Watersmeet Township, Michigan

Watersmeet Township is a township in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 1,472.

The unincorporated community of Watersmeet is within the township on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River near the junction of U.S. Highway 2 and U.S. Highway 45 at 46°16′04″N 89°10′40″W.

In late 2003 and early 2004, the boys' high school basketball team of the K-12 Watersmeet Township School (at the time, 9-12 grade enrollment 78; it has since absorbed 13 of neighboring Marenisco's 25 students [1] and 2005-06 enrollment now stands at 96 [2]) was featured in a series of commercials on ESPN. Part of the reason ESPN chose Watersmeet for the commercials was the school's unusual nickname of Nimrods. The tag line of the commercials was "Without sports, who would cheer for the Nimrods?" The ads were so popular that the team, its coach, and octogenarian fan Dale Jenkins, all of whom were featured on the commercials, appeared on The Tonight Show on March 15, 2004.

The Nimrods will be the focus of a 10-part documentary, Nimrod Nation, to air on The Sundance Channel in January, 2007. Filming started in September, 2005 and is expected to continue until June, 2006. The idea for a series was reportedly formed when actor Robert Redford, one of the channel's owners and a champion of Native American issues, was informed that Watersmeet Township School's student body (and varsity basketball team) was approximately 50 percent Native American in composition. [3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 719.6 km² (277.8 mi²). 659.8 km² (254.8 mi²) of it is land and 59.7 km² (23.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 8.30% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 1,472 people, 552 households, and 385 families residing in the township. The population density is 2.2/km² (5.8/mi²). There are 1,466 housing units at an average density of 2.2/km² (5.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the township is 79.76% White, 0.14% African American, 17.93% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. 1.02% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 552 households out of which 24.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% are married couples living together, 9.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% are non-families. 26.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.30 and the average family size is 2.73.

In the township the population is spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 121.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 120.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township is $32,019, and the median income for a family is $36,359. Males have a median income of $31,458 versus $20,588 for females. The per capita income for the township is $17,874. 19.8% of the population and 6.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.6% of those under the age of 18 and 6.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.