Acme Township ( ) is a civil township of Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 4,456, a slight increase from 4,375 at the 2010 census. The southwestern portion of the township is largely urbanized, due to its proximity to Traverse City. Much of the rest of the township is agricultural, with the area being a cherry growing hotspot. The township lies upon the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan. A portion of the township is within the Grand Traverse Reservation.

Acme Township takes its name from the Greek word, acme, meaning "summit".

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (0.63%) is water.

The township has a shore on the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan.

Adjacent townships

  • Elk Rapids Township, Antrim County (north)
  • Whitewater Township (east)
  • East Bay Township (south)
  • Peninsula Township (west; water boundary)

Climate

This climatic region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Acme Township has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Major highways

  • runs south–north through the township. To the south, the highway runs through Traverse City, and further west into Benzie County.
  • runs primarily west–east through the township. It exits the township to the east into Whitewater Township, and runs further east into Kalkaska County.

Communities

  • Acme is an unincorporated community in the southwest of the township, situated at the junction of US 31 and M-72 on the East Arm of the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan.
  • Bates is a ghost town in the township situated on M-72 three miles (5 km) east of Acme at . It was established in 1891.
  • Fivemile Corner is an unincorporated community at a former junction of US 31/M-72 with Five Mile Road and Holiday Road ().
  • Holiday Hills is a sprawling suburban community located in the southwest of the township, immediately adjacent to Fivemile Corner. It is shared to the south with East Bay Township.
  • Yuba is an unincorporated community in the northern section of the township, situated on US 31 between Acme and Elk Rapids.

History

thumb|John Pulcipher House

The 1891 Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan include the following. Application to the board of supervisors of Grand Traverse County was made November 10, 1890 to separate from East Bay Township and form Acme Township. Signatories included residents A.C. Hoxie, Milton Beck, W.A. Lee, J.W. Green, E.B. Arnold, L.P. Fox, Walter Mull, J.H. Fife, Isaac Love, John McDonald, John Rogers, Eddy Newcomb, W.H. Fife, C.V. Hill, Joseph Taylor, C.J. Liddell, Andrew Newcomb, H.F. Allen, L.W. Lackey, George Smith, H.L. Allen. Notices were posted by Charles H. Estes throughout the townships and published in the Grand Traverse Herald newspaper. The January 5th to January 7 meeting of the Grand Traverse County board of supervisors approved this application submitted by John Pulcipher.

Demographics

As of the census