Lake Township, Benzie County, Michigan

Lake Township is a civil township of Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 759 at the 2010 census. The township is irregularly shaped, following the shore of Lake Michigan from Crystal Lake north to Leelanau County. A portion of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located in the northern end of the township.CommunitiesAral was built at the mouth of Otter Creek on Lake Michigan in 1880. It was built around the Otter Creek Lumber Mill. It was named after Aral, Ireland, because "Otter Creek" was already the name of another place in Michigan. It had a post office from 1884 until 1900.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 91.0km2, of which 60.6km2 is land and 30.4km2, or 33.41%, is water.DemographicsAt the 2000 census, there were 635 people, 318 households and 227 families residing in the township. The population density was 26.8 per square mile (10.4/km²). There were 1,106 housing units at an average density of 46.7 per square mile (18.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.43% White, 0.79% Native American, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.31% of the population.