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Ada Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 9,882. The unincorporated community of Ada is located within the township on Michigan State Highway 21 twelve miles east of Grand Rapids. Ada is the corporate home of Alticor and its subsidiary companies Quixtar and Amway.
History
The township traces its history to 1821, when Rix Robinson obtained a French-Canadian trading post at the junction of the Grand and Thornapple Rivers. Land north of the Grand River was not open for white settlers to purchase land in until the 1836 Treaty of Washington. There are conflicting reports concerning when the township was organized. Information provided by the township web site indicate that Robinson was elected as the Township's first Supervisor. However, other sources indicate it was organized on April 2, 1838, and that Sydney Smith was elected the first Supervisor and that Robinson was the second, elected in 1841 and again in 1844.
A village was platted in 1858 at the mouth of the Thornapple, but it developed slowly and never incorporated.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 95.9 km² (37.0 mi²). 93.4 km² (36.1 mi²) of it is land and 2.5 km² (1.0 mi²) of it (2.59%) is water.
In addition to its two rivers (the Grand and the Thornapple), numerous streams and meadows, Ada Township is best known for its lush, rolling, woodland terrain. In fact, the local school district is called Forest Hills.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 9,882 people, 3,263 households, and 2,802 families residing in the township. The population density was 105.8/km² (273.9/mi²). There were 3,384 housing units at an average density of 36.2/km² (93.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.57% White, 0.47% African American, 0.16% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 3,263 households out of which 47.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.7% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.1% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,357, and the median income for a family was $87,972. Males had a median income of $61,795 versus $36,288 for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,840. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
Sources
- Ada Township Official Website
- Info on Rix Robinson
- History and Directory of Kent County, Michigan. Dillenback and Leavitt. Grand Rapids, Mich.,: Daily eagle steam printing house, 1870 p.20
- Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan. Chicago * : Robert O. Law Company, 1918. pp.219++
- History of Kent County, Michigan. Leeson, M. A. Chicago: C. C. Chapman & co. 1881. p. 487+
External links
"Ada Township, Michigan"