Bessemer, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Bessemer is a city in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2010 census
, the city population was 1,914. It is the county seat
of Gogebic County
.
The city is situated within Bessemer Township
, but is politically independent. It is on US 2
with Ironwood
several miles to the west and Wakefield
several miles to the east. The Big Powderhorn
, Blackjack and Indianhead ski areas are located within a few miles of Bessemer. Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are also very popular in this area known as Big Snow country because of heavy snowfall influenced by nearby Lake Superior
.
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²), all land.
of 2010, there were 1,914 people, 976 households, and 569 families residing in the city. The population density
was 392.9 per square mile (151.6/km²). There were 1,179 housing units at an average density of 215.6 per square mile (83.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.88% White, 0.14% African American, 1.21% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races
, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population. 23.3% were of Italian, 18.7% Finnish, 13.8% German
, 11.3% Polish
and 5.7% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 976 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,639, and the median income for a family was $36,739. Males had a median income of $28,958 versus $21,708 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,499. About 8.6% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Intercity bus service is provided by Indian Trails Line, while Gogebic County operates a small public bus system.
Commercial air service is available at the Gogebic-Iron County Airport
(IWD) north of Ironwood. Frontier Airlines
operates flights from Ironwood to Rhinelander
, Wisconsin
; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(via Rhinelander). From Rhinelander, passengers may also fly to Minneapolis
, Minnesota
(MSP
) with Delta Connection
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the city population was 1,914. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Gogebic County
Gogebic County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,370 people, 7,425 households, and 4,581 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile . There were 10,839 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
.
The city is situated within Bessemer Township
Bessemer Township, Michigan
Bessemer Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,270.-Communities:...
, but is politically independent. It is on US 2
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
with Ironwood
Ironwood, Michigan
Ironwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
several miles to the west and Wakefield
Wakefield, Michigan
Wakefield is a city in Gogebic County in the US state of Michigan. It is located in the western Upper Peninsula. The population was 1,851 at the 2010 census....
several miles to the east. The Big Powderhorn
Big Powderhorn Mountain
Big Powderhorn Mountain is a ski resort located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan between the towns of Bessemer and Ironwood. The mountain is part of the Gogebic Range with a summit of 600 ft and a base elevation of 1200 ft...
, Blackjack and Indianhead ski areas are located within a few miles of Bessemer. Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are also very popular in this area known as Big Snow country because of heavy snowfall influenced by nearby Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
.
History
Bessemer was incorporated in 1884 as copper mining started growing throughout the Gogebic Range. The town was made county seat in 1887. The town then grew as many stores, motels, gas stations, and restaurants were built. The town declined as the mining business declined, but it has since generally stabilized.Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 1,914 people, 976 households, and 569 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 392.9 per square mile (151.6/km²). There were 1,179 housing units at an average density of 215.6 per square mile (83.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.88% White, 0.14% African American, 1.21% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population. 23.3% were of Italian, 18.7% Finnish, 13.8% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 11.3% Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
and 5.7% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 976 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,639, and the median income for a family was $36,739. Males had a median income of $28,958 versus $21,708 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,499. About 8.6% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Jay W. JohnsonJay W. JohnsonJay W. Johnson was the director of the United States Mint, Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin, and a former television news anchor in the Green Bay area....
, member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... - Arthur RednerArthur RednerArthur E. Redner was an American football player and coach. He played halfback for the University of Michigan in 1900 and 1901 and was the last surviving member of Fielding H. Yost's renowned 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team.-Early years:Redner was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in...
, halfback for Fielding H. Yost's 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team1901 Michigan Wolverines football teamThe 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1901 college football season. In their first year under new head coach Fielding H. Yost, Michigan finished the season undefeated with an 11–0 record, outscored their opponents by the unprecedented total of 550...
Transportation
US-2U.S. Route 2U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
is one of the Upper Peninsula's longest highways, stretching from St. IgnaceSt. Ignace, MichiganSaint Ignace, usually written as St. Ignace, is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,678. It is the county seat of Mackinac County. From the Lower Peninsula, St. Ignace is the gateway to the Upper Peninsula.St...
to neighboring Ironwood and on to DuluthDuluth, MinnesotaDuluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
.
Intercity bus service is provided by Indian Trails Line, while Gogebic County operates a small public bus system.
Commercial air service is available at the Gogebic-Iron County Airport
Gogebic-Iron County Airport
Gogebic-Iron County Airport is a public airport located seven miles northeast of the central business district of Ironwood, a city in Gogebic County on the western edge of the U.S. state of Michigan. The airport covers and has one runway. It is mostly used for general aviation...
(IWD) north of Ironwood. Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
operates flights from Ironwood to Rhinelander
Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Rhinelander is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 7,735 at the 2000 census.-Claim to fame:...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
(via Rhinelander). From Rhinelander, passengers may also fly to Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(MSP
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
) with Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
.