Sodus Township is a civil township of Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,995 at the 2020 census. There are no incorporated municipalities in the township. The unincorporated community of Sodus in the northwest of the township is its main settlement; the portion of the township just to the west is part of the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph urban area.

History

Probably the first entrepreneur in Sodus Township was James LaRue, a New Jersey native, who purchased riverfront land for the construction of a sawmill in 1835. The first permanent settler, however, was David S. Rector who, in 1837, took possession of 40 acres of land.

The name of the township came from Rector. He and his brother, William H., came to the area by way of keel boat from Sodus, New York, so the township was named such in 1859 after the town from which they departed.

thumb|left|Post card showing the resort at Tabor Farms.

In 1853, Joab Enos built a flour mill, also on Pipestone Creek. The township was organized on October 11, 1859. From 1961 to 1983, it was owned and managed by Alma and Valdas Adamkus, future President of Lithuania. The resort was closed in 1990.

Geography

The St. Joseph River forms most of the western boundary of the township, with Royalton Township on the other side of the river. The township shares a short western border with the community of Fair Plain in Benton Charter Township north of the St. Joseph River. Benton Charter Township continues as the township to the north, Bainbridge Township is to the northeast, Pipestone Township to the east, Berrien Township to the southeast, and Oronoko Charter Township to the south. A new segment of US 31 was completed in August 2003 that re-routed the highway through the township. Interstate 94 crosses the northwest corner of the township with two interchanges located nearby.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.91%, is water.

Demographics

As of the census

Notable people

  • James Enright, Basketball Hall of Fame referee and former Chicago sportswriter

References

  • Sodus Township official website
  • Sodus Township Library