Farm Island Township is a township in

Aitkin County Aitkin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,697. Its county seat is Aitkin. Part of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is in the county. The county was created in 1857 and organized ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, United States. The population was 1,099 as of the 2010 census.

Etymology

Farm Island takes its name from a

lake island A lake island is any landmass within a lake. It is a type of inland island. Lake islands may form a lake archipelago. Formation Lake islands may form in numerous ways. They may occur through a build-up of sedimentation as shoals, and become ...

of the same name, which was cultivated by the

Ojibwe people The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

History

During the period 1896–1912, the community was served by a post office named Dorris. The community is still referred to by some as Dorris. The historic Cedar Lake Lutheran Church and adjacent cemetery are both locally referred to by the name Dorris. Early immigrants in the area include the Roms (Carlsons), Dummers, Rudes (Ruds) and Petersons. In 2006 the Rom Poultry Farm ended their egg business. Much of the land was originally transferred to the railroad, and subsequently sold to settlers. The terrain reminded the surveyors of

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, and so named the Switzerland Trail (now Township Road 96). The township's

Pine-Hickory Lakes Roadside Parking Area Pine-Hickory Lakes Roadside Parking Area is a wayside rest located along U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 169 in Farm Island Township, Aitkin County, Minnesota. It straddles both sides of the highway just north of where it passes be ...

was developed as a

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...

project from 1937 to 1938 and has been listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 20.54%, is water. The terrain of the township contrasts with much of Aitkin County. Switzerland Trail Aitkin co Minnesota

Major highway

* U.S. Highway 169

Lakes

* Anderson Lake * Apple Lake * Bachelor Lake * Black Shadow Lake * Blue Lake (south three-quarters) * Brennen Lake * Camp Lake * Carlson Lake * Cedar Lake (southeast half) * Christmas Lake * Diamond Lake * Drain Lake * Dummer Lake * Farm Island Lake (north three-quarters) * Hammal Lake * Hanging Kettle Lake * Hickory Lake * Hill Lake * Horseshoe Lake * Landgren Lake * Little Pete Lake * Little Pine Lake * Lake Four * Lake Three * Long Lake * Pine Island Lake * Prescott Lake * Ripple Lake (west edge) * Round Lake * Seth Lake (west edge) * Spirit Lake * Sunset Lake * Taylor Lake * Thornton Lake * Town Line Lake * Townhall Lake * Vorse Lake

Adjacent townships

* Aitkin Township (north) * Spencer Township (northeast) * Nordland Township (east) * Wealthwood Township (southeast) * Hazelton Township (south) * Bay Lake Township, Crow Wing County (southwest) * Deerwood Township, Crow Wing County (west) * Rabbit Lake Township, Crow Wing County (northwest)

Cemeteries

The township contains these two cemeteries: Diamond Lake and Dorris.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 1,071 people, 434 households, and 335 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 1,116 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 98.04%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.28%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.28% Native American, 0.09%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.56% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.75% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.19% of the population. There were 434 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.79. In the township the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.7 males. The median income for a household in the township was $60,882, and the median income for a family was $74,375. Males had a median income of $64,000 versus $40,673 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the township was $30,067. About 6.6% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

References

United States National Atlas

United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
{{authority control Townships in Aitkin County, Minnesota Townships in Minnesota