L'Anse, Michigan
Encyclopedia
L'Anse is a village in the U.S. state
of Michigan
and the county seat
of Baraga County
. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census
. The village is located within L'Anse Township
.
In French
, L'Anse roughly translates as "the cove," a reference to its location on Keweenaw Bay
, at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula
. French explorers
sighted the location of L'Anse in the 17th century.
to the head of the Keweenaw Bay
. The village was to become a port and house numerous stamping mills for the nearby copper mines.
The Michigan Railroad Board of Control approved the transfer of the Marquette and Ontonagon Railroad's land grant on March 30, 1869, and the Houghton and Ontonagon Railroad incorporated on January 17, 1870. On April 19, the board conferred the grant upon the new corporation, providing that the new railroad construct and place 10 miles (16.1 km) continuous in good running order before December 31, 1871, and 30 miles (48.3 km) continuous before December 31, 1872.
Houghton started surveying for right of way on April 1, 1871. During the course of that year, the railroad hired a surveyor to plat a new town, constructed a merchandise dock, and dredged the mouth of the Falls River.
Area residents proposed several names for the new town site, including Fall River and Iron City, but a majority decided on L'Anse. Lots went on sale in August 1871, and businessmen flocked from the Copper Country and Marquette
to open general merchandise stores, a general hardware and iron warehouse, three bakeries, a shaving and hair dressing salon, paint shop, tobacco and cigar store, several hotels, a dance hall, a railroad office, and a bank, among others. The railroad constructed a warehouse on its merchandise dock, which received cargo from the numerous vessels that made the trip to the head of the bay; numerous shipments of rails, two locomotives, and several flat cars were also included.
By January 1872, more than half of the work had been completed on the 35 miles (56.3 km) roadbed, but the railroad had to apply for an extension from the Board of Control because it had not completed track laying on the first 10 miles (16.1 km). Crews worked throughout the winter to make up for lost time; and almost 1,000 men labored in the deep snow and subzero temperatures. About 10 miles (16.1 km) of rail had been laid by May 1872, but ballasting was nearly impossible because of the severe freezing.
When spring arrived, construction began on the ore dock at a cost of $50,000. Completed, the dock contained 60000 board feet (141.6 m³) of timber and 425000 board feet (1,002.9 m³) of pine lumber, and had forty vessel and three steamboat pockets, with the capability to load two vessels and one steamboat at the same time.
The Marquette and Ontonagon Railroad merged with the Houghton and Ontonagon after a squabble over land grant rights, and it incorporated on September 2, 1872 as the Marquette, Houghton, and Ontonagon Railroad. The new company had terminals at Marquette and Ontonagon
, and it completed construction on the branch to Smith Mountain (Republic Mine) in September 1872. The unfinished section of the Houghton and Ontonagon, about 9 miles (14.5 km), was officially completed on December 31. However, the last spike was driven on December 15, and the engine "Keweenaw" made the trip from Champion
to L'Anse on December 17.
Iron ore from newly opened mines to the south supplied the dock, and plans were made to open at least one blast furnace. However, the Panic of 1873 caused furnace plans to be abandoned. Ore shipments continued in a limited capacity for a few years until the dock was idled, and later it was destroyed by fire.
On May 9, 1896, fire broke out in the large sawmill of the L'Anse Lumber Company. The fire swept to the ore dock and millions of feet of lumber piles before jumping to the business district and consuming homes and businesses, with losses estimated at over $600,000. The village gradually rebuilt itself and became a hub for lumber activity.
The Marshall Butters Sawmill was constructed in 1911 and was two stories high, 65 feet (19.8 m) wide, and had a 30x100 foot annex for the shingle and lath mill; a planing mill was on the lower floor. The mill was sold to Steams and Culver in 1915 and then to Ford Motor Company
on January 1, 1923. Ford used it until October 27, 1954, when it was dismantled and sold to a company in LongLac, Ontario.
, the town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it is land and 0.39% is water.
of 2000, there were 2,107 people, 894 households, and 540 families residing in the village. The population density
was 821.9 per square mile (317.8/km²). There were 981 housing units at an average density of 382.7 per square mile (148.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 91.22% White, 0.09% African American, 5.55% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, and 2.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population. 27.9% were of Finnish, 11.6% German, 9.4% French
, 7.5% Norwegian, 5.9% French Canadian
and 5.1% English
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 894 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $31,406, and the median income for a family was $38,984. Males had a median income of $31,583 versus $20,929 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $15,857. About 6.6% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
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"....
and 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 Baraga County
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
. The population was 2,107 at 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 village is located within L'Anse Township
L'Anse Township, Michigan
L'Anse Township is a civil township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,926. Mount Arvon and Mount Curwood, the highest and second highest points in Michigan are located in the township....
.
In French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, L'Anse roughly translates as "the cove," a reference to its location on Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
, at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula
Keweenaw Peninsula
The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northern-most part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200...
. French explorers
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...
sighted the location of L'Anse in the 17th century.
History
The village of L'Anse was founded in early 1871 when Jacob Houghton, chief engineer for the Houghton and Ontonagon Railroad, arrived to plat a preliminary route from the eastern end of Lake MichigammeLake Michigamme
Lake Michigamme, one of Michigan's largest lakes, reaches a depth of over .. It covers in Marquette and Baraga County, Michigan. Van Riper State Park provides public access. The vast majority of the lake lies in Marquette County, with only its westernmost part extending into Baraga County.The...
to the head of the Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
. The village was to become a port and house numerous stamping mills for the nearby copper mines.
The Michigan Railroad Board of Control approved the transfer of the Marquette and Ontonagon Railroad's land grant on March 30, 1869, and the Houghton and Ontonagon Railroad incorporated on January 17, 1870. On April 19, the board conferred the grant upon the new corporation, providing that the new railroad construct and place 10 miles (16.1 km) continuous in good running order before December 31, 1871, and 30 miles (48.3 km) continuous before December 31, 1872.
Houghton started surveying for right of way on April 1, 1871. During the course of that year, the railroad hired a surveyor to plat a new town, constructed a merchandise dock, and dredged the mouth of the Falls River.
Area residents proposed several names for the new town site, including Fall River and Iron City, but a majority decided on L'Anse. Lots went on sale in August 1871, and businessmen flocked from the Copper Country and Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
to open general merchandise stores, a general hardware and iron warehouse, three bakeries, a shaving and hair dressing salon, paint shop, tobacco and cigar store, several hotels, a dance hall, a railroad office, and a bank, among others. The railroad constructed a warehouse on its merchandise dock, which received cargo from the numerous vessels that made the trip to the head of the bay; numerous shipments of rails, two locomotives, and several flat cars were also included.
By January 1872, more than half of the work had been completed on the 35 miles (56.3 km) roadbed, but the railroad had to apply for an extension from the Board of Control because it had not completed track laying on the first 10 miles (16.1 km). Crews worked throughout the winter to make up for lost time; and almost 1,000 men labored in the deep snow and subzero temperatures. About 10 miles (16.1 km) of rail had been laid by May 1872, but ballasting was nearly impossible because of the severe freezing.
When spring arrived, construction began on the ore dock at a cost of $50,000. Completed, the dock contained 60000 board feet (141.6 m³) of timber and 425000 board feet (1,002.9 m³) of pine lumber, and had forty vessel and three steamboat pockets, with the capability to load two vessels and one steamboat at the same time.
The Marquette and Ontonagon Railroad merged with the Houghton and Ontonagon after a squabble over land grant rights, and it incorporated on September 2, 1872 as the Marquette, Houghton, and Ontonagon Railroad. The new company had terminals at Marquette and Ontonagon
Ontonagon, Michigan
Ontonagon is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 1,769. It is the county seat of Ontonagon County....
, and it completed construction on the branch to Smith Mountain (Republic Mine) in September 1872. The unfinished section of the Houghton and Ontonagon, about 9 miles (14.5 km), was officially completed on December 31. However, the last spike was driven on December 15, and the engine "Keweenaw" made the trip from Champion
Champion Township, Michigan
Champion Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 297.-Geography:...
to L'Anse on December 17.
Iron ore from newly opened mines to the south supplied the dock, and plans were made to open at least one blast furnace. However, the Panic of 1873 caused furnace plans to be abandoned. Ore shipments continued in a limited capacity for a few years until the dock was idled, and later it was destroyed by fire.
On May 9, 1896, fire broke out in the large sawmill of the L'Anse Lumber Company. The fire swept to the ore dock and millions of feet of lumber piles before jumping to the business district and consuming homes and businesses, with losses estimated at over $600,000. The village gradually rebuilt itself and became a hub for lumber activity.
The Marshall Butters Sawmill was constructed in 1911 and was two stories high, 65 feet (19.8 m) wide, and had a 30x100 foot annex for the shingle and lath mill; a planing mill was on the lower floor. The mill was sold to Steams and Culver in 1915 and then to Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
on January 1, 1923. Ford used it until October 27, 1954, when it was dismantled and sold to a company in LongLac, Ontario.
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 town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it is land and 0.39% is water.
Transportation
runs through the southernmost portion of the village. begins in the Village of Baraga, across the bay from L'Anse.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 2,107 people, 894 households, and 540 families residing in the village. 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 821.9 per square mile (317.8/km²). There were 981 housing units at an average density of 382.7 per square mile (148.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 91.22% White, 0.09% African American, 5.55% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, and 2.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population. 27.9% were of Finnish, 11.6% German, 9.4% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 7.5% Norwegian, 5.9% French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
and 5.1% 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...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 894 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% 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 39.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the village the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $31,406, and the median income for a family was $38,984. Males had a median income of $31,583 versus $20,929 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 village was $15,857. About 6.6% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.