Kalkaska County, Michigan

Kalkaska County, Michigan
Location in the state of Michigan
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded	1871
Seat	Kalkaska
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	570.76 sq mi (1,478 km²) 561.02 sq mi (1,453 km²) 9.75 sq mi (25 km²), 1.71%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	17,153 28/sq mi (11/km²)
Website	www.kalkaskacounty.net

Kalkaska County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Traverse City, Michigan, Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,153. The county seat is Kalkaska.

Geography

• According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 570.76 square miles (1,478.3 km²), of which 561.02 square miles (1,453.0 km²) (or 98.29%) is land and 9.75 square miles (25.3 km²) (or 1.71%) is water.

• Kalkaska Sand, the state soil of Michigan, was named after the county because of the large amounts deposited in the area from the glaciers in the Ice Age.

• The county is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Geographic features

• Kalkaska County has over 80 lakes and 275 miles (443 km) of streams and rivers.
• Much of the county is marshland.
• County elevation ranges from 595 feet (181 m) to about 1,246 feet (380 m). This makes it one of the more uneven counties in the Lower Peninsula.
• The Pere Marquette State Forest covers much of the county.

Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the so-called Grayling outwash plain, which consists of broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges; jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.

Lakes

Torch Lake Starvation Lake Lake Skegemog Bear Lake Manistee Lake Grass Lake 5 Lake Sand Lake Crawford Lake Johnson rd Lake Lost Lake Rainbow Lake Blue Lake

Cub Lake Twin Lake Little Twin Lake Pickerel Lake

Squaw Lake Indian Lake Perch Lake Crawford Lake

Log Lake Selkirk Lake Kettle Lake Lake Placid

Twenty Eight Lakes East Lake Long Lake Lake Five

Rivers

• Boardman
• Manistee
• Rapid River

Highways

• US 131
• M-66
• M-72

Adjacent counties

• Antrim County - north
• Otsego County - northeast
• Crawford County - east
• Roscommon County - southeast
• Missaukee County - south
• Wexford County - southwest
• Grand Traverse County - west

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% were of German, 12.4% English, 10.4% Irish, 10.0% American, 6.3% Polish and 5.1% French ancestry according to Census 2000. 98.8% spoke English as their first language.

Kalkaska County
Year	Population	Change
1940	5,159	-
1950	4,597	-10.9%
1960	4,382	-4.7%
1970	5,372	22.6%
1980	10,592	97.2%
1990	13,497	27.4%
2000	16,571	22.8%
2010	17,153	3.5%

There were 6,428 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,072, and the median income for a family was $39,932. Males had a median income of $31,860 versus $20,455 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,309. About 8.20% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

History

• The first settler in Kalkaska County was an Englishman named William Copeland, who purchased land in the northwest corner of the county in 1855. The county was set off in 1840 and originally called Wabasee until 1843. See, List of Michigan counties. The name Kalkaska is thought to be a Chippewa word meaning flat or burned-over country. An alternative theory is that this is a neologism or neonym created by Henry Schoolcraft, originally spelled Calcasca. Some theorists suggest this is word play. Schoolcraft's family name formerly was Calcraft, and the Ks may have been added to make the name appear more like a Native American word. See also, List of Michigan county name etymologies.
• Logging was the first important industry.
• The discovery of substantial deposits of oil and natural gas resulted in the construction of a processing plant by Shell Oil Company in 1973 and a major economic boom in the community.

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Landmarks

• The National Trout Festival is a festival held every year at the end of April. First celebrated in 1936, festivities include a parade, carnival, kids trout fishing contest, demolition derby, rodeo and livestock fair, among other things. It is a time when the community members and businesses come together to celebrate the heritage and sportsmanship of Kalkaska.

Cities, villages, and townships

Bear Lake Township Blue Lake Township Boardman Township Clearwater Township Coldsprings Township

Excelsior Township Garfield Township Kalkaska Township Kalkaska, village

Oliver Township Orange Township Rapid River Township Springfield Township

Further reading

• Kalkaska Genealogical Society: Big Trout, Black Gold: History of Kalkaska County, Michigan. nd.

External links

• Kalkaska County government
• Kalkaska County Sheriff's Office
• Village of Kalkaska
• Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
• Kalkaska Chamber of Commerce
• Kiwanis Club of Kalkaska
• Michigan Heritage & Research Foundation
• National Trout Festival
• Historical Society of Kalkaska
• Kalkaska Visitors Guide
• Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay