Ada Township, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 Unincorporated community of Ada | |
 Location withinKent County (red) and an administered portion of theForest Hills CDP (pink) | |
  Ada Township Location within the state of Michigan Show map of Michigan Ada Township Location within the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:42°58′31″N85°29′30″W / 42.97528°N 85.49167°W /42.97528; -85.49167 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Kent |
| Organized | 1838 |
| Government | |
| • Supervisor | Ross Leisman |
| • Clerk | Jacqueline Smith |
| Area | |
• Total | 37.11 sq mi (96.11 km2) |
| • Land | 36.04 sq mi (93.34 km2) |
| • Water | 1.07 sq mi (2.75 km2) |
| Elevation | 758 ft (231 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 14,388 |
| • Density | 390/sq mi (150/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | |
| Area code | 616 |
| FIPS code | 26-081-00240[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1625798[2] |
| Website | Official website |
Ada Township (/ˈeɪdə/AY-də) is acivil township ofKent County in the U.S. state ofMichigan. The population was 14,388 at the2020 census.[3]
The majority of the township is included in theForest Hills census-designated place, which is used only for statistical purposes. Ada Township is part of theGrand Rapids metropolitan area and is about 3.0 miles (4.8 km) east of the city ofGrand Rapids. The township is the corporate home ofAlticor and its subsidiary companiesAmway North America andAmway.
Ada, also known as Ada Village, is anunincorporated community within the township. It is located onM-21, about 12 miles (19 km) east ofGrand Rapids. Ada contains its own post office with the 49301 ZIP Code that serves the majority of the township. Ada was settled as early as 1821 whenRix Robinson built a trading post near the area to trade furs with a localOttawa village.[4][5] Robinson made the first land purchase here in 1833, and a settlement developed along theThornapple River. A post office was established in 1837. Both the township and village settlement were named for Ada Smith, the daughter of the first postmaster. The settlement was given a station on the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad (later part of theDetroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway). Aplat was recorded in 1857.[6]
Forest Hills is an unincorporated community andcensus-designated place (CDP) that occupies the majority of the township for statistical purposes. The CDP occupies 32.99 square miles (85.44 km2) (or 88.90%) of the township. Forest Hills also occupies a large portion ofCascade Township to the south and is thelargest and most-populated CDP in the state.
At the turn of the 19th century, the land that would become Ada was a village of theGrand River Band ofOttawa, led by Nebawnaygezhick.[4][5]
During the early colonial settlement of Michigan,Rix Robinson, the first permanent colonial settler of Kent County, married Sebequay ("River Woman"), the sister of Nebawnaygezhick, at Ada.[5] In 1821, Robinson purchased a formerFrench-Canadian trading post at the junction of theGrand and Thornapple rivers fromMadeline La Framboise, on behalf ofJohn Jacob Astor'sAmerican Fur Company. Land north of the Grand River was not available for purchase by European-American settlers until after the United States signed the 1836Treaty of Washington with regional tribes. Following the treaty, Robinson purchased hundreds of acres around the mouth of the Thornapple for the Ottawa to continue living on.[7]
Lucius Lyon, an early settler, first visited Robinson's settlement in 1826. Convinced that the land would become valuable, Lyon purchased large tracts from early settlers. He oversaw development of the land, including the construction of a saw mill. Both Lyon and Robinson are considered the founders of Ada.[8][9]
There are conflicting reports concerning when the township was organized. Information provided by the township website indicates 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.[citation needed] The village was named after Sydney Smith's daughter, Ada Smith, who was the first non-Native American child born in the village.[8][9]
TheAda Covered Bridge was constructed across theThornapple in 1867. Listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, it is one of the few covered bridges that remain standing in the state.[10]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 37.11 square miles (96.11 km2), of which 36.04 square miles (93.34 km2) is land and 1.06 square miles (2.75 km2) (2.86%) is water.[11]
The Grand River and the Thornapple River pass through the township.
M-21 (Fulton Street) runs west–east through the southern portion of the township.As of the2020 United States census,[12] the township had a population of 14,388 people. The racial makeup was 86.3%Non-Hispanic White, 0.3%Black or African American, 4.6%Asian, 0.1%Native American, and 5.9% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 5.0% of the population.
As of thecensus[1] of 2000, there were 9,882 people, 3,263 households, and 2,802 families residing in the township. The population density was 273.9 inhabitants per square mile (105.8/km2). There were 3,384 housing units at an average density of 93.8 per square mile (36.2/km2). Theracial 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% weremarried couples living together, 5.4% had afemale 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 medianincome 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. Theper capita income for the township was $37,840. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
TheForest Hills Public Schools district serves most of the township, whileLowell Area Schools serves a smaller portion in the northeastern section.[13]
Forest Hills Central High School andForest Hills Eastern High School are located in Ada Township.[14][15] The Grand Rapids Supplemental School is a part-time Japanese school (hoshū jugyō kō) that holds its classes at Forest Hills Central High School.[16]
Municipalities and communities ofKent County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| Charter townships | ||
| Civil townships | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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