Mackinac County

Mackinac County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,113.[3] The county seat is St. Ignace.[4] The county was formerly known as Michilimackinac County, and it was created as one of the first counties of the Michigan Territory in 1818.[1]

The county's name is claimed to be a corruption of the French term "Michilimackinac," which referred to the Straits of Mackinac area as well as the French settlement at the tip of the lower peninsula.[1]

History
Michilimackinac County was created on October 26, 1818, by proclamation of territorial governor Lewis Cass. The county originally took up the Lower Peninsula of Michigan north of Macomb County and almost the entire present Upper Peninsula. At the time of founding, the county seat was the community of Michilimackinac Island on Michilimackinac Island, later known asMackinac Island, Michigan. The county was reorganized in 1849 as Mackinac County. In 1882 the county seat was moved from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace.

Geography

 * According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 2,100.64 square miles (5,440.6 km2), of which 1,021.57 square miles (2,645.9 km2) (or 48.63%) is land and 1,079.07 square miles (2,794.8 km2) (or 51.37%) is water.[5]


 * It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette.[6][7]
 * St. Ignace is the northern terminus of the Mackinac Bridge.
 * Mackinac Island is within the county.

Adjacent counties

 * Chippewa County (northeast, east)
 * Presque Isle County (southeast, water boundary only, in Lake Huron)
 * Cheboygan County (south, water boundary only, in Lake Huron)
 * Emmet County (south, water boundary only, in Lake Michigan)
 * Charlevoix County (southwest, water boundary only, in Lake Michigan)
 * Schoolcraft County (west)
 * Luce County (northwest)

National protected area

 * Hiawatha National Forest (part)

Local Airports

 * Mackinac County Airport (St. Ignace)
 * Mackinac Island Airport (Mackinac Island)

Airline service
The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:
 * Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste. Marie in the eastern Upper peninsula;
 * Pellston Regional Airport,[8] Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport and Alpena County Regional Airport in the Lower Peninsula.

Highways

 * I‑75
 * BL I‑75 runs through downtown St. Ignace
 * US 2
 * M‑48
 * M‑117
 * M‑123
 * M‑129
 * M‑134
 * M‑185, no motor vehicles allowed with the exception of emergency vehicles

County-designated highways

 * H-33
 * H-40
 * H-42
 * H-57
 * H-63

Ferry
Numerous companies operate ferries to Bois Blanc Island and Mackinac Island. Ferries to and from Mackinac Island sail from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, while the Bois Blanc Island ferry sails from Cheboygan.

Rail

 * Soo Line Railroad

Demographics
The 2010 United States Census[11] indicates Mackinac County had a population of 11,113. This is a decrease of 830 people from the2000 United States Census. This is a -6.9% change in population. In 2010 there were 5,024 households, and 3,219 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 persons per square mile (5/km²). There were 11,010 housing units at an average density of 11/sq mi (4/km²). 76.5% of the population were White, 17.3% Native American, 0.5%Black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 5.3% of two or more races. 1.1% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 18.5% were of German, 8.8% English, 8.0% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 7.6%Irish and 5.1% Polish ancestry.[12]

There were 5,024 households out of which 20.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.7.

In the county the population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. The population was 50.5% male and 49.5% female.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,055, and the median income for a family was $50,984. The per capita income for the county was $22,195. About 10.5% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

GovernmentEdit
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 health 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.

Mackinac County elected officials
(information as of September 2005)
 * Prosecuting Attorney: Alfred E. Feleppa
 * Sheriff: Scott Strait
 * County Clerk: Mary Kay Tamlyn
 * County Treasurer: Nora A. Massey
 * Register of Deeds: Diane Frankovich
 * County Surveyor: Jeffrey M. Davis

Historical markers
There are 34 official state historical markers in the County:[13]
 * Across the Peninsula
 * American Fur Company Store
 * Battlefield of 1814
 * Biddle House
 * Bois Blanc Island
 * British Cannon
 * British Landing
 * Early Missionary Bark Chapel
 * Epoufette
 * Fort de Buade
 * Fort Holmes
 * Grand Hotel
 * Gros Cap Island & St. Helena Island
 * Historic Fort Mackinac
 * Indian Dormitory
 * Island House (Mackinac Island)
 * Lake Michigan
 * Lake View Hotel
 * Little Stone Church
 * Mackinac Conference
 * Mackinac Island
 * Mackinac Straits
 * Market Street
 * Mission Church
 * Mission House
 * Northernmost Point of Lake Michigan
 * Old Agency House
 * Round Island Lighthouse
 * Sainte Anne Church
 * St. Ignace
 * St. Ignace Mission
 * Skull Cave
 * Trinity Church (Mackinac Island)
 * Wawashkamo Golf Club[14]

Cities, villages, and townships
Townships

Newspapers

 * The Mackinac Island Town Crier is the weekly seasonal newspaper of Mackinac Island.
 * The St. Ignace News is the weekly newspaper for the Upper Peninsula area of the Mackinac Straits.

Television
The following television stations can be received in St. Ignace:
 * Channel 4:WTOM-TV "TV 7&4" (NBC) (Cheboygan) (simulcasted in Channel 7,Harrietta)
 * Channel 8:WGTQ "ABC 29&8" (ABC) (Goetzville) (simulcasted in Channel 29,Kalkaska)
 * Channel 10:WWUP-TV "9&10 News" (CBS) (Goetzville) (simulcasted in Channel 9, Tustin)

Radio
The following stations can be heard in St. Ignace:

Attractions

 * Beaches
 * Garlyn Zoo
 * Lake Michigan