East Bay Township, Michigan

{{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox settlement | name = East Bay Township, Michigan | official_name = East Bay Charter Township | settlement_type = [[Charter township]] | nickname = | motto =  | image_skyline = Traverse City State Park beach (Oct 2020).jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Beachfront along [[Grand Traverse Bay]] at [[Traverse City State Park]] | image_flag = | image_seal =  | pushpin_map = Michigan | pushpin_label_position = left | pushpin_label = East Bay Township | pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Michigan | pushpin_mapsize = | image_map = East Bay Charter 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 = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.svg}} [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse]] | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Supervisor | leader_name = Beth Friend | leader_title1 = Clerk | leader_name1 = Susanne Courtade | established_title = Organized | established_date = January 1867

| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]] | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 280 | elevation_ft = 919 | coordinates = {{coord|44|42|05|N|85|31|14|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}} | postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]] | postal_code = 49686, 49696 ([[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]])<br/>49690 ([[Williamsburg, Michigan|Williamsburg]]) | area_code = [[Area code 231|231]] | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 26-23800<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> | blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank1_info = 1626202<ref>{{gnis|1626202}}</ref> | website = {{URL|http://www.eastbaytwp.org/|Official website}} | named_for = East Arm of [[Grand Traverse Bay]] | population_est = 11780 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 }} '''East Bay Charter Township''' is a [[charter township]] of [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 11,589 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], up from 10,663 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]]. It is one of three charter townships in Grand Traverse County, and is the second-most populous township in [[Northern Michigan]], behind neighboring [[Garfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Garfield Township]]. [[File:BoardmanValley.jpg|thumb|The [[Boardman River]] valley in the south of East Bay Township.]] The northern portion of the township is adjacent to [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]] and is part of that city's urban area. The southern portion remains largely rural, with many small lakes. East Bay Township is the location of [[Traverse City State Park]].

==History== East Bay Township was organized in January 1867.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History in Grand Traverse County, Michigan |url=http://genealogytrails.com/mich/grandtraverse/history_county8.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=genealogytrails.com}}</ref>

==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|42.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|39.9|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|2.4|sqmi|km2}} (5.76%) is water.

The township lies at the head of the East Arm of [[Grand Traverse Bay]], from which the township takes its name. The north of East Bay Township is heavily urbanized, while the south remains more rural, with rolling hills, dense forests, and [[Kettle (landform)|kettle lakes]]. [[Traverse City State Park]] is located in the northwest of the township, along the shore of East Bay.

The [[Boardman River]] flows through the south of the township. The township is home to many lakes that are part of its watershed, including [[Arbutus Lake (Michigan)|Arbutus Lake]] and [[Spider Lake (Grand Traverse County, Michigan)|Spider Lake]].

=== Adjacent townships ===

* [[Acme Township, Michigan|Acme Township]] (north) * [[Whitewater Township, Michigan|Whitewater Township]] (northeast) * [[Union Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Union Township]] (southeast) * [[Paradise Township, Michigan|Paradise Township]] (south) * [[Blair Township, Michigan|Blair Township]] (southwest) * [[Garfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Garfield Township]] (west) * [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]] (northwest)

=== Major highways === [[U.S. Route 31 in Michigan|US Highway 31]] and [[M-72 (Michigan highway)|M-72]] share a [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] in the north of the township, paralleling the [[Grand Traverse Bay]] shoreline as a major east–west [[thoroughfare]]. Grand Traverse County Road 660 (Hammond Road) serves as another east–west local thoroughfare, primarily used to bypass Traverse City to the south.

== Communities ==

* '''Devils Elbow''' is an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] within the township at {{Coord|44|41|12|N|85|28|55|W||name=Devils Elbow, Michigan}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Geographic Names Information System |url=https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names/624600 |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=edits.nationalmap.gov}}</ref> * '''East Bay''' is a [[ghost town]] near the mouth of Mitchell Creek, at {{Coord|44|44|56.5|N|85|33|28.5|W||name=East Bay, Michigan}}. The community was founded in 1868 as '''East Traverse Bay''', renamed to '''Traverse Bay''' in 1873 and to East Bay in 1874. A post office at the location operated from 1868 to 1879.<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=168}}</ref> Today, the community is largely urbanized, and is located nearby [[Traverse City State Park]]. * '''Forest Lakes''' is a resort community in the south of the township ({{Coord|44|40|32|N|85|29|58.6|W||name=Forest Lakes, Michigan}}). * '''Holiday Hills''' is another sprawling [[Suburb|suburban community]] in the north of the township, shared with [[Acme Township, Michigan|Acme Township]]. * '''Pine Grove''' is a suburban neighborhood immediately adjacent to the border with Traverse City. The neighborhood, which is also adjacent to [[Cherry Capital Airport]], was identified as contaminated by [[PFAS]] in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mcwhirter |first=Sheri |title=State officials flagged homes for possible PFAS contamination eight months before telling residents |url=https://www.record-eagle.com/news/local_news/state-officials-flagged-homes-for-possible-pfas-contamination-eight-months-before-telling-residents/article_13c51e72-752f-11eb-a815-47a418e31ed7.html |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Traverse City Record-Eagle |language=en}}</ref> It is located at {{Coord|44|45|00.8|N|85|34|04.4|W||name=Pine Grove, Michigan}}. * The city of [[Traverse City, Michigan|'''Traverse City''']] is adjacent to the township, bordering it to the northwest.

==Demographics== {{US Census population | 1980 = 6212 | 1990 = 8307 | 2000 = 9919 | 2010 = 10663 | 2020 = 11589 | estyear = 2025 | estimate = 11780 | estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/eastbaytownshipgrandtraversecountymichigan/PST045225|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2026}}</ref> {{increase}} | align-fn = center | footnote = [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census] }}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 9,919 people, 3,694 households, and 2,737 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|248.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 4,339 housing units at an average density of {{convert|108.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the township was 97.31% [[White (U.S. census)|White]], 0.22% [[African American (U.S. census)|African American]], 0.87% [[Native American (U.S. census)|Native American]], 0.60% [[Asian (U.S. census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.29% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.70% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.25% of the population.

There were 3,694 households, out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the township the population was spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $47,569, and the median income for a family was $54,250. Males had a median income of $34,118 versus $23,580 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $21,427. About 1.9% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.eastbaytwp.org/ East Bay Charter Township Official site]

[[Category:Townships in Grand Traverse County, Michigan]] [[Category:Charter townships in Michigan]] [[Category:Traverse City metropolitan area]] [[Category:1867 establishments in Michigan]]