[3] When the township was organized in 1833, it was at first named Volhynia, after the province in Poland.

It is believed to have been given to honor General Tadeusz Kościuszko, the Polish patriot who helped the United States during the American Revolutionary War.

[5] The township is the site of Newton Woods, a U.S. National Natural Landmark.

The postal delivery areas of some nearby communities also serve the township: According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.1 square miles (91.0 km2), of which 34.4 square miles (89.1 km2) is land and 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), or 2.07%, is water.

20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.