Iosco County, Michigan

There is also Iosco Township, Michigan, in Livingston County.

Iosco County, Michigan
Seal
Location in the state of Michigan
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded	information needed
Seat	Tawas City
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,890.77 sq mi (4,897 km²) 549.11 sq mi (1,422 km²) 1,341.66 sq mi (3,475 km²), 70.96%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	25,887 49/sq mi (19/km²)
Website	iosco.m33access.com

Iosco County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,887. The county seat is Tawas City.

Iosco is a Native American word meaning "water of light". In 1840 it was set off as Kanotin County, and renamed Iosco in 1843. The county was organized in 1857.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1,890.77 square miles (4,897.1 km²), of which 549.11 square miles (1,422.2 km²) (or 29.04%) is land and 1,341.66 square miles (3,474.9 km²) (or 70.96%) is water. The county is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Geographic features

• Tawas Bay
• Pine River, rises in Alcona County and flows into Iosco County, where it empties into Van Etten Lake at [show location on an interactive map] 44°29′38″N, 83°23′16″W northwest of Oscoda
• Au Sable River
• Turtle Marsh Wildlife Area
• Van Etten Lake
• Tawas Lake
• Foote Dam Pond
• The county is part of the Au Sable State Forest, specifically the
  • Grayling FMU (Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties).

Highways

• US 23 is known as the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway.
• M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. Its east end terminates in Tawas City at the junction with US 23.
• M-65
• F-41
• River Road National Scenic Byway starts at M-65 and runs parallel with the Au Sable River for 23 miles (37 km) eastward to end at US 23 in Oscoda, Michigan. It is a designated National Scenic Byway. The road passes by the Lumberman's Monument.

Adjacent counties

• Alcona County - north
• Arenac County - southwest
• Ogemaw County - west
• Oscoda County - northwest

National protected area

• Huron National Forest (part)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 27,339 people, 11,727 households, and 7,857 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile (19/km²). There were 20,432 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.92% White, 0.41% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.2% were of German, 12.3% English, 10.6% Irish, 9.9% American, 8.3% Polish and 7.1% French ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.4% spoke English and 1.0% Spanish as their first language.

There were 11,727 households out of which 24.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 23.40% from 25 to 44, 27.30% from 45 to 64, and 21.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,321, and the median income for a family was $37,452. Males had a median income of $30,338 versus $21,149 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,115. About 9.50% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.50% of those under age 18 and 7.60% 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.

Iosco County officials (elected 2008)

• Prosecuting Attorney: Gary Rapp
• Sheriff: Allen MacGregor
• County Clerk: Nancy Huebel
• County Treasurer: Elite Shellenbarger
• Register of Deeds: Bonita Coyle
• Drain Commissioner: Gary Adams

Iosco County commissioners (elected 2008)

• District 1: Roberta Roulo
• District 2: Jeff Mathews
• District 3: Bob Cudney
• District 4: John Moehring
• District 5: Patricia Schmidt

Education

Iosco County contains four public school districts: Hale Area Schools, Oscoda Area Schools, Tawas Area Schools, and Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools.

There are also 3 private elementary schools in the county: Emanuel Lutheran School in Tawas City, Holy Family School in East Tawas, and Shady Grove School in Whittemore.

Alpena Community College offers college-level courses at its campus on the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda and local public school facilities.

Cities, villages, and townships

Cities East Tawas Tawas City Whittemore

Unincorporated Au Sable Hale Long Lake National City Oscoda

Townships

Alabaster Township Au Sable Charter Township Baldwin Township Burleigh Township

Grant Township Oscoda Charter Township Plainfield Township Reno Township

Sherman Township Tawas Township Wilber Township

Newspapers and communications

• The Iosco County News-Herald is the newspaper of record for Iosco County.
• The Oscoda Press is a weekly newspaper serving northern Iosco County and southern Alcona County

See also

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

External links

• Clarke Historical Library Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Iosco County
• County of Iosco, links, media, history, parks, services and more.
• Enchanted forest, Northern Michigan source for information, calendars, etc.