Johannesburg, Michigan

Charlton Township is a civil township of Otsego County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,330 at the 2000 census.CommunitiesThere are no incorporated municipalities in the township. Johannesburg is an unincorporated community on M-32. The ZIP Code is 49751, which serves much of Charlton Township. Vienna Corners is an unincorporated community on M-32 on the eastern boundary of the township.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 102.2sqmi, of which, 100.3sqmi of it is land and 1.9sqmi of it (1.85%) is water.HistoryCharlton Township is a community rich in history, as it emerged with lumbering and milling operations in 1875. Johannesburg was incorporated in 1901, home to the lumbering company of Johannesburg Mfg. Co., operated by the Sailing, Hanson and Michelson families. The town was named after Johanna Hanson, who is the wife of the president of the company. The company was responsible for much of the construction in the small town, including the development of a branch railroad line, which served as a lifeline for the town. At its peak, Johannesburg was a bustling community of 700. By 1929, 71 lumbering operations had ceased.DemographicsAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,330 people, 552 households, and 416 families residing in the township. The population density was 13.3 per square mile (5.1/km²). There were 1,391 housing units at an average density of 13.9 per square mile (5.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.42% White, 0.30% Native American, 0.15% Asian, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population.