Curtis Township is a civil township of Alcona County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,236 at the 2010 census. Curtis Township was organized in 1881 and named for its first settler, E.D. Curtis. There were several lumber camps in the township area around Curtisville.
Communities
Bamfields was a station on the Au Sable and Northwestern Railroad near what was then known as the Bamfield Pond. A post office was established on December 27, 1922, with March C. Freeman as postmaster. The office closed on June 30, 1924, or about the time the Alcona Dam Pond was created. An old toll bridge made of logs, called the Bliss Bridge, crossed the Au Sable River here. It was later replaced by the Bamfield Bridge, which was made from hewed timber. The area where the bridges were located are now under the waters of the Alcona Dam Pond.
Bryant is a named locality at the junction of Sawmill and Ford roads on the Bryant Creek at.
Cheviers is a named locality approximately one mile northwest of Glennie at.
Curtisville is an unincorporated community at the junction of Curtisville Road and Bamfield Road at. The name is based on the township, which was named for the first settler, E.D. Curtis. A post office named "Curtis" operated briefly, from June 14 until August 23, 1881, with James Simons as postmaster. The office reopened as "Curtisville" on December 29, 1897, with cattle dealer Joseph Bell as postmaster. The office was discontinued on August 14, 1909, reestablished on June 3, 1910, and closed on February 15, 1955.
Kurtz is a named locality approximately four miles east of Glennie on the boundary with Mikado Township near Kurtz Creek at Kurtz was a logging camp by a railroad siding founded by Hugo Kurtz circa 1900. A post office opened July 31, 1909, with Samuel P. Hertzler as postmaster, and continued until April 30, 1911.
Wallace is a named locality about a mile north of Bryant at the junction of Aldritch and Ford roads on the Wallace Creek at.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of, of which is land and is water. The township is considered to be part of the region of Northern Michigan. South Branch is to the south of the township, and the South Branch ZIP code 48761 also serves a portion of western Curtis Township.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,378 people, 608 households, and 432 families residing in the township. The population density was 20.2 per square mile. There were 1,605 housing units at an average density of 23.5 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 98.62% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population. There were 608 households, out of which 19.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couplesliving together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.66. In the township the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 31.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.3 males. The median income for a household in the township was $27,048, and the median income for a family was $30,817. Males had a median income of $26,563 versus $22,778 for females. The per capita income for the township was $15,457. About 11.7% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
