Mackinac County, Michigan

Mackinac County, Michigan
Location in the state of Michigan
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded	October 26, 1818
Seat	St. Ignace
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	2,100.55 sq mi (5,440 km²) 1,021.58 sq mi (2,646 km²) 1,078.96 sq mi (2,794 km²), 51.37%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	11,943 12/sq mi (5/km²)
Website	www.mackinaccounty.net

Mackinac County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 11,943. The county seat is St. Ignace. The county was formerly known as Michilimackinac County, and it was created as one of the first counties of the Michigan Territory in 1818.

The county's name is claimed to be a corruption of the French term "Michilimackinac," which referred to the Straits of Mackinac area as well as the French settlement at the tip of the lower peninsula. See and compare List of Michigan county name etymologies, List of Michigan counties, and List of abolished U.S. counties.

History

Michilimackinac County was created on October 26, 1818, by proclamation of territorial governor Lewis Cass. The county originally took up the Lower Peninsula of Michigan north of Macomb County and almost the entire present Upper Peninsula. At the time of founding, the county seat was the community of Michilimackinac Island on Michilimackinac Island, later known as Mackinac Island, Michigan. The county was reorganized in 1849 as Mackinac County. In 1882 the county seat was moved from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace.

Geography

• According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 2,100.55 square miles (5,440.4 km²), of which 1,021.58 square miles (2,645.9 km²) (or 48.63%) is land and 1,078.96 square miles (2,794.5 km²) (or 51.37%) is water.
• It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette.
• St. Ignace is the northern terminus of the Mackinac Bridge.
• Mackinac Island is within the county.

Adjacent counties

• Chippewa (northeast, east)
• Presque Isle County (southeast, water boundary only, in Lake Huron)
• Cheboygan County (south, water boundary only, in Lake Huron)
• Emmet County (south, water boundary only, in Lake Michigan)
• Charlevoix County (southwest, water boundary only, in Lake Michigan)
• Schoolcraft County (west)
• Luce County (northwest)

National protected area

• Hiawatha National Forest (part)

Transportation

Local Airports

• Mackinac County Airport (St. Ignace)
• Mackinac Island Airport (Mackinac Island)

Airline service

The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:

• Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste. Marie in the eastern Upper peninsula;
• Pellston Regional Airport, Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport and Alpena County Regional Airport in the Lower Peninsula.

Highways

• I-75
• BL I-75 runs through downtown St. Ignace
• US 2
• M-48
• M-117
• M-123
• M-129
• M-134
• M-185, no motor vehicles allowed with the exception of emergency vehicles

County-designated highways

• H-33
• H-40
• H-42
• H-57
• H-63

Ferry

Numerous companies operate ferries to Bois Blanc Island and Mackinac Island. Ferries to and from Mackinac Island sail from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, while the Bois Blanc Island ferry sails from Cheboygan.

Rail

• Soo Line Railroad

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,943 people, 5,067 households, and 3,410 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 persons per square mile (5/km²). There were 9,413 housing units at an average density of 9/sq mi (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.07% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 14.21% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 4.92% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.7% were of German, 9.4% English, 8.1% Irish, 7.3% French, 6.0% American and 6.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.6% spoke English as their first language.

There were 5,067 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.20% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 28.40% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,356, and the median income for a family was $39,929. Males had a median income of $30,805 versus $22,753 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,777. About 7.20% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.70% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.

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.

Mackinac County elected officials

• Prosecuting Attorney: Alfred E. Feleppa
• Sheriff: Scott Strait
• County Clerk: Mary Kay Tamlyn
• County Treasurer: Nora A. Massey
• Register of Deeds: Diane Frankovich
• County Surveyor: Jeffrey M. Davis

(information as of September 2005)

Historical markers

There are 34 official state historical markers in the County:

• Across the Peninsula
• American Fur Company Store
• Battlefield of 1814
• Biddle House
• Bois Blanc Island
• British Cannon
• British Landing
• Early Missionary Bark Chapel
• Epoufette
• Fort de Buade
• Fort Holmes
• Grand Hotel
• Gros Cap Island & St. Helena Island
• Historic Fort Mackinac
• Indian Dormitory
• Island House (Mackinac Island)
• Lake Michigan
• Lake View Hotel
• Little Stone Church
• Mackinac Conference
• Mackinac Island
• Mackinac Straits
• Market Street
• Mission Church
• Mission House
• Northernmost Point of Lake Michigan
• Old Agency House
• Round Island Lighthouse
• Sainte Anne Church
• St. Ignace
• St. Ignace Mission
• Skull Cave
• Trinity Church (Mackinac Island)
• Wawashkamo Golf Club

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities Mackinac Island St. Ignace Villages None

Unincorporated communities Allenville Brevort Cedarville Curtis Engadine Epoufette

Evergreen Shores Garnet Gould City Gros Cap Hessel

Millecoquins Moran Naubinway Pointe Aux Pins Rexton

Townships

Bois Blanc Township Brevort Township Clark Township Garfield Township

Hendricks Township Hudson Township Marquette Township Moran Township

Newton Township Portage Township St. Ignace Township

Media

Newspapers

• The Mackinac Island Town Crier is the weekly seasonal newspaper of Mackinac Island.
• The St. Ignace News is the weekly newspaper for the Upper Peninsula area of the Mackinac Straits.

Television

The following television stations can be received in St. Ignace:

• Channel 4:WTOM-TV "TV 7&4" (NBC) (Cheboygan) (simulcasted in Channel 7, Harrietta)
• Channel 8:WGTQ "ABC 29&8" (ABC) (Goetzville) (simulcasted in Channel 29, Kalkaska)
• Channel 10:WWUP-TV "9&10 News" (CBS) (Goetzville) (simulcasted in Channel 9, Tustin)

Radio

The following stations can be heard in St. Ignace:

FM

Call Sign	Frequency	City Broadcast From
WIAB	88.5	Mackinaw City
WLJZ	94.5	Mackinaw City
WLXT	96.3	Petoskey
WKLZ	98.9	Petoskey
WMKC	102.9	Indian River
WCMW	103.9	Harbor Springs
WKHQ	105.9	Petoskey

AM

Call Sign	Frequency	City Broadcast From
WTCM	580	Traverse City
WARD	750	Petoskey
WIDG	940	St. Ignace
WJML	1100	Petoskey
WCBY	1240	Cheboygan

Attractions

• Beaches
• Garlyn Zoo
• Lake Michigan

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Mackinac County, Michigan

Bibliography

• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Mackinac County.

External links

• Mackinac County government
• A History of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Fuller, George N.
• St. Ignace visitor's bureau