Alger County

Alger County is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601.[2]Its county seat is Munising.[3] The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.

HistoryEdit
Alger County was detached from Schoolcraft County, set off and organized in 1885. The county was named for lumber baron Russell Alexander Alger who was a MichiganGovernor, U.S. Senator and U.S. Secretary of War during the William McKinley Presidential administration.[1] See also, List of Michigan county name etymologies, List of Michigan counties, and List of abolished U.S. counties.

GeographyEdit
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 5,047.73 square miles (13,073.6 km2), of which 915.07 square miles (2,370.0 km2) (or 18.13%) is land and 4,132.66 square miles (10,703.5 km2) (or 81.87%) is water.[4]

State Highways

 * US 41
 * M‑28
 * M‑67
 * M‑77
 * M‑94

County-Designated Highways
The Midway General Store on FFH-13 in southern Alger County
 * H-01
 * H-03
 * H-05
 * H-11
 * H-13, also designated Federal Forest Highway 13.
 * H-15
 * H-44
 * H-52
 * H-58, passes through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Federal Forest Highways

 * FFH 13

Adjacent counties

 * Luce County (east)
 * Schoolcraft County (southeast)
 * Delta County (south)
 * Marquette County (west)
 * Thunder Bay District, Ontario (north, water boundary only, in Lake Superior)

National protected areas
Bridalveil Falls emptying into Lake Superior
 * Grand Island National Recreation Area
 * Hiawatha National Forest (part)
 * Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

DemographicsEdit
The 2010 United States Census[7] indicates Alger County had a population of 9,601. This is a decrease of 261 people from the 2000 United States Census. This is a -2.6% change in population. In 2010 there were 3,898 households and 2,479 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 inhabitants per square mile (4.2 /km2). There were 6,554 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.3% White, 6.4% Black or African American, 4.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% of some other race and 2.7% of two or more races. 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 15.7% were of German, 13.5% Finnish, 12.6% French,French Canadian or Cajun, 9.3% English, 7.3%Polish, 6.9% Irish and 5.3% Americanancestry.[8]

There were 3,898 households out of which 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the county the population was spread out with 17.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. The population was 54.4% male and 45.6% female.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,231, and the median income for a family was $46,154. The per capita income for the county was $19,858. About 9.3% of people in families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% 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.

Cities, villages, and townshipsEdit

 * Unincorporated communities
 * Townships

See alsoEdit

 * National Register of Historic Places listings in Alger County, Michigan