Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan
township in Clare County, Michigan
Summerfield Township is a civil township of Clare County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 459 at the 2020 census.
Communities
Buck Trails is an unincorporated community located in the southeast portion of the township at 44°06′05″N 84°51′28″W.
Leota is an unincorporated community in the northern portion of the township along the Muskegon River at 44°08′22″N 84°53′22″W. Located about 12.0 miles (19.3 km) north of Harrison, a now-defunct post office was established here on June 15, 1899.
Rainbow Bend is an unincorporated community within the township along the Muskegon River at 44°07′43″N 84°55′18″W.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.90 square miles (92.98 km2), of which 35.20 square miles (91.17 km2) is land and 0.70 square miles (1.81 km2) (1.95%) is water.
The Muskegon River flows through the township.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 453 people, 217 households, and 134 families residing in the township. The population density was 12.7 per square mile (4.9/km2). There were 639 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile (6.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 98.68% White, 0.44% Native American, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.
The public source identifies “Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan” as township in Clare County, Michigan. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Summerfield, Township and Clare.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan”, the useful work is to connect “township in Clare County, Michigan” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7637576. Authority coordinates are 44.127, -84.918. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2020, 1899 and 2000.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan primary sources, Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan archive and Summerfield research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Summerfield Township, Clare County, Michigan” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.