Pentwater, Michigan

Pentwater, Michigan
—  Village  —
Location of Pentwater, Michigan
Coordinates: 43°46′49″N 86°25′48″W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Oceana
Area
• Total	1.6 sq mi (4.2 km2)
• Land	1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)
Elevation	610 ft (186 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	958
• Density	733.8/sq mi (283.3/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	49449
Area code(s)	231
FIPS code	26-63540
GNIS feature ID	1621203

Pentwater is a village in Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 958 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Pentwater Township. Pentwater is home to Mears State Park. The name Pentwater comes from Pent or Penned up waters. The entrance to the channel is notoriously shallow and for many years dictated the size of vessels that the village was able to accommodate.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²) of it (20.25%) is water.

Transportation

• US 31 passes east of the villages and runs south toward Muskegon and north toward Ludington.
• 
  BUS US 31 is a business loop through downtown Pentwater.
• B-15 is an County-Designated Highway running southerly from Pentwater, closer to (but generally not within sight of) Lake Michigan.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 958 people, 463 households, and 301 families residing in the village. The population density was 733.8 per square mile (282.4/km²). There were 904 housing units at an average density of 692.5 per square mile (266.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.60% White, 0.21% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.15% of the population.

There were 463 households out of which 17.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.51.

In the village the population was spread out with 15.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 15.1% from 25 to 44, 33.6% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $38,542, and the median income for a family was $45,909. Males had a median income of $40,750 versus $25,833 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,783. About 6.6% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

Local events

Pentwater's specialty is its location to Lake Michigan. The area is a tourist mecca in the summer, frequently visited by Chicagoans looking to get away. Pentwater has a number of bed and breakfasts, in addition to the more traditional motels: The Channel Inn, Pentwood Cabins, and The Pines Motel. On the outskirts of town there is a Comfort Inn & Suites. Sportfishing is popular in the area, as is shopping. The village has a number of art galleries. The beach at Charles Mears State Park is often packed in the summer. The State campground is located next to the beach and is popular with families. The village hosts a juried art fair mid-July. Memorial Day in Pentwater is considered the beginning of the summer season, and there is a popular annual fishing contest.

Pentwater is home to the Pentwater Civic Band which plays concerts Thursday nights during the summer, beginning in late June, in the outdoor bandshell at the village green, a park and natural amphitheatre located downtown on the shore of Pentwater Lake. The Pentwater Civic Band plays mostly marches, polkas, fight songs, and oldies and is made up of locals and summer residents who bring their instruments and perform for the community. The venue is also regularly visited by the Scottville Clown Band. A local restaurant and nightclub, The Village Pub, also hosts weekly Tuesday night concerts which are open-mic to acoustic artists. These concerts typically feature bluegrass, country, or gospel and include such instruments as the dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, guitar, banjo, fiddle, bass, harmonica, and others. Pentwater's high school band, under the direction of Dan Root, has performed at Carnegie Hall in 2005, and in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 2003. Other restaurants and stores feature local musical groups and individual performers from throughout MI during the summer months.

Pentwater holds an annual Homecoming, which is usually the week of second Thursday of August. Homecoming festivities include a parade, fireworks, and sandcastle-building contest.

Pentwater is home to blues/rock band The Thirteen Colonies. They have played together since the summer of 2009. The band members are Steve Alvesteffer, Josh Cogle and Daniel Root. They are currently working on a new album which will be released in the spring of 2011.

Chicago-based progressive-rock band Pentwater (originally named "Pentwater River"), shortened its name after being confused with local country music bands. Guitarist Mike Konopka's family has had ties to the town for generations and relatives still reside there.

Notable people

• Charles Mears
• Adolph Walter Rich
• John C. Reilly
• Winners

External links

• Guide to Pentwater, Michigan
• Pentwater Chamber of Commerce
• Pentwater Michigan Lake, Fun and Sun
• Pentwater Historical Society
• Pentwater Michigan Vacation and Village Information
• Oceana Herald Journal Newspaper