As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,585 (down from 1,649 at 2010[4]) and it contained 673 housing units.

The township was named for the Michigan Road, an early thoroughfare through the area.

[5] Mahlon Shinn and Robert Edwards were the township's first white settlers, arriving in 1830 and followed the same year by many more.

[6] According to the 2010 census, the township has a total area of 35.82 square miles (92.8 km2), all land.

[4] Prior to settlement the land was heavily timbered with oak, poplar, walnut, sugar maple, beech, elm, ironwood, dogwood and pawpaw.