Van Buren Township is a charter township in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Van Buren Township is located roughly southwest of downtown Detroit, and southeast of Ann Arbor. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 30,375. It surrounds, but is independent of, the city of Belleville.

Belleville Lake is a principal geographic feature, and the township is also home to Willow Run Airport, which extends into neighboring Ypsilanti Township.

Communities

  • Belleville North is an unincorporated community located at just north of Interstate 94.
  • Denton is an unincorporated community located in the northwest corner of the township at . The community was settled along the railway line as early as 1864, and it was platted in 1866. Denton had its own post office from February 28, 1870 until October 14, 1933.
  • Edgewater Heights is an unincorporated community located along Belleville Lake just west of the city of Belleville at .
  • French Landing is an unincorporated community located along the Huron River near the French Landing Dam and Powerhouse at . Originally settled along the railway line, French Landing had its own post office (named Frenchlanding) from February 25, 1896 until 1919.
  • Rawsonville is a mostly historic unincorporated community located in the western portion of the township along the county line with Washtenaw County at . The community was settled as early as 1800 and was also referred to as Snow's Landing and Michigan City. Rawsonville had its own post office from November 14, 1838 until October 25, 1895 and again from November 20, 1895 until February 28, 1902.
  • Roulo is an unincorporated community located just south of the city of Belleville at .

History

In 1800, settler Henry Snow came and settled on what is now the border with Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw County which was originally called Snow's Landing.

A settlement of the Huron River received a post office on May 7, 1834, with the name of West Huron and postmaster Scott Vining. The township was formed by the State in 1835 and was soon renamed for Martin Van Buren, then vice president of the US. The post office name was also changed. On November 14, 1838, the Van Buren post office was moved to Rawsonville and assumed that name. On October 25, 1895, the Rawsonville post office was closed, only to reopen on November 20, 1895, and to close again on February 28, 1902.

In 1925, the French Landing Dam and Powerhouse was put in place on the Huron River, placing some of the Rawsonville village under water of the new Belleville Lake, though most of the original land the town sat on is still above water.

The only visual sign of the historic community is a historical marker at the intersection Rawsonville and Grove Road.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (5.80%) is water.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Van Buren Charter Township, Michigan – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|19,135

|18,153

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17,170

|81.22%

|62.99%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |56.53%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|2,820

|8,217

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,222

|11.97%

|28.51%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |30.36%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|115

|132

|style='background: #ffffe6; |76

|0.49%

|0.46%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|438

|716

|style='background: #ffffe6; |759

|1.86%

|2.48%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.50%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|9

|13

|style='background: #ffffe6; |6

|0.04%

|0.05%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|25

|44

|style='background: #ffffe6; |139

|0.11%

|0.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|488

|760

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,710

|2.07%

|2.64%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.63%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|529

|786

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,293

|2.25%

|2.73%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.26%

|-

|Total

|23,559

|28,821

|style='background: #ffffe6; |30,375

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

2000 census

As of the census

USA Jet Airlines has its headquarters on the grounds of Willow Run Airport and in the township.

<gallery>

File:Van_Buren_Charter_Township_Sign.jpg|Van Buren Charter Township welcome sign

File:Wayne County Community College - Mary Ellen Stempfle University Center West.jpg|Wayne County Community College, Mary Ellen Stempfle University Center West

File:Willow Run Airport - Van Buren Charter Township Entrance.jpg|Willow Run Airport

</gallery>

References

Sources

  • Van Buren Charter Township