Meridian Township dates to 1836, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 60% of U.S. towns · #285 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Meridian Township was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1982. Its Register listings are the Eustace Hall and the Goetsch-Winckler House. Below: maps from 1909 on and the census since 1960.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1840.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Meridian Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Meridian Township is more historic than 60% of U.S. towns, #285 of 701 in Michigan. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Meridian Township’s overall grade.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Meridian Township’s 0.5 sits near the middle of its state (64% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±1.3 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1836.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Meridian Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Meridian Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1909Mason sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Meridian Township.
Meridian Township was first settled by pioneers in 1836. In November 1836, Obed Marshall purchased 180 acres (73 ha) of land near present-day Haslett. The earliest settlers located at Pine Lake (now Lake Lansing) and made use of the numerous stands of pines to build their cabin. The lake was later the site of a Spiritualist Meeting Camp led by John Haslett. During the late 19th century, the lake became known as a local vacation area served by an "interurban trolley" which ran from the City of Lansing to the resort on the south side of the lake. An amusement park was introduced and enjoyed immense popularity into the mid-20th century. Currently, the Village of Haslett is located at the south side of Lake Lansing.
In 1836, according to Wikidata. Meridian Township’s post office opened in 1840, and the census of 1960 counted 13,884 people here.
How does Meridian Township rank for history?
Meridian Township is more historic than 60% of U.S. towns, #285 of 701 in Michigan. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Meridian Township?
Two places: the Eustace Hall (listed 1971) and the Goetsch-Winckler House (1995).
How old are the homes in Meridian Township?
5% of Meridian Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.3 points), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1982.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2020
2015
2015
2014
2010