Sylvan Township is a civil township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,311 at the 2020 census. The population was overall a large decrease from 6,425 at the 2000 census, which was due to Chelsea incorporating into a city in 2004.

Communities

  • Guthrie is an unincorporated community located within the township at .
  • Kavanaugh Lake is a former community that existed within the township. It very briefly had a rural post office from February 13, 1893 until January 6, 1894. The lake itself is spelled differently as Cavanaugh Lake within the northwest section of the township.
  • Notten is an unincorporated community located within the township at .
  • Pierceville is a former settlement that was first settled in 1834. It was named after Nathan Pierce, who became the township's first supervisor when Sylvan Township was organized that same year. A post office operated in Pierceville from May 2, 1835 until January 8, 1841. It was bypassed by future railroad development, and the community was eventually abandoned.
  • Sylvan Center is an unincorporated community located within the township at . A post office opened under the name Sylvan on July 8, 1834. The township itself was established around the same time and so named after the wife of early settler Edmund Conkling. The new community was named Sylvan Center due to its central location within the new township. The post office operated until August 31, 1892. It was restored from March 3, 1893 until June 14, 1902.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (4.03%) is water.

Portions of the Waterloo State Recreation Area are located in the northwest section of the township. The Goose Lake State Game Area is located in the southwest corner of the township. The Border-to-Border Trail runs very briefly through the township just north of the city of Chelsea.

Major highways

  • runs east–west through the center of the township.
  • runs south–north along the eastern edge of the township and has a junction with Interstate 94 before entering Chelsea

Demographics

As of the census

Images

<gallery widths="220px" heights="125px" perrow="4">

File:Chrysler Chelsea Proving Grounds.JPG|

File:Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center Exhibits Chelsea Michigan.JPG|

File:Waterloo 546.jpg|

</gallery>

References

Sources

  • Sylvan Township official website