Holly Township is a township located in Oakland County, which is a state in the United States called Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population of Holly Township was 12,006.

Communities

• The village of Holly is located within the township.

In addition to the officially recognized village in the township, there are two areas that are not officially separate towns within the township:

• Newark is located in the northern part of the township near the rail tracks and Belford Road (latitude: 42°51′36″N, longitude: 83°37′31″W / 42.86000°N, 83.62528°W / 42.86000; -83.62528 (Newark)).
• Five Points is next to Holly Village on Rood and Grange Hall Roads, just south of where Quick and Fagan Roads come together to form Rood Road (latitude: 42°48′50″N, longitude: 83°36′37″W / 42.81389°N, 83.61028°W / 42.81389; -83.61028 (Five Points)). Elevation: 928 ft./283 m.

History

Holly was the last township in Oakland County to be formed. It was established on March 6, 1838.

Oak Hill Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Holly, was created around the time Holly became a township. Veterans from every major war, including the Revolutionary War, are buried there. Many of the area’s founding families are also buried at Oak Hill, along with Holly’s historic "sister cemetery," Lakeside Cemetery.

Around the year 1900, Holly reached its highest point of economic and social growth. By taking advantage of the growing railroad industry, Holly became a central point for train travel between Flint, Pontiac, and Saginaw, as well as for east-west travel from Lansing to Port Huron. Trains continue to have a major impact on Holly’s economy and daily life today.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.42 square miles (94.33 km²), of which 34.48 square miles (89.30 km²) is land area and 1.94 square miles (5.02 km²) (5.33%) is water area.

Demographics

According to the 2000 census, the township had a population of 10,037 people, 3,733 households, and 2,639 families. The population density was 288.2 people per square mile (111.3 per square kilometer). There were 3,926 housing units, with an average density of 112.7 units per square mile (43.5 per square kilometer). The racial composition included 94.51% White, 2.20% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 2.88% of the population.

Of the 3,733 households, 35.6% included children under the age of 18, 56.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder without a husband, and 29.3% were non-families. Twenty-three point six percent of households consisted of individuals, and 9.5% included someone aged 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.63 people, and the average family size was 3.14 people.

The population was distributed as follows: 26.6% under 18 years old, 8.0% aged 18 to 24, 33.9% aged 25 to 44, 21.0% aged 45 to 64, and 10.5% aged 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 97.0 males.

The median household income was $52,865, and the median family income was $60,783. Males earned a median income of $46,943, while females earned $28,535. The per capita income was $22,370. Approximately 4.6% of families and 7.6% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under 18 and 9.3% of those aged 65 or older.

Tourism

Holly Township is also located near the Great Lakes National Cemetery. Places where people can enjoy outdoor activities include Seven Lakes State Park, Holly Recreation Area, Groveland Oaks, Rose Oaks, Lakeside Park, Ganshaw Park, and Holdridge Lakes Mountain Bike Trails.

People who want to camp can find places to stay at Seven Lakes State Park and Groveland Oaks. Events that are popular with campers include Holly's regionally accredited Independence Day Celebration and the Michigan Renaissance Festival.