Charlton Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,350 at the 2020 census.

Communities

  • Hetherton is an unincorporated community located within the township along the county line with Montmorency County at . The community was settled under the name Briley in 1881 and was located in Montmorency County. When the community settled into Otsego County in 1885, it became known as Heatherton and soon respelled as Hetherton. A post office operated from 1885 to 1923
  • Johannesburg is an unincorporated community centered along the M-32 within the township at . The community began as a station on the Michigan Central Railroad and settled around the Johannesburg Manufacturing Company sawmill. A post office opened on January 7, 1901. The Johannesburg 49751 ZIP Code serves most of Charlton Township and portions of the surrounded area. The Johannesburg Manufacturing Company Store was built in 1901 and remains standing in the center of the community. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
  • Vienna Corners is an unincorporated community located at the western edge of the township on the county line with Montmorency County at . It was the location of a post office known simply as Vienna from 1887 to 1913.

History

Charlton Township is a community rich in history, as it emerged with lumbering and milling operations in 1875. Johannesburg was incorporated in 1901, home to the lumbering company of Johannesburg Mfg. Co., operated by the Sailing, Hanson and Michelson families. The town was named after Johanna Hanson, who is the wife of the president of the company. The company was responsible for much of the construction in the small town, including the development of a branch railroad line, which served as a lifeline for the town. At its peak, Johannesburg was a bustling community of 700. By 1929, 71 lumbering operations had ceased.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (1.79%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census