Catawba Island Township, Ottawa County, Ohio

Catawba Island Township, Ottawa County, Ohio
Township

Aerial view of Catawba Island from the west

Location of Catawba Island Township in Ottawa County.
Coordinates: 41°33′49″N 82°50′20″W / 41.56361°N 82.83889°W / 41.56361; -82.83889Coordinates: 41°33′49″N 82°50′20″W / 41.56361°N 82.83889°W / 41.56361; -82.83889
Country United States
State Ohio
County Ottawa
Area
 • Total 16.9 sq mi (43.8 km2)
 • Land 5.7 sq mi (14.8 km2)
 • Water 11.2 sq mi (29.1 km2)
Elevation[1] 581 ft (177 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 3,157
 • Density 554.0/sq mi (213.9/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 43452
Area code(s) 419
FIPS code 39-12588[2]
GNIS feature ID 1086758[1]
Website http://www.catawbaislandtownship.com/

Catawba Island Township is one of the twelve townships of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,157 people in the township.[3]

Communities

Geography

The township is located in the northeastern part of the county on the northern point of the Marblehead Peninsula, forming its own peninsula — not an island — into Lake Erie. It borders the following townships:

No municipalities are located in Catawba Island Township.


Name and history

It is the only Catawba Island Township statewide. The township's website claims that it was named for the variety of grapes that grew plentifully there,[4] while another source claims that it is named for the Catawba tribe, who once lived in the Carolinas.[5]

Although not an actual island, but rather a peninsula, tradition states that older settlers could remember the Portage River flowing into Lake Erie at a location where a ditch currently resides near West Harbor. This old channel of the river would have made Catawba into an actual island.[6]

A huge part of the township is located within the Firelands region, the westernmost section of the Connecticut Western Reserve.

Government

The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer,[7] who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees.

Tourism and Recreation

Catawba Island is a very popular summer destination. The long and protected shoreline provides multiple marinas and cottage communities. The Lake Erie Islands including the Bass Islands, Kelleys, and Pelee are all easily accessible. The Miller Ferry which is able to carry cars, trucks, and pedestrians to and from the islands operates of the tip of the peninsula.

References

  1. 1 2 "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ Ottawa County, Ohio — Population by Places Estimates Ohio State University, 2007. Accessed 15 May 2007.
  4. ↑ Catawba Island Township Historical Information
  5. ↑ Catawba Orientation
  6. ↑ Catawba Island, the Great Peach Growing Center of Ohio
  7. ↑ §503.24, §505.01, and §507.01 of the Ohio Revised Code. Accessed 4/30/2009.

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Catawba Island.
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