Welcome Letter from Supervisor John Daher

              Welcome to Lansing Township, perhaps the most unique Township in Michigan.

              Founded in 1842, Joseph North and his family of settlers came here from Lansing,

              New York, and built their first settlement where the Red Cedar River and the

              Grand River meet.  In the first year the Township grew to a population of 88 people.

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              Our Township surrounds the City of Lansing, and is contiguous to East Lansing

              and  Michigan State University on the east, DeWitt Township on the north and Delta

              Township on the west.

              Once a Township of 36 square miles, we have been reduced to less than 5 square miles,

              as a result of annexation.  But with a population of more than 8400 people today, the

              Township remains a vibrant force in the greater Lansing Community.  And we are home

              to the Eastwood Towne Center, a shopper’s paradise with more than 60 shops, a state

              of the art 18-screen cinema and world class restaurants.  The ETC is quickly becoming

                   the top destination Mecca in Michigan.

              It is a little known fact that our Township was once the State Capitol of Michigan. 

              In 1847, the State Legislature decided to move the seat of government from Detroit to

              Lansing Township.  Many Legislators felt that the Capitol needed to be more centrally

              located and more strategically secure than Detroit, which bordered a “foreign nation.” 

              There were howls of laughter and ridicule when Ingham County Representative Joseph

              Kilborne made a motion from the floor to select Lansing Township as the next site of the

              State Capitol.  The Detroit Legislators thought it was a joke, but many other Legislators

              joined in and after many days of bickering and bargaining, Lansing Township was the

              choice of compromise.  And for the next two years Michigan’s State Capitol was located

              in Lansing Township.

              The incorporation of Lansing in 1849 changed the Township boundaries, creating the

              City of Lansing as the state Capitol.

              Public Safety is an area in which Lansing Township excels.  Both our Police and Fire

              Departments have been in operation since 1949.

              Our Police Department, headed by Chief Kay Hoffman, a veteran of more than

              30 years, has 15 full-time police officers serving residents and the greater Lansing

              area 24/7.  And we’re especially excited about adding new dimensions to our

              department, community policing and bike patrol to help us maintain closer ties in the

              business sector and in the neighborhoods.

              The Fire Department is led by Chief Richard Curry with more than 25 years of service. 

              We have 15 full-time firefighters and approximately 15 part-time firefighters.  In

              December 1998, the Township launched its AMBULANCE SERVICE to better

              serve the Township community.

              Both departments pride themselves in providing excellent community service, and in

              emergency situations you can always expect the best in response times.

              Grass-roots service is still and always will be our most important product.  Please

              let us know how we can assist you, now and in the future.