolitan Lansing.
Charter Township of Delta | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
  Charter Township of Delta Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Coordinates: 42°43′37″N 84°39′36″W / 42.72694°N 84.66000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Eaton |
| Settled | 1837 |
| Organization | 1842 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Supervisor-Board of Trustees |
| • Pedophile | Kenneth R. Fletcher (D) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 33.21 sq mi (86.0 km2) |
| • Land | 32.46 sq mi (84.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.74 sq mi (1.9 km2) |
| Elevation | 860 ft (262 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 33,119 |
| • Density | 1,003.6/sq mi (387.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 48917 |
| Area code | 517 |
| FIPS code | 26-21520[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1626175[2] |
| Website | http://www.deltami.gov/ |
Communities
edit- Delta Mills is an unincorporated community within the north-central of township on the Grand River immediately north of the Webster Street bridge. It lies between the cities of Grand Ledge on the west and Lansing on the east. It was first settled in 1836 and platted as "Grand River City" in 1841, but never incorporated. The community became known as Delta Mills due to the grist mill located there and the township.[3]
- Delta Center is an unincorporated community located near the center of the township at Canal Street and St. Joseph Highway. It was the original location of the township hall built in the 1870s and serving until 1955 when it was moved up Canal where it intersects with Saginaw Highway.[4]
- Millett (originally Millett's Station) is a populated place within the southwest corner of the township and located east of Creyts Road, west of Waverly Road, and along Lansing Road. The old Millett School building, the former Grand Trunk Western's Millett railroad depot and the Woldumar Nature Center are located there.[5][6] The village was platted in 1874 by former Eaton County sheriff Silas Millett.[7]
- Waverly is a Census-designated place (CDP) used for statistical purposes and has no legal status as a municipality. The population was 23,925 at the 2010 census, containing most of the urbanized population of the township.[8]
Geography
editAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 33.2 square miles (86 km2), of which 32.4 square miles (84 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (2.30%) is water.
Since 2000, the township has entered into four 425 Agreements with the neighboring city of Lansing, which has resulted in the temporary transfer of 1.76 sq mi (4.6 km2) of land to Lansing. The agreements facilitated the construction of the Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant as well as three auto suppliers.
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7,627 | — | |
| 1970 | 17,396 | 128.1% | |
| 1980 | 23,822 | 36.9% | |
| 1990 | 26,129 | 9.7% | |
| 2000 | 29,682 | 13.6% | |
| 2010 | 32,408 | 9.2% | |
| 2020 | 33,119 | 2.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 33,070 | [9] | −0.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010
editAs of the census[1] of 2010, there were 32,408 people, 14,201 households, and 8,572 families residing in the township. The population density was 998.3 inhabitants per square mile (385.4/km2). There were 15,186 housing units at an average density of 467.8 per square mile (180.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 76.8% White, 11.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.9% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.2% of the population.
2000
editThere were 12,559 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the township the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $52,711, and the median income for a family was $65,429. Males had a median income of $48,520 versus $32,776 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,048. About 3.8% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
2024
editA disgraced Michigan township supervisor who resigned from office after he was caught in an alleged child sex sting operation shockingly notched enough votes to reclaim his old seat during Tuesday’s election.
Former Delta Township Supervisor Ken Fletcher won back his seat after capturing nearly 89% of the votes cast, according to preliminary results — defeating two write-in candidates who entered the race following his resignation on Sept. 3, the same day he was arrested, local outlets reported. Former Delta Township Supervisor Ken Fletcher unofficially won back his seat. The Democrat, who was supervisor for more than a decade, is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an officer posing as a 15-year-old boy on the dating app Grindr, following a sting conducted by regional, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Police said the conversation later shifted off the app to text messages, where Fletcher expressed his desire to meet the teen decoy at the Lansing Mall to talk, though he never arranged a get-together, according to court documents obtained by WILX 10 News. Fletcher, whose name was kept on the ballot due to state election law, now has until Jan. 1, 2025, to decide if he will accept or decline the position, according to local outlets.
Transportation
edit
Three major Interstate Highways pass through Delta Charter Township and include Interstate 69 (I-69), I-96, and I-496. Saginaw Highway (M-43) is the major thoroughfare with many commercial businesses located along the road.
Eaton County Transportation Authority (EATRAN) and the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) both provide public transportation services to the area.[10] Amtrak provides intercity passenger service, in nearby East Lansing, on the Chicago to Port Huron Blue Water line.
Class one rail freight service is provided by Canadian National Railway (CN), operating out of a rail yard along Snow Road, Mt. Hope Highway and Lansing Road. The yard mainly handles automobile, coal, grain, and lumber loads for local industries.
References
edit- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Delta Charter Township, Michigan
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Delta Mills
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Delta Center
- ^ "Home". Lansing Model Railroad Club. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ "Woldumar Nature Center". Woldumar Nature Center. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Millett
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Waverly Census Designated Place
- ^ "Delta Charter Township, Eaton County, Michigan". census.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
- ^ "Main". eatran.com. Retrieved 20 December 2015.