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 organiz ...

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

Etymology

Farm Island takes its name from a lake island of the same name, which was cultivated by the Ojibwe people.

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 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.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Route 169 (US 169) is a north-south U.S highway that currently runs for 966 miles (1,555 km) from the city of Virginia, Minnesota to Tulsa, Oklahoma at Memorial Drive. Route description Oklahoma US 169 is a major north–south ...

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 Farm Island Lake is a lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota, located in Aitkin County north of Mille Lacs Lake. It is just west of U.S. Route 169. Zebra mussels, an invasive species, have been found there. Its name refers to traditional farmin ...

(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 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, 0.28% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.56% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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 for the township was $30,067. About 6.6% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, 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