Houghton County, Michigan
Houghton County | |
---|---|
UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional district | 1st |
Website | www |
Houghton County (
Houghton County is part of the
History
In 1843, the
Houghton County's history is heavily marked by immigration. At one of the peaks of its population, the 1910 census had 40.6% of its population of 88,098 as foreign-born, with 89.3% of the population being either foreign-born or having at one or both of their parents as foreign-born. 70.6% of all voters were foreign-born, and only 5.1% of voters were native-born with native parents. This amalgam of immigrants from dozens of countries created a unique culture, especially once population growth stopped, and the county shrank in population to its current numbers. Heavily representative among many ethnicities were the Finnish. The 1910 census listed 13.1% of the residents being Finnish-born (out of the 32.3% total of the residents listed as foreign-born). The 2010 census lists almost the same proportion (32.5%) of the population as having Finnish ancestors.[10]
Amid the Great Depression of the 1930s, a sharp increase in unemployment among workers in the mining and timber industries caused a pivot to potato production. For a brief time in the 1930s and 1940s, the region became a major exporter of potatoes within the United States.[11]
In June 2018, a major flash flood caused sinkholes and washouts in the towns of Chassell, Houghton, Ripley, Lake Linden, and Hubbell.[12]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,502 square miles (3,890 km2), of which 1,009 square miles (2,610 km2) is land and 492 square miles (1,270 km2) (33%) is water.[13]
The
Major highways
- US 41 runs from the southeast corner of the county, north and northwest to Chassell and Houghton, then northeast to Copper Harbor.
- M-26 enters the western portion of county from Mass City and runs northeast through South Range and Houghton to intersect with US 41 at Keweenaw Park.
- M-28 runs east–west across lower portion of county, past Kenton and Sidnaw.
- M-38 runs east–west across center of county, past White, Nisula, and Alston.
- M-203 runs northwest from Houghton, then loops northeast and east to intersect with US 41.
Airport
- : 6Y9) privately owned public-use general-aviation daytime-access airport at Sidnaw (since 1940s).
- Houghton County Memorial Airport (KCMX) between Hancock and Calumet (since 1948). General-aviation and limited commercial airline service.
Adjacent counties
- Keweenaw County, north
- Baraga County, east
- Iron County, south border (on Central Time Zone)
- Ontonagon County, west
National protected areas
- Keweenaw National Historical Park (part)
- Ottawa National Forest (part)
Climate
|
Communities
Cities
Villages
Charter townships
Civil townships
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
- Blue Jacket
- Centennial
- Dakota Heights
- Donken
- Dreamland
- Franklin Mine
- Freda
- Jacobsville
- Kearsarge
- Mason
- Redridge
- Ripley
- Senter
- Tamarack City
- Toivola
- Twin Lakes
- White City
- Yellow Jacket
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 708 | — | |
1860 | 9,234 | 1,204.2% | |
1870 | 13,879 | 50.3% | |
1880 | 22,473 | 61.9% | |
1890 | 35,389 | 57.5% | |
1900 | 66,063 | 86.7% | |
1910 | 88,098 | 33.4% | |
1920 | 71,930 | −18.4% | |
1930 | 52,851 | −26.5% | |
1940 | 47,631 | −9.9% | |
1950 | 39,771 | −16.5% | |
1960 | 35,654 | −10.4% | |
1970 | 34,652 | −2.8% | |
1980 | 37,872 | 9.3% | |
1990 | 35,446 | −6.4% | |
2000 | 36,016 | 1.6% | |
2010 | 36,628 | 1.7% | |
2020 | 37,361 | 2.0% | |
2023 (est.) | 37,599 | [16] | 0.6% |
US Decennial Census[17] 1790-1960[18] 1900-1990[19] 1990-2000[20] 2010-2018[2] |
2020 census
As of the
2010 census
As of the
Of the 14,232 households 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.01.[22]
The county population contained 20.6% under the age of 18, 20.6% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 15% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.1 years. The population was 45.9% female and 54.1% male.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,625, and the median income for a family was $48,506. The
Government
Houghton County voters tend to favor Republican Party nominees. Since 1884, the Republican Party has been selected in 76% (26 of 34) of national elections.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 10,378 | 56.00% | 7,750 | 41.82% | 405 | 2.19% |
2016 | 8,475 | 53.77% | 6,018 | 38.18% | 1,268 | 8.05% |
2012 | 8,196 | 53.36% | 6,801 | 44.27% | 364 | 2.37% |
2008 | 8,101 | 50.72% | 7,476 | 46.81% | 395 | 2.47% |
2004 | 8,889 | 56.08% | 6,731 | 42.46% | 231 | 1.46% |
2000 | 7,895 | 55.54% | 5,688 | 40.01% | 633 | 4.45% |
1996 | 5,941 | 43.46% | 5,957 | 43.57% | 1,773 | 12.97% |
1992 | 5,575 | 36.74% | 6,558 | 43.22% | 3,040 | 20.04% |
1988 | 7,098 | 51.83% | 6,510 | 47.54% | 86 | 0.63% |
1984 | 8,652 | 57.14% | 6,434 | 42.49% | 55 | 0.36% |
1980 | 7,926 | 47.94% | 6,858 | 41.48% | 1,750 | 10.58% |
1976 | 8,049 | 51.60% | 7,352 | 47.13% | 199 | 1.28% |
1972 | 9,053 | 58.07% | 6,402 | 41.06% | 135 | 0.87% |
1968 | 6,639 | 46.94% | 6,988 | 49.41% | 516 | 3.65% |
1964 | 5,024 | 33.97% | 9,761 | 65.99% | 6 | 0.04% |
1960 | 7,767 | 49.09% | 8,021 | 50.70% | 34 | 0.21% |
1956 | 9,620 | 58.26% | 6,866 | 41.58% | 25 | 0.15% |
1952 | 10,563 | 59.57% | 7,100 | 40.04% | 70 | 0.39% |
1948 | 9,541 | 54.61% | 6,925 | 39.64% | 1,005 | 5.75% |
1944 | 9,110 | 47.35% | 10,066 | 52.32% | 62 | 0.32% |
1940 | 11,030 | 50.31% | 10,815 | 49.33% | 81 | 0.37% |
1936 | 9,345 | 44.07% | 11,642 | 54.90% | 219 | 1.03% |
1932 | 12,308 | 59.23% | 7,838 | 37.72% | 634 | 3.05% |
1928 | 11,240 | 62.30% | 6,573 | 36.43% | 229 | 1.27% |
1924 | 13,833 | 83.02% | 1,045 | 6.27% | 1,784 | 10.71% |
1920 | 14,938 | 80.20% | 3,088 | 16.58% | 599 | 3.22% |
1916 | 8,013 | 60.18% | 4,615 | 34.66% | 688 | 5.17% |
1912 | 3,571 | 29.18% | 2,385 | 19.49% | 6,282 | 51.33% |
1908 | 9,352 | 73.04% | 2,424 | 18.93% | 1,028 | 8.03% |
1904 | 8,857 | 78.43% | 1,471 | 13.03% | 965 | 8.55% |
1900 | 8,019 | 73.39% | 2,422 | 22.17% | 486 | 4.45% |
1896 | 6,141 | 71.85% | 1,996 | 23.35% | 410 | 4.80% |
1892 | 3,316 | 45.84% | 2,607 | 36.04% | 1,311 | 18.12% |
1888 | 3,012 | 51.12% | 2,696 | 45.76% | 184 | 3.12% |
1884 | 2,383 | 57.90% | 1,694 | 41.16% | 39 | 0.95% |
The county government operates the
The
- "The courthouse is composed of the original structure, a rectangular block from which project central pavilions with parapeted dormers, a four-story tower, and north and west wing additions. The curbed mansard roof, the grouping of windows beneath red sandstone lintels connected by bands that encircle the structure, and the decorative entablature unite the composition. Porches supported with posts and Gothic-arch brackets...The interior is richly finished with wood; red, rich brown, and light yellowish brown floor tiles; ornamental plaster; and oak staircase; and stone fireplaces."
The building section that was once the jail wing is now used for office space.
Elected officials
This section needs to be updated.(December 2020) |
- Prosecuting Attorney: Daniel J. Helmer (from 2023)[26]
- Sheriff: Josh Saaranen (from 2021)[27]
- Register of Deeds: Jennifer Kelly
- County Treasurer: Lisa Mattila
- Drain Commissioner: John Pekkala
- Mine Inspector: Murray Giles
(information as of Sept 2018)[28]
See also
- List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Houghton County, Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Houghton County, Michigan
- Robert T. Brown Nature Sanctuary
References
- ^ "Bibliography on Houghton County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0-942363-04-3.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Encyclopedia of Detroit". Detroit Historical Society. 2020.
- ^ ISBN 9780598489524.
- ^ "Houghton County Bibliography" (PDF). Library of Michigan.
- ^ a b Sawyer (1911), p. 467.
- ^ Sawyer (1911), p. 468.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
- ^ "Houghton County Potato Farming – Michigan Tech Archives Blog". April 4, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^ Powell, Mariah (June 17, 2018). "Floods Devastate Houghton Business District". Upper Michigan's Source. Negaunee, Michigan: WLUC-TV.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "Keweenaw Michigan field trip". minsocam.org.
- ^ "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ https://www.census.gov/ [bare URL]
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "U.S. Census website".
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
- ISBN 978-0-19-509379-7.
- ^ Neese, Garrett (October 31, 2023). "Houghton County names New Prosecutor". The Daily Mining Gazette. Houghton, Michigan. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
- ^ Neese, Garrett (September 15, 2021). "Saaranen Appointed Houghton County Sheriff". The Daily Mining Gazette. Houghton, Michigan. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- ^ "Houghton County Directory". Retrieved September 12, 2018.
- Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Great Lakes Books. Detroit: ISBN 978-0814318386.