Welcome to Watson Township in Allegan County, Michigan

Watson Township is located in Western Michigan's Allegan County, in the "golden triangle" between the cities of Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Holland. Watson Township is bordered by the village of Martin to the East, the village of Hopkins to the North, the city of Allegan to the West, and the city of Otsego to the South.

Watson Township is mostly rural farmland. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.1 square miles of which 35.4 square miles is land and 0.7 square miles is water.

Even though Watson Township is out in the country, life's necessities are close by. Major stores like Meijer, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Tractor Supply (TSC) are only 10 - 15 minutes away in Plainwell. Add 10 minutes to the drive and you can be in Kalamazoo, Holland or Grand Rapids. Lake Michigan is only 25 minutes from Watson Township.

Travel from Watson Township is easy. The US-131 expressway borders the township on the East, providing quick access to Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids, Chicago or Detroit. Highway M-222 goes straight east and west through the township. M-89 goes to Lake Michigan on the west and Battle Creek on the east, and M-40 provides an easy route to US-31 at Holland or I-94 at Paw Paw.

Watson Township is served by 4 excellent public school districts that are small enough to care about kids and big enough to provide a well-rounded education. Several good church schools serve the township, as well as a thriving home-school community. A wide variety of family activities and events are available 7 days a week, 365 days a year within a half hour drive. Bittersweet Ski Resort lights up the township on winter nights.

2,086 people live in the township in 694 households according to the 2000 census. The population density is 58.9 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the township is 98.08% white. The median income for a family in Watson Township is $51,591. Fewer than 5.8% of families are below the poverty line.

Watson Township was incorporated February 16, 1842. In 1871 a post office was established in the village of Abronia at what is now the intersection of 112th Avenue and 20th Street in the southwestern part of Watson Township. The Abronia post office operated until 1902. In addition to the post office, Abronia had a railroad depot, a small hotel, a store and several houses.

Today there is no post office in Watson Township, and Abronia has disappeared except as a dot on old maps.