Wakefield, Michigan
Encyclopedia
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.
The city is situated within Wakefield Township
, but is politically independent. It is on US 2 about ten miles (16 km) east of Ironwood
and the Wisconsin
border. M-28
has its western terminus in the city.
It is home to Sunday Lake, Indianhead Mountain
Resort, Gogebic County Medical Care Facility, and Gogebic County Community Mental Health Authority. Once a mining town
its economy is now based upon the forest industry, goods and services
, and tourism.
, a son of James Patterson Wakefield and Hannah B. Hall, had the town site of Wakefield platted in May 1886; the general location was already being referred to as "Wakefield" as early as the fall of 1884. His parents moved their family to Waukesha County, Wisconsin
in October 1844. Mr. Wakefield became interested in logging and real estate and acquired vast tracts of land in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan
in the 1870s and 1880s. Together with various other capitalists he built sawmills and logged the pine forests of the area, and later became involved in mineral exploration. He was one of the parties who held interests in the mineral rights to the Sunday Lake mine, as well as a few nearby properties.
, Wisconsin
, Texas, and Alaska
. He was secretary-treasurer of the Ontonagon River
Improvement and Boom Company, organized in 1880. They made it possible to float logs out to Lake Superior
and built a sawmill on an island near the mouth of the Ontonagon river in Ontonagon, Michigan
.
The G. M. Wakefield Mineral Land Company was formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 18, 1899 for the purpose of dealing in mineral lands, timber, agricultural lands, and real estate. George M. Wakefield, his wife and their son Vernon T. Wakefield were the stockholders with a capital stock of $50,000 divided into 500 shares. Most of the land held was in Township 47 North, between Wakefield and Lake Gogebic
. Mr. Wakefield was also a major stockholder in the Beacon, Continental, Cosmos, International, and Summit mineral land companies.
The Wakefield ancestry is traced back to John Wakefield, who was born about 1614, probably in Gravesend, County Kent, England and immigrated to Virginia aboard the "America" in June 1635, along with his brothers Richard Wakefield and Thomas Wakefield. John Wakefield eventually settled at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
as a village by the Gogebic County Board of Supervisors on November 20, 1887. It became incorporated as a city in 1919.
Wakefield's iron mines include:
, and tourism.
Logging had been a mainstay of the local economy since the early 1900s. In 1941 the county embarked upon a county forest project to demonstrate that with selective cutting, under proper management, forests could be perpetuated, of inceasing value and quality. By 1956 the project included 45604 acres (184.6 km²) out of the total of 703102 acres (2,845.4 km²) in the county and Ottawa National Forest
harvesting marked hardwoods, aspen
, and conifer. In support of the local lumber
industry many successful lumber, trucking, equipment sales, and logging businesses have existed in Wakefield and many continue to do so today. They all support the larger industries of lumber and plywood
mills located in Gogebic County and outlying areas.
After the local mining jobs were lost many in the community fell back upon providing goods and services. This included restaurants, food markets
, bakery, bars, gas stations, hardware store
s, drug stores, local newspaper, barber shops
, beauty salon
s and commerce that supports the needs of the community.
With an average of 156–240 inches of annual snowfall the city greatly benefits from winter tourism. Indianhead Mountain opened in 1959 and has grown to become a major tourist magnet in both winter and summer. Snowmobile
trails, cross-country skiiing
trails, and ice fishing
on Sunday Lake have also drawn many tourists to the city during the winter months. During the summer hiking, camping
, fishing, and on occasion American Power Boat Association
boat races on Sunday Lake contribute to a growing local tourist industry. As a typical Americana
small town many are drawn back to participate in the annual old-fashioned July 4
celebration. The week-long event includes softball
tournaments, high school class reunion
s, homecoming church services, town picnic
and concert at Eddy Park, a Sunday Lake run contest, Main Street parade
, children's races, and fireworks display over Sunday Lake.
, and a 1,200 seat movie theater with main floor and balcony seating. By the late 1950s after the local iron mines closed, the major tax base was lost and the city no longer had adequate funds to operate the Memorial Building. During the ensuing decades, other entities owned the building but little was done to sustain it. The harsh winters
soon destroyed the roof and the building was soon structurally unsound and in a dilapidated state.
In July 2004, Marvin Suomi, a 1965 graduate of Wakefield High School purchased the Wakefield Memorial Building. Headed by Mr. Suomi, the Wakefield Memorial Building Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) organization with the goal of constructing a new, smaller, energy efficient/sustainable building. Federal and state funding were dependent upon a series of environmental reviews and assessments by both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority
. The State Historic Preservation Office did not want the old building torn down but after lengthy negotiations a consensus was reached by the project coordinator and shorlty thereafter the City Council approved the demolition
. By late spring 2010 the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office approved the archival records compiled of the memorial building and Wakefield City Hall. HUD then released $147,000 in federal funds that were used to pay for the demolition. Demolition of the old Memorial Building began on July 6, 2010 and was complete on August 28, 2010. Twelve stained-glass windows from the theater auditorium were salaved for restoration and use in the new builidng design. In July 2011 the City Council in conjunction with the Wakefield Memorial Building Foundation, decided to remove a roughly 9600 square feet (891.9 m²) theater from the plans for a 34000 square feet (3,158.7 m²) building. The new building will function as a community center and house city offices, the city library, and a swimming pool. When the project is complete, the new building will be operated by the City and utilized by the entire community. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2012.
, the city has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22.1 km²), of which, 8.0 square miles (20.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (6.46%) is water.
There were 883 households out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the city the population was spread out with 16.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 30.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,368, and the median income for a family was $36,810. Males had a median income of $31,406 versus $21,278 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,036. About 6.3% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
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...
in the US state 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"....
. It is located in the western Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
. The population was 1,851 at the 2010 census.
The city is situated within Wakefield Township
Wakefield Township, Michigan
Wakefield Township is a civil township of Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 364 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The City of Wakefield is situated within the township, but is administratively autonomous....
, but is politically independent. It is on US 2 about ten miles (16 km) east of 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...
and the 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...
border. M-28
M-28 (Michigan highway)
M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
has its western terminus in the city.
It is home to Sunday Lake, Indianhead Mountain
Indianhead Mountain
Indianhead Mountain is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Wakefield, Gogebic County. Indianhead Mountain is in an area called "Big Snow Country", so named because of the annual average snowfall, courtesy of the lake effect from Lake Superior...
Resort, Gogebic County Medical Care Facility, and Gogebic County Community Mental Health Authority. Once a mining town
Mining town
A mining community, also known as a mining town or a mining camp, is a community that houses miners. Mining communities are usually created around a mine or a quarry for the extraction or smeltering of ore.-United States:...
its economy is now based upon the forest industry, goods and services
Goods and services
In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility. It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax....
, and tourism.
Founding
George Mix Wakefield, born February 6, 1839, in Henderson, New YorkHenderson, New York
Henderson is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,360 at the 2010 census. The town is named after William Henderson, the original land owner....
, a son of James Patterson Wakefield and Hannah B. Hall, had the town site of Wakefield platted in May 1886; the general location was already being referred to as "Wakefield" as early as the fall of 1884. His parents moved their family to Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Waukesha County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2008, the population was 380,629. Its county seat is Waukesha.-History:The part of Wisconsin that Waukesha County now occupies was a part of Michigan when Milwaukee County was organized in September 1834. On July 4, 1836, the...
in October 1844. Mr. Wakefield became interested in logging and real estate and acquired vast tracts of land in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
in the 1870s and 1880s. Together with various other capitalists he built sawmills and logged the pine forests of the area, and later became involved in mineral exploration. He was one of the parties who held interests in the mineral rights to the Sunday Lake mine, as well as a few nearby properties.
George M. Wakefield
Mr. Wakefield moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1879 and established a real estate business, dealing in timber and mineral lands in MichiganMichigan
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"....
, 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...
, Texas, and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He was secretary-treasurer of the Ontonagon River
Ontonagon River
The Ontonagon River is a river flowing to Lake Superior on the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States. The main stem of the river is 25 mi long and is formed by a confluence of several longer branches, portions of which have been collectively designated as a National Wild...
Improvement and Boom Company, organized in 1880. They made it possible to float logs out to 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...
and built a sawmill on an island near the mouth of the Ontonagon river in Ontonagon, Michigan
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....
.
The G. M. Wakefield Mineral Land Company was formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 18, 1899 for the purpose of dealing in mineral lands, timber, agricultural lands, and real estate. George M. Wakefield, his wife and their son Vernon T. Wakefield were the stockholders with a capital stock of $50,000 divided into 500 shares. Most of the land held was in Township 47 North, between Wakefield and Lake Gogebic
Lake Gogebic
Lake Gogebic is the largest lake of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is located within the 1 million acre Ottawa National Forest. Lake Gogebic State Park is located along its western shore....
. Mr. Wakefield was also a major stockholder in the Beacon, Continental, Cosmos, International, and Summit mineral land companies.
The Wakefield ancestry is traced back to John Wakefield, who was born about 1614, probably in Gravesend, County Kent, England and immigrated to Virginia aboard the "America" in June 1635, along with his brothers Richard Wakefield and Thomas Wakefield. John Wakefield eventually settled at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Incorporation
Wakefield was incorporatedMunicipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
as a village by the Gogebic County Board of Supervisors on November 20, 1887. It became incorporated as a city in 1919.
Mining boom
The founding of Wakefield and much of its early history was based upon the discovery of iron ore on the east end of Sunday Lake by George A. Fay in 1881. Upon its discovery several mining companies surged to the area and many mines opened. Many of the cities location names such as Plymouth, Pike, Castile, and Comet got their names from these iron mines. The first mines in Wakefield were the Sunday Lake, Iron Chief, and the Brotherton. According to the Gogebic Range Directory of 1888, the output of these mines in 1886 was as follows: Sunday Lake, 13,00 tons; Iron Chief, 9,584 tons, and the Brotherton, about 3,500 tons.Wakefield's iron mines include:
- MIKADO Captain John Lester did pioneering work on the MIKADO in 1886. Development occurred off and on for several years, until the first ore was shipped in 1895. The mine is credited with shipping over one million tons from 1895 to 1917. Shipments from 1919 to 1952 were sent under the PLYMOUTH name. The MIKADO mine was located on the northwest end of the open pit, in Verona location.
- PILGRIM Explorations began on this location in the spring of 1886 under Captain Harry Letcher. Nothing was shipped until 1919–27 when the PILGRIM made shipments of twenty-two thousand tons. The PILGRIM was located just east of the MIKADO.
- PLYMOUTH The PLYMOUTH open pit mine operated just to the west of the WAKEFIELD, but the PLYMOUTH was entirely an open pit operation, with the possible exception of a small amount of ore taken out of the No.3 shaft as it was being sunk. It began shipping in 1916 and closed on November 6, 1952, having shipped almost seventeen million tons.
- WAKEFIELD Drill exploration began on the WAKEFIELD property in July 1912, and two shafts were down by the following summer. The first ore shipment was made on October 15, 1913. The WAKEFIELD soon became an open pit mine, shipping a total of almost fourteen million gross tons from 1913 to 1954.
- CITY OF CHICAGO Exploration began in the latter part of 1886 at this location on the north shore of Sunday lake. The SPARTA operated on the same location in 1888 and the CITY OF CHICAGO returned in 1896, eventually producing shipments of almost one hundred thousand tons of ore between 1896 and 1915. It was also called the SOUTH CHICAGO in 1915.
- SPARTA The former CITY OF CHICAGO exploration became the SPARTA in 1888. It was developed and shipped almost ten thousand tons from 1891 to 1895.
- ALPHA In the summer of 1886 the Alpha Iron Mining Company sank a shaft near the north shore of Sunday lake. By 1890 this location was taken over by the PIKE mine.
- PIKE Captain Robinson D. Pike (1838–1906) of Bayfield, Wisconsin took over the former ALPHA option in 1889. Ten years later the PIKE made its first shipment, with total shipments of over one hundred five thousand tons from 1899 to 1910. In 1927 the PIKE became part of the SUNDAY LAKE GROUP.
- BROTHERTON Frank H. Brotherton began mineral explorations near Sunday lake in the summer of 1883. The first iron ore was shipped from the mine in 1886, with total shipments amounting to two million six hundred ninety thousand tons by the time the mine closed in 1923.
- SUNDAY LAKE This location was first explored in 1881 by George Fay. Development picked up by 1884, and the first iron shipment left port at Ashland on November 19, 1885. The SUNDAY LAKE mine later encompassed all of Section 10 and the former BROTHERTON mine. Over seventeen million gross tons of ore went out from 1885 to 1961. The mine closed on February 16, 1961.
- IRON CHIEF Development of the IRON CHIEF mine began in 1884 under the Fink Mining Company. It was originally called the ASCHERMANN for Edward Aschermann (18341904) of Appleton, Wisconsin. The mine shipped about twelve thousand tons of iron ore in 1886 and 1887.
- CASTILE Captain Pentecost Mitchell (1861–1933) discovered iron ore on this location in 1886. The CASTILE began producing in 1906 and shipped almost nine hundred thousand tons of ore by the time it closed in 1923.
- METEOR The METEOR started as an exploration in 1890, called the NORTON. It was developed into a mine by 1900 and operated until 1904, shipping one hundred thirty-two thousand tons between 1899 and 1904. Over six million tons of stockpile ore went under the name NORTH MIKADO.
- COMET Captain Pentecost Mitchell found ore here and an exploration called the ECLlPSE was developed from 1886 to 1890. The COMET began in 1890 making its first ore shipment in August. The COMET was shut down in 1893 reopening in 1900 and operating until 1902 as part of the METEOR mine. It is credited with shipments of eighty-nine thousand tons in 1890–93.
- MORGAN The MORGAN mine east of Wakefield was developed in 1918–23 and made its first ore shipment on January 30, 1923. It operated until 1925 and shipped over fifty-eight thousand tons.
- VICAR The easternmost productive mine on the Gogebic Range covered most of Section 12, east of Wakefield. This location was once called the JONES & LAUGHLIN exploration and included the old PHOENIX exploration that dated back to 1887. The VICAR shipped about one hundred two thousand tons in 1950–51.
Post-mining era
After the closure of the Sunday Lake Mine on February 16, 1961 the local economy shifted from one of mining to the forest industry, goods and servicesGoods and services
In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility. It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax....
, and tourism.
Logging had been a mainstay of the local economy since the early 1900s. In 1941 the county embarked upon a county forest project to demonstrate that with selective cutting, under proper management, forests could be perpetuated, of inceasing value and quality. By 1956 the project included 45604 acres (184.6 km²) out of the total of 703102 acres (2,845.4 km²) in the county and Ottawa National Forest
Ottawa National Forest
The Ottawa National Forest is a 1.0 million acre national forest in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S...
harvesting marked hardwoods, aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
, and conifer. In support of the local lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
industry many successful lumber, trucking, equipment sales, and logging businesses have existed in Wakefield and many continue to do so today. They all support the larger industries of lumber and plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
mills located in Gogebic County and outlying areas.
After the local mining jobs were lost many in the community fell back upon providing goods and services. This included restaurants, food markets
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, bakery, bars, gas stations, hardware store
Hardware store
Hardware stores, sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware including: fasteners, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for...
s, drug stores, local newspaper, barber shops
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, beauty salon
Beauty salon
A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for men and women...
s and commerce that supports the needs of the community.
With an average of 156–240 inches of annual snowfall the city greatly benefits from winter tourism. Indianhead Mountain opened in 1959 and has grown to become a major tourist magnet in both winter and summer. Snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
trails, cross-country skiiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
trails, and ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
on Sunday Lake have also drawn many tourists to the city during the winter months. During the summer hiking, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, fishing, and on occasion American Power Boat Association
American Power Boat Association
The American Power Boat Association is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. It is the United States sanctioning authority for the Union Internationale Motonautique , the world...
boat races on Sunday Lake contribute to a growing local tourist industry. As a typical Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
small town many are drawn back to participate in the annual old-fashioned July 4
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebration. The week-long event includes softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
tournaments, high school class reunion
Class reunion
A class reunion is a meeting of former classmates, typically organized at or near their former school by one of the class on or around an anniversary of their graduation. Former teachers may be invited as well...
s, homecoming church services, town picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
and concert at Eddy Park, a Sunday Lake run contest, Main Street parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, children's races, and fireworks display over Sunday Lake.
City Hall
The City Hall is located at 311 Sunday Lake Street. City departments include Water and Electric, Public Works, and Finanace. The City Staff operate from the building and Department of Public Works garage which include:- Building Inspector
- City Assessor
- City Manager
- City Clerk
- City Treasurer
- Utilities
- Department of Public Works Working Foreman
- Assistant DPW
- Electric/Water Department Working Foreman
City Council
The City Council consists of the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and three council members who are elected for two-year terms.Devevelopment projects
Current projects are:- Walking trail and lights along the southwest shoreline of Sunday Lake.
- New playground equipment at Eddy Park.
- Memorial Building demolition project.
- Renaissance Tax-Free Zone through the Michigan Renaissance Zone Act of 1996 created for both economically distressed urban and rural areas alike. Renaissance Zones are a powerful market-based program designed to spur new jobs, investment, and redevelopment in designated areas. The City of Wakefield renaissance zone is 47 acres in size and provides participating companies the advantage of tax-free incentives until 2017.
Memorial Building
Completed in 1924 on the south shore of Sunday Lake, the 52000 square feet (4,831 m²) Wakefield Memorial Building was the center of the community. At a cost of $400,000 it was dedicated to the youth who fought in World War I. It housed a banquet area, meeting rooms, an olympic size swimming poolOlympic size swimming pool
An Olympic-size swimming pool is the type of swimming pool used in the Olympic Games, where the race course is 50 meters in length. This is typically referred to as "long course", delineating it from "short course" which applies to competitions in pools that are either 25 meters or 25 yards in...
, and a 1,200 seat movie theater with main floor and balcony seating. By the late 1950s after the local iron mines closed, the major tax base was lost and the city no longer had adequate funds to operate the Memorial Building. During the ensuing decades, other entities owned the building but little was done to sustain it. The harsh winters
Winter storm
A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are low enough to allow ice to form...
soon destroyed the roof and the building was soon structurally unsound and in a dilapidated state.
In July 2004, Marvin Suomi, a 1965 graduate of Wakefield High School purchased the Wakefield Memorial Building. Headed by Mr. Suomi, the Wakefield Memorial Building Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) organization with the goal of constructing a new, smaller, energy efficient/sustainable building. Federal and state funding were dependent upon a series of environmental reviews and assessments by both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority
Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is in charge of the listing of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of Michigan, including buildings, lighthouses, bridges, historic districts, and many other properties deemed important to the history of Michigan...
. The State Historic Preservation Office did not want the old building torn down but after lengthy negotiations a consensus was reached by the project coordinator and shorlty thereafter the City Council approved the demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
. By late spring 2010 the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office approved the archival records compiled of the memorial building and Wakefield City Hall. HUD then released $147,000 in federal funds that were used to pay for the demolition. Demolition of the old Memorial Building began on July 6, 2010 and was complete on August 28, 2010. Twelve stained-glass windows from the theater auditorium were salaved for restoration and use in the new builidng design. In July 2011 the City Council in conjunction with the Wakefield Memorial Building Foundation, decided to remove a roughly 9600 square feet (891.9 m²) theater from the plans for a 34000 square feet (3,158.7 m²) building. The new building will function as a community center and house city offices, the city library, and a swimming pool. When the project is complete, the new building will be operated by the City and utilized by the entire community. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2012.
Education
- The Wakefield-Marenisco School is located on the southeast shore of Sunday Lake. The first building on site was erected in 1890, and the first high school (Mary McDonald) in 1909. By 2003–2004 the renovated high school building housed 4 year olds through grade 12. The 2004–2005 school year saw the consolidation of the Wakefield-Marenisco School District. The merging of the two communities ended the existence of the respective districts individual schools. The combined districts have approximately 300 students.
- Central School Elementary closed in 2000. In 2001 the elementary students moved into the high school building.
- Mary McDonald School established in 1909. It was demolished in 1970.
Wakefield Public Library
The Wakefield Public Library was opened to the public on February 4, 1935. It was originally located on the second floor of the City Hall building on Sunday Lake Street. It is now located at 401 Hancock Street. The dream for the library dates back to Oct 17, 1934 when a group of local citizens concerned about the literary heritage of their community decided to take action. They felt that a measurement of the cultural concerns of a community could be made through the literary pursuits of its citizens. The city of Wakefield made its first appropriation of $1,000 to lay the groundwork of the fine community facility we enjoy today. The Wakefield Public Library serves the City and Township of Wakefield. With help from the "Friends of the Library" it has received some needed renovations. In 2005, the children's section was totally remodeled followed by the "teen section" in 2006.Public safety
- Wakefield Volunteer Fire DepartmentVolunteer fire departmentSee also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
. - Gogebic County Sheriff's Department at 100 Iron Street, Bessemer, MichiganBessemer, MichiganBessemer 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....
. - Michigan State PoliceMichigan State PoliceThe Michigan State Police is the state police agency for the state of Michigan. The MSP is a full service law enforcement agency with its sworn members having full police powers statewide....
Post No. 87 at 100 Sunday Lake Street.
Healthcare facilities & nursing homes
- Gogebic County Medical Care Facility at 402 North Street is a 109 bed Nursing HomeNursing homeA nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
facility which provides extended-stay nursing care to seniors with varying levels of disabilities. It is owned and operated by the county government. - Gogebic County Community Mental Health Authority at 103 West US 2 provides a complete range of services for all residents of Gogebic County. These services are for people with emotional disturbance or mental illness. In addition, services are available for persons with developmental disabilities and co-occurring substance abuse issues.
- KeenAgers Corporation at 303 Brotherton Street is a non-profit organization that offers assisted living and independent living to the elderly. The facility offers all meals and laundry service. KeenAgers was founded by the late Reverend Wilbert Staudenmaier.
- Sunset Manor at 200 East Pierce Street is a one story independent living facility for the elderly and low income housing and operates on 30% of income for flat rate/rent and includes all utilities. It consists of 30 efficiency apartments and 1 bedrooms. It is run by the Wakefield Housing Commission under the Federal Housing Department (HUD)United States Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentThe United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
.
Religion
- Grace Baptist Church at 512 Sunday Lake Street.
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 407 Ascherman Street.
- All Saints Lutheran Church at 1202 Putnam Street.
- Wakefield Methodist Church at 706 Putnam Street.
- Cavalry Baptist Church at 1201 Pierce Street.
Community and Veterans Groups
- Wakefield Senior Citizen Center at 900 Pierce Street was established in the early 1950s. It was a church before it was utilized in its current role. Programs include senior issues such as healthcare, MedicareMedicare (United States)Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
, eye care, diabetes, and nutrition. The Senior Center is involved in the Meals on WheelsMeals on WheelsMeals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
program sponsored by Gogebic County. - Rotary Club of Bessemer and Wakefield meets every Thursday at noon at the Keenager's facility.
- Wakefield Historical Society at 306 Sunday Lake Street. Collections include a "turn-of-the-century" collection, specializing in mining and lumbering.
- Veterans of Foreign WarsVeterans of Foreign WarsThe Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
Post 9084 at 107 East US 2, on the south shore of Sunday Lake. - American LegionAmerican LegionThe American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
Post 11 at 605 River Street.
Recreation and tourism
- Eddy Park & Campground is located on the north-northeastern shore of Sunday Lake. The park provides picnic, playground, and swimming areas and has two pavilions for gatherings. The park and campground is opened from Memorial Day weekend to the end of September.
- Indianhead MountainIndianhead MountainIndianhead Mountain is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Wakefield, Gogebic County. Indianhead Mountain is in an area called "Big Snow Country", so named because of the annual average snowfall, courtesy of the lake effect from Lake Superior...
Ski Resort is located west of the city at 500 Indianhead Mountain Road. The mountain provides a vertical drop of 638 feet (194.5 m) on 29 runs with 196 skiable acres and several trails up to a mile long. Summer activities include hiking, golf, and wildlife watching. - American Power Boat AssociationAmerican Power Boat AssociationThe American Power Boat Association is a New York non-profit, membership owned corporation that was created in 1903 by an act of the New York legislature as a racing association for powerboats. It is the United States sanctioning authority for the Union Internationale Motonautique , the world...
boat races. The City of Wakefield has hosted APBA boat races on several occasions. Badger State Outboard Association boat races were held on Sunday Lake from July 31, 2011 through August 8, 2011.
Media
Local newspapers and radio include:- The Wakefield News-Bessemer Pick & Axe is published weekly on Wednesday at 405 Sunday Lake Street.
- The Ironwood Daily GlobeIronwood Daily GlobeThe Ironwood Daily Globe is a daily newspaper based in Ironwood, Michigan.The Ironwood Daily Globe serves Gogebic and Ontonagon counties in Michigan and Iron County in Wisconsin....
is published Monday through Saturday and serves Gogebic and OntonagonOntonagon County, Michigan-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
Counties in Michigan and Iron County, WisconsinIron County, WisconsinIron County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 6,861. Its county seat is Hurley.-Geography:According to the U.S...
. - WJMSWJMSWJMS is a radio station broadcasting a full service format of classic country music and talk. Licensed to Ironwood, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1931....
AM 590 from Ironwood, Michigan - WIMIWIMIWIMI is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Ironwood, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1974. Initially, the Station ran Drake-Chenault's "Hitparade" Format , using Drake programming well into the 80's, and eventually morphing intothe current Hot Adult...
FM 99.7 from Ironwood, Michigan - WUPMWUPMWUPM is a radio station licensed to Ironwood, Michigan, USA, broadcasting a hot adult contemporary music format. The station began broadcasting in 1978 and has featured a contemporary music format throughout its history....
FM 106.9 from Ironwood, Michigan
Notable residents
- Walter S. Goodland, Governor of WisconsinGovernor of WisconsinThe Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
, practiced law in Wakefield. - Dr. Julius H. Eddy, M.D. in whose memory Eddy Park was named.
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 8.5 square miles (22.1 km²), of which, 8.0 square miles (20.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (6.46%) is water.
Major highways
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...
M-28M-28 (Michigan highway)M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,085 people, 883 households, and 535 families residing in the city. The population density was 261.5 per square mile (101.0/km²). There were 1,035 housing units at an average density of 129.8 per square mile (50.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.23% White, 0.48% Native American, 0.05% Asian, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.19% of the population.There were 883 households out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the city the population was spread out with 16.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 30.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,368, and the median income for a family was $36,810. Males had a median income of $31,406 versus $21,278 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,036. About 6.3% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Population
The population peaked in 1920 with the mining boom and has been in steady decline since.| 1887 | 1888 | 1891 | 1893 | 1897 | 1901 | 1903 | 1905 | 1909 | 1910 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 2,320 | 1,000 | 700 | 407 | 1,191 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 1,300 | 700 |
| 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 |
| 4,151 | 3,677 | 3,591 | 3,367 | 3,231 | 2,757 | 2,591 | 2,318 | 2,085 | 1,851 |
Books
- Cox, Bruce K., Pioneers of Wakefield Michigan 1884–1900, Agogeebic Press, LLC, 2007.
- Cox, Bruce K., Headframes and Mine Shafts of the Gogebic Range, Volume 2, Bessemer-Ramsay-Wakefield, Agogeebic Press, LLC, 2000.