Peninsula Township, Michigan

{{Redirect|Old Mission Peninsula|the community within the township|Old Mission, Michigan|other uses|Old mission (disambiguation){{!}}Old mission}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Peninsula Township, Michigan | settlement_type = [[Civil township]] | nicknames = "The Peninsula", "O.M.P." | motto =  | image_skyline = OldMission-MI-lighthouse.jpg | imagesize = 275 | image_caption = [[Mission Point Light]]house | image_flag = | image_seal =  | pushpin_map = Michigan#USA | pushpin_label_position = left | pushpin_label = Peninsula Township | pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Michigan | pushpin_mapsize = | image_map = Peninsula Township, MI location.png | mapsize = 250 | map_caption = Location within [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse County]]

| subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{Flagu|United States}} | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] | subdivision_name1 = {{Flag|Michigan}} | subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse]]

| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]] | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 181 | elevation_ft = 594 | coordinates = {{coord|44|52|41|N|85|31|53|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}} | postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]] | postal_code = 49673 ([[Old Mission, Michigan|Old Mission]])<br />49686 ([[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]]) | area_code = [[Area code 231|231]] | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 26-63340<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> | blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank1_info = 1626889<ref>{{gnis|1626889}}</ref> | website = {{URL|https://www.peninsulatownship.com}} | footnotes = | name = | other_name = Old Mission Peninsula | population_est = 6160 | pop_est_as_of = 2025<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/peninsulatownshipgrandtraversecountymichigan/PST045225|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 1, 2026}}</ref> }}

'''Peninsula Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The township had a population of 6,068 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], an increase from 5,433 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].

Peninsula Township is coterminous with (has the same dimensions as) the '''Old Mission Peninsula''', which projects about {{convert|17|mi|km}} north from its base in [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]] into [[Grand Traverse Bay]], an arm of [[Lake Michigan]]. The [[peninsula]] divides the Grand Traverse Bay into an East Arm and West Arm. The peninsula is well known for its [[Cherry production in Michigan|cherry harvest]] and [[viticulture]], and is included in the [[Old Mission Peninsula AVA]], a [[American Viticultural Area|federally recognized viticultural region]]. At the northern tip of the peninsula is [[Mission Point Light]], which lies just south of the [[45th parallel north]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=45th Parallel - Old Mission Point |url=https://www.mnmuseumofthems.org/45th/OldMission.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=www.mnmuseumofthems.org}}</ref>

Also part of Peninsula Township is [[Power Island]], a small island in the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=right|frame-width=200|frame-height=250|zoom=9|type=line|id=Q116971571|text=Interactive map of the Old Mission Peninsula and surrounding areas}}

== History == {{See also|History of Northern Michigan}} In 1836 the [[Odawa]] (Ottawa) and [[Chippewa Nation]]s had ceded more than 13 million acres of the northwest section of Michigan's Lower Peninsula to the U.S. Government in the [[Treaty of Washington (1836)]].<ref name="TTRmigenweb">{{cite book |title=The Traverse Region, Historical and Descriptive with Illustrations of Scenery and Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers |publisher=H. R. Page & Co. |year=1884 |location=Chicago |chapter=Chapter I |access-date=October 21, 2022 |chapter-url=http://www.migenweb.org/grandtraverse/history1.html |via=MIGenWeb – Michigan Genealogy on the Web (part of the US GenWeb Project)}}</ref> The treaty called for mission churches and schools to be established to educate the native children. [[Presbyterian]] ministers Peter Dougherty and John Fleming and four male missionaries founded a settlement at what is now Old Mission in May 1839, the first European settlement in the [[Grand Traverse Bay]] region.

[[File:Old-mission.jpg|thumb|left|Replica of the 1839 Old Mission log church]] Dougherty and Fleming spent the winter of 1838–1839 on [[Mackinac Island]] in Lake Huron, and sailed west in the spring. Upon their arrival at the Mission Peninsula in May, they encountered only one [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] resident of what appeared to be an abandoned village by the harbor.<ref name="TTRmigenweb" /> The native made smoke signals over a watchfire, summoning a canoe of tribesmen who paddled across the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay to join the missionaries for a multi-day parlay. Dougherty and Fleming selected a nearby location to build the mission, one that was along canoe routes between native settlements. The mission church had peaceful relations with native residents in the surrounding area.<ref name="TTRmigenweb" /> The missionary settlement was originally called '''Grand Traverse'''.

In June 1839 [[Henry Schoolcraft]] arrived at the mission in a small vessel and helped to found a school there. By 1841 the seasonal village—important for sheltering tribal members during trading expeditions, hunts, communal fishing, and gathering wild rice—had grown to a permanent village, with 5 log buildings as well as several wigwams. By 1850 the settlement had grown to a considerable size, and the schooner Arrow was making weekly trips to the mission from [[Mackinaw City, Michigan|Mackinaw City]].<ref name="TTRmigenweb" />

In 1851, a post office was established in Grand Traverse, with W.R. Stone as first postmaster. This was the only official post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region, indeed the only one between Mackinaw City and [[Croton Township, Michigan|Croton]]. In 1852, Rev. Dougherty decided to move his mission across the west bay along the [[Leelanau County, Michigan|Leelanau Peninsula]] to an existing Native American village at the site of modern [[Omena, Michigan|Omena]], thus establishing a "New Mission". The previous community was nicknamed as the "Old Mission" in the early 1850s. By the time of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], the Presbyterian organization which funded Dougherty had financial difficulty, and missionary activities were discontinued. Dougherty sold his land there in 1868.<ref name="TTRmigenweb" />

In 1852, the [[United States Postal Service|U.S. Postal Service]], in consultation with Albert Tracy Lay, a founding father of [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]], decided to rename the post office at Grand Traverse to "'''Old Mission'''" and named the post office at the [[Boardman River]] from "Grand Traverse City" to "Traverse City", as the former was too long a name per post office guidelines.<ref name="TTRmigenweb" /><ref>Wait, Steven Edwin and Anderson, William S. [http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;q1=omena;rgn=full%20text;idno=ARX7201.0001.001;didno=ARX7201.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000020 ''Old settlers: a historical and chronological record, together with personal experiences and reminiscences of members of the Old settlers of the Grand Traverse region'']. Traverse City, Michigan: [Ebner brothers], 1918. pp. 13-18.</ref> The name of Old Mission later was applied to the peninsula as a whole, which was previously referred to as the '''Grand Traverse Peninsula''' and the '''Ahgosa Peninsula'''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Corner |first=Richard A. |title=Landtype Associations of the Leelanau and Grand Traverse Peninsula: Subsection VII.5 |year=1999}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Singer |first=Eliot A. |date=2019 |title=Oral and Written Histories of Odaawaa and Chippewa Settlement of Northwest Michigan |url=https://picaresquescholar.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/oral-and-written-histories-of-odaawaa-and-chippewa-settlement-of-northwest-michigan-2023-1.pdf}}</ref>

In 1853, Peninsula Township was organized as one of [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse County's]] first two [[Civil township|townships]], the other being [[Garfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Traverse Township]] (taking up all of mainland Grand Traverse County, excluding the Old Mission Peninsula).<ref>{{Cite web |title=History in Grand Traverse County, Michigan |url=http://genealogytrails.com/mich/grandtraverse/history_county8.html |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=genealogytrails.com}}</ref>

Beginning in the early 1940s, the [[Michigan State Highway Department]] (now MDOT) constructed Center Road to allow for easier access up the peninsula, with motorists previously having to remain on narrow and winding shoreline roads.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boursaw |first=Jane Louise |date=2018-12-03 |title=Old Mission History: Building Center Road, 1940s - Photos |url=https://www.oldmission.net/2018/12/old-mission-history-center-road-1940s/ |access-date=2023-01-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> Center Road is today the northernmost leg of [[List of state trunkline highways in Michigan|state trunkline highway]] [[M-37 (Michigan highway)|M-37]].

== Geography == Peninsula Township contains the landmass known as the '''Old Mission Peninsula''', and [[Power Island]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of 31.8 square miles (82.5 km{{sup|2}}), of which 27.9 square miles (72.2 km{{sup|2}}) is land and 4.0 square miles (10.3 km{{sup|2}}) (13%) is water.

=== Old Mission Peninsula === The Old Mission Peninsula extends about {{convert|17|mi|km}} from the [[Lower Peninsula of Michigan]] into [[Grand Traverse Bay]], itself a [[bay]] of [[Lake Michigan]]. The peninsula separates Grand Traverse Bay into its West Arm and East Arm. Additionally, the peninsula is adjacent to Bowers Harbor and Old Mission Harbor, smaller inlets of the West Arm and East Arm, respectively. At its widest, the peninsula is only about 3.25 miles shore-to-shore (5.23 kilometers). Unlike the rest of mainland Grand Traverse County, the Old Mission Peninsula, like the neighboring [[Leelanau Peninsula]], has unusually steep and rising terrain for the region. The northern end of the peninsula, however, is much flatter than the rest, and is a part of the [[Antrim–Charlevoix Drumlin Field]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=gtrlc_nate |date=2019-01-16 |title=Drumlins |url=https://www.gtrlc.org/field-notes/drumlins/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Major highway ===

* {{jct|state=MI|M|37}} (historically known as '''Center Road''') runs for {{convert|17.25|mi}} along the backbone of the peninsula, terminating in a [[Cul de sac|cul-de-sac]] at Old Mission Point. It was designated what is now known as a [[Pure Michigan Byway]] Scenic Route in June 2007.<ref name="OldMission">{{cite news |last=Skinner |first=Victor |date=March 7, 2008 |title=M-37 on Old Mission Designated Scenic Route |work=[[Traverse City Record-Eagle]] |url=http://record-eagle.com/local/x75049694/M-37-on-Old-Mission-designated-scenic-route |url-status=dead |access-date=August 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140321073539/http://www.record-eagle.com/local/x75049694/M-37-on-Old-Mission-designated-scenic-route |archive-date=March 21, 2014 |oclc=30098364}}</ref> The M-37 Scenic Heritage Route proposal is itself a unique resource concerning the character of the peninsula, and the activities along this byway.<ref>[http://www.peninsulatownship.com/M-37%20HR%20Management%20Plan.pdf M-37 Scenic Heritage Route management plan.]</ref> South of the peninsula, in Traverse City, M-37 intersects highways [[U.S. Route 31 in Michigan|US 31]] and [[M-72 (Michigan highway)|M-72]].

=== Communities === [[File:Peninsula Township, MI offices.jpg|thumb|Town hall]] [[File:MissionVineyard.jpg|thumb|View of [[Power Island]] in [[Grand Traverse Bay|West Grand Traverse Bay]] from [[Chateau Grand Traverse]], about halfway up the Old Mission Peninsula. Power Island is politically part of Peninsula Township.]] *Archie, a [[ghost town]] on the shore of East [[Grand Traverse Bay]], at {{coord|44|50|06|N|85|32|23|W|name=Archie, Michigan}}. Archie was given a post office in 1885, which lasted until September 1900. The post office reopened the following December, but was closed again in 1902.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Romig |first=Walter |title=Michigan Place Names: The History and Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |year=1986 |isbn=0-8143-1838-X |location=[[Detroit]] |pages=28}}</ref> *Mapleton is an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] roughly midway up the Old Mission Peninsula, along [[M-37 (Michigan highway)|M-37]] at {{Coord|44|53|43|N|85|30|24|W|}}.<ref>{{gnis|631509|Mapleton, Michigan}}</ref> Mapleton was founded in 1859 by the Ogden family of [[New York (state)|New York state]], with a post office opening the same year. The post office lasted until 1904.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Romig |first=Walter |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |year=1986 |isbn=0-8143-1838-X |location=[[Detroit]] |pages=350}}</ref> Today, despite being a small community, Mapleton is marked by signage along M-37. *Neahtawanta is a historic summer [[Summer colony|resort colony]] at {{Coord|44|53|37.5|N|85|33|17.1|W||name=Neahtawanta, Michigan}}. The word "Neahtawanta" derives from [[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]] words meaning "placid waters", in reference to [[Bowers Harbor]]. Neahtawanta was established in 1890 by the Neahtawanta Association, and a post office was established in 1907, only lasting until 1914.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Romig |first=Walter |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |year=1986 |isbn=0-8143-1838-X |location=[[Detroit]] |pages=389}}</ref> Today, Neahtawanta is still occupied by large summer resort homes, and the Neahtawanta Inn remains open.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neahtawanta Resort Association - Home |url=https://neahtawanta.wildapricot.org/ |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=neahtawanta.wildapricot.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Neahtawanta Inn |url=https://www.neahtawantainn.com/ |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=www.neahtawantainn.com}}</ref> *Ogdensburg, a ghost town at {{coord|44|55|41.7|N|85|30|18.5|W|name=Ogdensburg, Michigan}}. Ogdensburg was founded by the same Ogden family in 1855, and was one of the region's first settlements.<ref name=":0" /> Today, all that remains is a cemetery. *[[Old Mission, Michigan|Old Mission]] is an unincorporated community in the township near the end of the peninsula on the east arm of the bay at {{Coord|44|57|44|N|85|29|07|W|}}.<ref>{{gnis|634007|Old Mission, Michigan}}</ref> *[[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]] is immediately adjacent Peninsula Township, bordering it to the south. Much of the south of Peninsula Township has [[Suburbanization|suburbanized]] due to its proximity to Traverse City. Traverse City, though, is politically independent of Peninsula Township, and the two are administered separately.

== Demographics == As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 5,265 people, 2,131 households, and 1,625 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|189.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,613 housing units at an average density of {{convert|93.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the township was 97.28% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.06% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.36% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.59% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.97% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.74% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.01% of the population.

There were 2,131 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the township the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 33.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median annual income for a household in the township was $66,019, and the median income for a family was $82,426. Males had a median income of $52,750 versus $34,620 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $40,753. About 1.1% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 0.3% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

== Recreation == *The "Old Mission Peninsula Cruise" is considered to be a "serendipitous" adventure for road bike riders. It is favored by local riders, including bicycle clubs, because of the scenery, the quality of the road, and lack of traffic.<ref>[http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=XFA063-010 Trails.com, ''Old Mission Peninsula Cruise''.]</ref> *The peninsula is a great place to [[sea kayak]]. The bay offers a shelter from the prevailing westerly winds and from the Lake Michigan waves. One can get close to shore, the lighthouse, picnic grounds, and parks. Maps, rentals, and guided tours are available.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=CGM024-024 |title=Sea kayaking |access-date=2007-12-21 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105063353/http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=CGM024-024 |archive-date=2013-01-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *There are many recurrent and special events. A calendar is available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldmission.com|title=Old Mission Peninsula –}}</ref>

== Economy == {{Further|Old Mission Peninsula AVA}}{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2025}} [[File:Pastoral-barn.jpg|thumb|A pastoral farm scene located on the peninsula]] There are eleven wineries on the [[Old Mission Peninsula]]. The Old Mission Peninsula sits close to the [[45th parallel north|45th parallel]], a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes. The two [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse Bays]] provide the ideal maritime climate and the rich soil does the rest.{{tone inline|date=January 2019}} Northern Michigan specializes in growing white grapes and is known for its Rieslings which grow well in the summer months and late fall, which Traverse City is known for. Every October the wineries host a harvest fest. Some Riesling grapes are spared being picked in the fall and instead are picked when they freeze, from which [[Ice Wine]] is made.

== See also ==

* [[Cherry production in Michigan]] * [[Michigan wine]]

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading == *[http://clarke.cmich.edu/localhistory/GrandTraverse.htm Clarke Historical Library, Central, Michigan University, Bibliography for Grand Traverse County] *Potter, Elizabeth V. ''The Story of Old Mission''. (Ann Arbor, MI: Edward Brothers, 1956).

== External links == *[http://www.peninsulatownship.com/ Peninsula Township]

[[Category:Townships in Grand Traverse County, Michigan]] [[Category:Townships in Michigan]] [[Category:Traverse City metropolitan area]] [[Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1859]]