Emmet County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Emmet County is a county in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census
, the population was 31,437. The county seat
is Petoskey
.
The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County
. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843. Emmet County remained attached to Mackinac County for administrative purposes until county government was organized in 1853. The county was named for the Irish patriot Robert Emmet
, who was hanged as a traitor to the British government at the age of 23. Sixteen counties were renamed in 1843 and five were given names of Irish origin, supposedly in deference to the increasing presence of settlers in Michigan with an Irish background. See List of Michigan county name etymologies.
Emmet County is located at the top of the mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula of Michigan
, with Lake Michigan
to the west, the Straits of Mackinac
to the north, Cheboygan County
to the east, and Charlevoix County
to the south.
Emmet County is home to Michigan's most endangered species and one of the most endangered species in the world: the Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle
. The species lives in only five locations in the world, two of which are in Emmet County. One of these, a two and a half mile stretch downstream from the Douglas Road crossing of the East Branch of the Maple River supports the only stable population of the Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle, with roughly 1000 specimens. This area is largely within and along the boundary of the University of Michigan Biological Station
there. The other location in Emmet County, near the Oliver Road crossing of the Carp Lake River
, revealed 4 adult specimens in 1997, but erosion at the road seems to have harmed the habitat and no specimens were found in the last survey conducted in 2003.
history records that Emmet County was thickly populated by a race of Indians that they called the Mush-co-desh, which means, "the Prairie tribe." The Mush-co-desh had an agrarian society and were said to have "shaped the land by making the woodland into prairie as they abandoned their old worn out gardens which formed grassy plains". Ottawa tradition claims that they slaughtered from forty to fifty thousand Mush-co-desh and drove the rest from the land after the Mush-co-desh insulted an Ottawa war party.
When European explorers and settlers first arrived in the area it became part of New France, Ottawa and Ojibwe Indians were the principal inhabitants. The French
established Fort Michilimackinac
in about 1715. The British
took the fort in 1761 and continued to use it as a trading post. In 1763, Ojibwe Indians took the fort as a part of Pontiac's Rebellion
and held it for a year before the British retook it. The British abandoned the wooden fort in 1781 after building the limestone Fort Mackinac
on nearby Mackinac Island
. An Indian community on the lakeshore in the western part of the county continued to thrive after the British abandoned the fort.
In the 1840s, Indian villages lined the Lake Michigan shore from present-day Harbor Springs
to Cross Village. The area was mostly reserved for native tribes by treaty provisions with the U.S. federal government until 1875.
In 1847, a group of Mormon
s settled on nearby Beaver Island
and established a "kingdom" led by "King" James Jesse Strang. There were bitter disputes between Strang's followers and other white settlers. Strang, seeking to strengthen his position became a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
. In January 1853, he pushed through legislation titled, "An act to organize the County of Emmet", which enlarged Emmet County by attaching the nearby Lake Michigan islands to the county as well as a portion of Cheboygan County. Further, it attached the old Charlevoix County
, which was originally named Keskkauko County and was as yet still unorganized, as a township of Emmet County. Due to Strang's influence, Mormons came to dominate county government, causing an exodus of many non-Mormon settlers to neighboring areas. In 1855, the non-Mormon resistance succeeded in getting the Michigan Legislature to reorganize the County of Emmet with the islands, including Beaver Island and North
and South Manitou Island
, set off into the separate Manitou County
, which effectively eliminated Mormons from Emmet County government.
On April 27, 1857 an election selected Little Traverse (now named Harbor Springs) as the county seat. However, at about this time, a group of investors were trying to promote development at Mackinaw City and due to their influence, in February 1858, the State Legislature passed an act establishing Mackinaw City as the county seat. The Emmet County Board of Supervisors protested that the county seat had already been established at Little Traverse, and in 1861, the act was repealed as unconstitutional. In a contested election in 1867, residents voted to move the county seat to Charlevoix
, which was upheld by a Circuit Court decision in 1868. However, in 1869, Charlevoix County was split off from Emmet County and its county seat was now in another county. No provisions for official relocation were authorized, although Harbor Springs
served as the unofficial county seat until April 1902, when the present county seat of Petoskey was selected in a county-wide election.
Charlevoix Township
was organized in 1853 and included all ot the nine townships presently in the southern half of the county. In the 1855 reorganization, four new townships were created by the State Legislature:
In 1855, county supervisors also established Arbour Croche Township and Utopia Township. The state had inadvertently drawn boundaries for Little Traverse and Bear Creek that such that one area was included in both. The county supervisors Arbour Croche was defined as having the same boundaries as the state-defined Little Traverse Township, excluding the area overlapping with Bear Creek. Eventually the name Arbour Croche disappeared in favor of Little Traverse. The township of Utopia was later absorbed into other townships.
In 1877, six additional townships were organized:
Center Township
was added in 1878 and Carp Lake Township
in 1879. Resort Township
and Springvale Township, Michigan
were formed in 1880, but were at that time part of Charlevoix County
. Those townships, along with Bear Creek, experienced numerous boundary changes. The now defunct townships of Bear Lake and Spring Lake were created out of portions of these townships. In 1897, the portions of these townships remaining in Emmet County were absorbed into Bear Creek and Springvale Townships.
Also organized in 1897 were West Traverse Township
(from portions of Friendship and Little Traverse Townships) and Egleston Township (name changed to McKinley Township
in 1903). In 1923, Wawatam Township
was the last township organized in the county, when it was detached from Carp Lake Township.
US Highways
Michigan State Trunklines
Emmet County Highways
of 2000, there were 31,437 people, 12,577 households, and 8,527 families residing in the county. The population density
was 67 people per square mile (26/km²). There were 18,554 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.33% White
, 0.47% Black
or African American
, 3.11% Native American
, 0.43% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 0.16% from other races
, and 1.47% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 23.6% were of German
, 11.4% English
, 11.3% Irish
, 9.0% Polish
and 8.4% American
ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.9% spoke English
and 1.1% Spanish
as their first language.
There were 12,577 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples
living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,222, and the median income for a family was $48,140. Males had a median income of $33,385 versus $24,173 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $21,070. About 4.50% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.30% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.
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.
(information as of September 2005)
Villages
Unincorporated
Townships
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 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the population was 31,437. 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....
is Petoskey
Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County....
.
The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County
Mackinac County, Michigan
-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843. Emmet County remained attached to Mackinac County for administrative purposes until county government was organized in 1853. The county was named for the Irish patriot Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
, who was hanged as a traitor to the British government at the age of 23. Sixteen counties were renamed in 1843 and five were given names of Irish origin, supposedly in deference to the increasing presence of settlers in Michigan with an Irish background. See List of Michigan county name etymologies.
Emmet County is located at the top of the mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula of Michigan
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
, with Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
to the west, the Straits of Mackinac
Straits of Mackinac
The Straits of Mackinac is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a shipping lane providing passage for raw materials and finished goods, connecting, for...
to the north, Cheboygan County
Cheboygan County, Michigan
-Commercial Airline:There are no commercial airline airports in Cheboygan County but the nearest ones are Alpena County Regional Airport, Chippewa County International Airport , and Cherry Capital Airport...
to the east, and Charlevoix County
Charlevoix County, Michigan
-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
to the south.
Emmet County is home to Michigan's most endangered species and one of the most endangered species in the world: the Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle
Hungerford's crawling water beetle
Hungerford's crawling water beetle is a critically endangered member of the Haliplidae family of water beetles. The US Fish and Wildlife Service Draft Recovery Plan for the species published August 2004 estimates roughly 1000 individuals are present in the wild...
. The species lives in only five locations in the world, two of which are in Emmet County. One of these, a two and a half mile stretch downstream from the Douglas Road crossing of the East Branch of the Maple River supports the only stable population of the Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle, with roughly 1000 specimens. This area is largely within and along the boundary of the University of Michigan Biological Station
University of Michigan Biological Station
The University of Michigan Biological Station is a research and teaching facility operated by the University of Michigan. It is located on the south shore of Douglas Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan. The station consists of 10,000 acres of land near Pellston, Michigan in the northern Lower...
there. The other location in Emmet County, near the Oliver Road crossing of the Carp Lake River
Carp Lake River
The Carp Lake River is a river in Emmet County, Michigan.The Carp Lake River is one of only five locations in the world where the critically endangered Hungerford's Crawling Water Beetle has been found...
, revealed 4 adult specimens in 1997, but erosion at the road seems to have harmed the habitat and no specimens were found in the last survey conducted in 2003.
History
OttawaOttawa (tribe)
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
history records that Emmet County was thickly populated by a race of Indians that they called the Mush-co-desh, which means, "the Prairie tribe." The Mush-co-desh had an agrarian society and were said to have "shaped the land by making the woodland into prairie as they abandoned their old worn out gardens which formed grassy plains". Ottawa tradition claims that they slaughtered from forty to fifty thousand Mush-co-desh and drove the rest from the land after the Mush-co-desh insulted an Ottawa war party.
When European explorers and settlers first arrived in the area it became part of New France, Ottawa and Ojibwe Indians were the principal inhabitants. The French
French colonization of the Americas
The French colonization of the Americas began in the 16th century, and continued in the following centuries as France established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France founded colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America...
established Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower...
in about 1715. The British
British colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
took the fort in 1761 and continued to use it as a trading post. In 1763, Ojibwe Indians took the fort as a part of Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's War, Pontiac's Conspiracy, or Pontiac's Rebellion was a war that was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes primarily from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Country, and Ohio Country who were dissatisfied with British postwar policies in the...
and held it for a year before the British retook it. The British abandoned the wooden fort in 1781 after building the limestone Fort Mackinac
Fort Mackinac
Fort Mackinac is a former American military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century near Michilimackinac, Michigan, on Mackinac Island...
on nearby Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
. An Indian community on the lakeshore in the western part of the county continued to thrive after the British abandoned the fort.
In the 1840s, Indian villages lined the Lake Michigan shore from present-day Harbor Springs
Harbor Springs, Michigan
Harbor Springs is a city and resort community in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,567 at the 2000 census.Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on...
to Cross Village. The area was mostly reserved for native tribes by treaty provisions with the U.S. federal government until 1875.
In 1847, a group of Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
s settled on nearby Beaver Island
Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan and part of the Beaver Island archipelago. Once home to a unique American monarchy, the island is now a popular tourist and vacation destination....
and established a "kingdom" led by "King" James Jesse Strang. There were bitter disputes between Strang's followers and other white settlers. Strang, seeking to strengthen his position became a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
. In January 1853, he pushed through legislation titled, "An act to organize the County of Emmet", which enlarged Emmet County by attaching the nearby Lake Michigan islands to the county as well as a portion of Cheboygan County. Further, it attached the old Charlevoix County
Charlevoix County, Michigan
-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
, which was originally named Keskkauko County and was as yet still unorganized, as a township of Emmet County. Due to Strang's influence, Mormons came to dominate county government, causing an exodus of many non-Mormon settlers to neighboring areas. In 1855, the non-Mormon resistance succeeded in getting the Michigan Legislature to reorganize the County of Emmet with the islands, including Beaver Island and North
North Manitou Island
North Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west-northwest of Leland, Michigan. It is nearly eight miles long and over four miles wide, with of shoreline. It has a land area of 57.876 km² and has no population...
and South Manitou Island
South Manitou Island
South Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west of Leland, Michigan. It is part of Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The uninhabited island is in land area and can be accessed by a ferry service from Leland...
, set off into the separate Manitou County
Manitou County, Michigan
Manitou County was an insular county in the U.S. state of Michigan consisting of Beaver Island and its surrounding islands, together with the Manitou Islands and Fox Islands in Lake Michigan. The county existed from 1855 to 1895. The county seat was at St...
, which effectively eliminated Mormons from Emmet County government.
On April 27, 1857 an election selected Little Traverse (now named Harbor Springs) as the county seat. However, at about this time, a group of investors were trying to promote development at Mackinaw City and due to their influence, in February 1858, the State Legislature passed an act establishing Mackinaw City as the county seat. The Emmet County Board of Supervisors protested that the county seat had already been established at Little Traverse, and in 1861, the act was repealed as unconstitutional. In a contested election in 1867, residents voted to move the county seat to Charlevoix
Charlevoix, Michigan
Charlevoix is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,994. It is the county seat of Charlevoix County....
, which was upheld by a Circuit Court decision in 1868. However, in 1869, Charlevoix County was split off from Emmet County and its county seat was now in another county. No provisions for official relocation were authorized, although Harbor Springs
Harbor Springs, Michigan
Harbor Springs is a city and resort community in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,567 at the 2000 census.Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on...
served as the unofficial county seat until April 1902, when the present county seat of Petoskey was selected in a county-wide election.
Charlevoix Township
Charlevoix Township, Michigan
Charlevoix Township is a civil township of Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,697 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer months this population expands rapidly as Charlevoix is the location of many summer homes of people in the Detroit and Chicago...
was organized in 1853 and included all ot the nine townships presently in the southern half of the county. In the 1855 reorganization, four new townships were created by the State Legislature:
- La Croix Township (name changed to Cross Village TownshipCross Village Township, MichiganCross Village Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 294.-Communities:...
in 1875) - Little Traverse TownshipLittle Traverse Township, MichiganLittle Traverse Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,426 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Conway is an unincorporated community in the township, on the west end of Crooked Lake on US 31 at...
- Bear Creek TownshipBear Creek Township, MichiganBear Creek Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,269.-Communities:*Petoskey is at the northeast corner of the township, but is administratively autonomous....
- Old Fort Mackinac (later absorbed into other townships)
In 1855, county supervisors also established Arbour Croche Township and Utopia Township. The state had inadvertently drawn boundaries for Little Traverse and Bear Creek that such that one area was included in both. The county supervisors Arbour Croche was defined as having the same boundaries as the state-defined Little Traverse Township, excluding the area overlapping with Bear Creek. Eventually the name Arbour Croche disappeared in favor of Little Traverse. The township of Utopia was later absorbed into other townships.
In 1877, six additional townships were organized:
- Bliss TownshipBliss Township, MichiganBliss Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 572.-Geography:...
- Friendship TownshipFriendship Township, MichiganFriendship Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 844 at the 2000 census.-History:A settlement named Appleton was established at the mouth of Spring Creek along Lake Huron...
- Littlefield TownshipLittlefield Township, MichiganLittlefield Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,783 at the 2000 census.-Communities:* Alanson is a village on the Crooked River at the junction of US 31 and M-68....
- Maple River TownshipMaple River Township, MichiganMaple River Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,232 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The village of Pellston is partially located in the township on the boundary with adjacent McKinley Township....
- Pleasantview TownshipPleasantview Township, MichiganPleasantview Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 943 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Readmond TownshipReadmond Township, MichiganReadmond Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 493 at the 2000 census. It is the summer destination for such famous people as Jim Abbott and Bob Seger, a singer who sung number 1 song on the Billboard charts, Shakedown, from...
Center Township
Center Township, Michigan
Center Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 499 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
was added in 1878 and Carp Lake Township
Carp Lake Township, Emmet County, Michigan
Carp Lake Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 807 at the 2000 census.-Communities:Carp Lake is an unincorporated community in the township on the north shore of Lake Paradise at . U.S...
in 1879. Resort Township
Resort Township, Michigan
Resort Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
and Springvale Township, Michigan
Springvale Township, Michigan
Springvale Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,727 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
were formed in 1880, but were at that time part of Charlevoix County
Charlevoix County, Michigan
-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
. Those townships, along with Bear Creek, experienced numerous boundary changes. The now defunct townships of Bear Lake and Spring Lake were created out of portions of these townships. In 1897, the portions of these townships remaining in Emmet County were absorbed into Bear Creek and Springvale Townships.
Also organized in 1897 were West Traverse Township
West Traverse Township, Michigan
West Traverse Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,448 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
(from portions of Friendship and Little Traverse Townships) and Egleston Township (name changed to McKinley Township
McKinley Township, Emmet County, Michigan
McKinley Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,269 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The village of Pellston is partially within the township....
in 1903). In 1923, Wawatam Township
Wawatam Township, Michigan
Wawatam Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 705.The village of Mackinaw City is located mostly within the township....
was the last township organized in the county, when it was detached from Carp Lake Township.
Geography
- According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 882.26 square miles (2,285 km²), of which 467.82 square miles (1,211.6 km²) (or 53.03%) is land and 414.44 square miles (1,073.4 km²) (or 46.97%) is water.
- Emmet County is considered to be part of Northern MichiganNorthern MichiganNorthern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
Highways
Interstates
I-75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
US Highways
US 31U.S. Route 31U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...
US 131U.S. Route 131US Highway 131 is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.67 miles of its 266.82 miles are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a state road connection to the Indiana Toll Road...
Michigan State Trunklines
M-68M-68 (Michigan highway)M-68 is an east–west state trunkline highway located in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The western terminus of the highway begins four miles east of the Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan and ends a few blocks from Lake Huron in Rogers City...
M-108M-108 (Michigan highway)M-108 was a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The highway followed Nicolet Street, although some maps also labeled it as the Mackinaw Highway. The road was on the boundary between Emmet and Cheboygan counties....
M-119M-119 (Michigan highway)The current highway was designated in 1979, replacing the former route of M-131; the routing has remained unchanged since. This section of highway had been part of M-13 on July 1, 1919, when the state trunkline highway system debuted...
Emmet County Highways
-
C-58 -
C-64 -
C-66 -
C-71 -
C-77 -
C-81
Adjacent counties
- Mackinac CountyMackinac County, Michigan-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
- northeast - Cheboygan CountyCheboygan County, Michigan-Commercial Airline:There are no commercial airline airports in Cheboygan County but the nearest ones are Alpena County Regional Airport, Chippewa County International Airport , and Cherry Capital Airport...
- east - Charlevoix CountyCharlevoix County, Michigan-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
- south
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 2000, there were 31,437 people, 12,577 households, and 8,527 families residing in the county. 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 67 people per square mile (26/km²). There were 18,554 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.33% White
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...
, 0.47% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 3.11% Native American
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...
, 0.43% Asian
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...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.16% 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 1.47% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race. 23.6% were of 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....
, 11.4% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 11.3% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 9.0% 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 8.4% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.9% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 1.1% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 12,577 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% 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, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,222, and the median income for a family was $48,140. Males had a median income of $33,385 versus $24,173 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 county was $21,070. About 4.50% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.30% of those under age 18 and 7.80% 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 healthPublic health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
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.
Emmet County elected officials
- Prosecuting AttorneyProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
: James Linderman - SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
: Peter A. Wallin - County Clerk: Gail A. Martin
- County TreasurerTreasurerA treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
: Marilyn May - Register of Deeds: Michele Stine
- Drain CommissionerDrain commissionerA drain commissioner is an elected official in counties of the U.S. state of Michigan with a population over 12,000. In counties with a population under 12,000, the statutory duties and responsibilities of the drain commissioner are performed by the county's board of road commissioners.The office...
: Arden Bawkey
(information as of September 2005)
Cities, villages, and townships
Cities- Harbor SpringsHarbor Springs, MichiganHarbor Springs is a city and resort community in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,567 at the 2000 census.Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on...
- PetoskeyPetoskey, MichiganPetoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County....
Villages
- AlansonAlanson, MichiganAlanson is a village in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 785.Alanson is in Littlefield Township on U.S. Highway 31 at the junction with M-68. Petoskey is about southwest on US 31 and Mackinaw City and the Mackinac Bridge are about north...
- Mackinaw CityMackinaw City, MichiganMackinaw City is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census the population was 859. The name "Mackinaw City" is a bit of a misnomer as it is actually a village...
- PellstonPellston, MichiganPellston is a village in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 771 at the 2000 census. The village is the home of Pellston Regional Airport. Its motto is "Icebox of the Nation"; Pellston recorded the state of Michigan's record low temperature, a frigid -53°F...
Unincorporated
- Bay ViewBay View, MichiganBay View is an unincorporated resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Bear Creek Township, Emmet County on Little Traverse Bay and abuts the east side of the city of Petoskey along U.S. Highway 31. The ZIP code is 49770 and the FIPS place code is 06260...
Townships
- Bear Creek TownshipBear Creek Township, MichiganBear Creek Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 5,269.-Communities:*Petoskey is at the northeast corner of the township, but is administratively autonomous....
- Bliss TownshipBliss Township, MichiganBliss Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 572.-Geography:...
- Carp Lake TownshipCarp Lake Township, Emmet County, MichiganCarp Lake Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 807 at the 2000 census.-Communities:Carp Lake is an unincorporated community in the township on the north shore of Lake Paradise at . U.S...
- Center TownshipCenter Township, MichiganCenter Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 499 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
- Cross Village TownshipCross Village Township, MichiganCross Village Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 294.-Communities:...
- Friendship TownshipFriendship Township, MichiganFriendship Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 844 at the 2000 census.-History:A settlement named Appleton was established at the mouth of Spring Creek along Lake Huron...
- Little Traverse TownshipLittle Traverse Township, MichiganLittle Traverse Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,426 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Conway is an unincorporated community in the township, on the west end of Crooked Lake on US 31 at...
- Littlefield TownshipLittlefield Township, MichiganLittlefield Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,783 at the 2000 census.-Communities:* Alanson is a village on the Crooked River at the junction of US 31 and M-68....
- Maple River TownshipMaple River Township, MichiganMaple River Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,232 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The village of Pellston is partially located in the township on the boundary with adjacent McKinley Township....
- McKinley TownshipMcKinley Township, Emmet County, MichiganMcKinley Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,269 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The village of Pellston is partially within the township....
- Pleasantview TownshipPleasantview Township, MichiganPleasantview Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 943 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Readmond TownshipReadmond Township, MichiganReadmond Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 493 at the 2000 census. It is the summer destination for such famous people as Jim Abbott and Bob Seger, a singer who sung number 1 song on the Billboard charts, Shakedown, from...
- Resort TownshipResort Township, MichiganResort Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
- Springvale TownshipSpringvale Township, MichiganSpringvale Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,727 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Wawatam TownshipWawatam Township, MichiganWawatam Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 705.The village of Mackinaw City is located mostly within the township....
- West Traverse TownshipWest Traverse Township, MichiganWest Traverse Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,448 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...