Charlevoix County
County
Charlevoix County Building
Charlevoix County Building
Official logo of Charlevoix County
Logo
Map of Michigan highlighting Charlevoix County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°28′N 85°28′W / 45.47°N 85.46°W / 45.47; -85.46
Country United States
State Michigan
Founded1840 (created)
1869 (organized)[1]
Named forPierre François Xavier de Charlevoix
SeatCharlevoix
Largest cityBoyne City
Area
 • Total1,390 sq mi (3,600 km2)
 • Land416 sq mi (1,080 km2)
 • Water974 sq mi (2,520 km2)  70%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total26,054
 • Density62/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.charlevoixcounty.org

Charlevoix County (/ˈʃɑːrləvɔɪ/ SHAR-lə-voy) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. The county seat is Charlevoix, and the largest city is Boyne City.[2] Located in the Northern Lower Peninsula, Charlevoix County is bisected by Lake Charlevoix, Michigan's third largest inland lake. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 26,054.[3]

Beaver Island, the largest island in Lake Michigan, is located within Charlevoix County.

History

Surveyed and organized as Keskkauko County

Between 1840 and 1841, surveyors William Austin Burt,[4] John Mullett and Charles W. Cathcart, surveyed much of Northern Michigan. Cathcart oversaw the internal lines survey for 34N 08W,[5] the region which would later be known as Charlevoix. Mullett and Cathcart laid out many of the townships in the new county including Charlevoix Township.[6]

The county was originally organized in 1840 as Kesk-kauko[7][8] in honor of a great chief of the Saginaw tribe,[9] and name was changed from Resh-kanko to Charlevoix County in 1843.[1] The county was named in 1843 for Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, a Jesuit missionary of the French colonial era.[7]

Strangites gain power and re-organize Keskkauko into Emmet County

Most of present day Charlevoix County was originally part of Emmet County.
Most of present day Charlevoix County was originally part of Emmet County.

In 1847, a group of "Strangite" Mormons settled on Beaver Island and established a "kingdom" led by "King" James Jesse Strang. There were bitter disputes between Strang's followers and other white settlers. Strang, seeking to strengthen his position, gained election to the Michigan State House of Representatives. In January 1853, he pushed through legislation titled, "An act to organize the County of Emmet", which enlarged Emmet County by attaching the nearby Lake Michigan islands to Emmet county, as well as a portion of Cheboygan County and Keskkauko/Resh-kanko/ Charlevoix. Charlevoix was thus organized in 1853 as a township under Emmet County and consisted all of the nine townships in the southern half of Emmet County.

Due to Strang's influence, Mormons came to dominate Emmet county government, causing an exodus of many non-Mormon settlers to neighboring areas. In 1855, the non-Mormon resistance succeeded in getting the Michigan Legislature to reorganize Emmet County. The islands, including Beaver Island and North and South Manitou Islands, were transferred into the separate Manitou County, which effectively eliminated Mormons from Emmet County government. After an assassination attempt on June 20, 1856, Strang died three weeks later.

Charlevoix Township splits off to become Charlevoix County in 1869

Emmet County continued to experience tensions as citizens clashed over whether to put the county seat at Little Traverse (Harbor Springs) versus Mackinaw City. In a contested election in 1867, residents voted to move the county seat to Charlevoix, which was upheld by a Circuit Court decision in 1868. However, in 1869, Charlevoix County was split from Emmet County, resulting in Charlevoix being the official county seat for Emmet county as well as for the newly formed Charlevoix County.

County seat wars – Charlevoix vs East Jordan vs Boyne City

By 1876, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad had built a line north to Petoskey with stops in Boyne Falls and Melrose. This link to cities in lower Michigan brought increased population to Charlevoix County, and new political power to the eastern part of the county.
By 1876, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad had built a line north to Petoskey with stops in Boyne Falls and Melrose. This link to cities in lower Michigan brought increased population to Charlevoix County, and new political power to the eastern part of the county.

In 1873, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad was completed through the eastern side of Charlevoix county up to Petoskey, and the east side of Pine Lake became more and more populated. For example, Resort Township and Springvale Township, Michigan were formed in 1880 as a part of Charlevoix County. As new townships became established, Boyne City colluded with East Jordan to gain a requisite 2/3 majority of township supervisors to vote to move the county seat to East Jordan. In October 1884, 11 of the existing 16 township supervisors designated East Jordan to be the county seat. In October 1886, Boyne City convinced 2/3 of township supervisors to move the county seat to Boyne City.

Finally, in a January 1897 land deal with Emmet County and the state legislature, Charlevoix County took on three townships on Beaver Island while giving up Resort, Bear Lake, and Springvale townships to Emmet County. The resulting balance of township supervisor votes gave the City of Charlevoix enough votes to obtain the county seat after a 13-year hiatus.[10]

Other history

The Ironton Ferry began operation in 1876, and Ironton soon became a location for iron manufacture.[11]

There are ten Michigan state historical markers in the county, and the area was once home to a thriving culture of Odawa fishers, hunters, and fur trappers.:[12]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,390 square miles (3,600 km2), of which 416 square miles (1,080 km2) is land and 974 square miles (2,520 km2) (70%) is water.[13] It is the fourth-smallest county in Michigan by land area.

Mainland Charlevoix County features a shoreline on both Traverse Bays (Grand Traverse Bay and Little Traverse Bay) of Lake Michigan.

Lake Charlevoix, with 17,200 acres (7,000 ha) surface area and 56 miles (90 km) of shoreline, is a very prominent feature of the county. Gull, Hat, Pismire, and Shoe Islands, which are part of the Beaver Island archipelago, form the Lake Michigan division of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and two of them are part of the Michigan Islands Wilderness Area.

The county is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Adjacent counties

By land

By water

National protected area

Communities

Cities

Village

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Indian reservations

Charlevoix County contains portions of two Indian reservations, both of which are branches of the federally-recognized Odawa tribe. The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians occupies a small reservation in southwest Evaline Township. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians has four scattered reservations throughout the county—three small sections in Hayes Township and one isolated section in St. James Township on Beaver Island.[14]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18701,724—
18805,115196.7%
18909,68689.4%
190013,95644.1%
191019,15737.3%
192015,788−17.6%
193011,981−24.1%
194013,0318.8%
195013,4753.4%
196013,421−0.4%
197016,54123.2%
198019,90720.3%
199021,4687.8%
200026,09021.5%
201025,949−0.5%
202026,0540.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17]
1990–2000[18] 2010–2018[3]

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 26,090 people, 10,400 households, and 7,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 63 people per square mile (24 people/km2). There were 15,370 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km2). By 2020, its population was 26,054.

In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 96.31% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 1.54% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.8% were of German, 12.0% English, 11.0% American, 10.6% Irish and 8.4% Polish ancestry. 97.3% spoke English and 1.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 10,400 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, 25.90% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $39,788, and the median income for a family was $46,260. Males had a median income of $32,457 versus $22,447 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,130. About 5.40% of families and 8.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.00% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government

United States presidential election results for Charlevoix County, Michigan[20][21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 9,841 57.79% 6,939 40.75% 250 1.47%
2016 8,674 59.19% 5,137 35.06% 843 5.75%
2012 8,000 56.64% 5,939 42.05% 186 1.32%
2008 7,306 50.74% 6,817 47.35% 275 1.91%
2004 8,214 58.09% 5,729 40.52% 196 1.39%
2000 7,018 56.20% 4,958 39.71% 511 4.09%
1996 4,864 44.23% 4,689 42.64% 1,443 13.12%
1992 4,017 34.85% 4,063 35.25% 3,445 29.89%
1988 5,802 59.43% 3,875 39.69% 85 0.87%
1984 6,355 66.23% 3,175 33.09% 65 0.68%
1980 5,053 51.58% 3,741 38.19% 1,002 10.23%
1976 5,145 55.57% 3,953 42.70% 160 1.73%
1972 4,522 59.04% 2,831 36.96% 306 4.00%
1968 3,696 55.14% 2,446 36.49% 561 8.37%
1964 2,664 41.44% 3,757 58.45% 7 0.11%
1960 3,987 62.11% 2,422 37.73% 10 0.16%
1956 3,924 66.80% 1,935 32.94% 15 0.26%
1952 3,895 68.07% 1,778 31.07% 49 0.86%
1948 2,911 59.47% 1,847 37.73% 137 2.80%
1944 3,039 61.10% 1,893 38.06% 42 0.84%
1940 3,522 61.40% 2,163 37.71% 51 0.89%
1936 2,814 49.18% 2,669 46.64% 239 4.18%
1932 2,623 49.57% 2,344 44.30% 324 6.12%
1928 3,489 79.97% 842 19.30% 32 0.73%
1924 3,346 79.65% 406 9.66% 449 10.69%
1920 3,079 77.07% 704 17.62% 212 5.31%
1916 1,877 54.72% 1,152 33.59% 401 11.69%
1912 1,296 36.82% 566 16.08% 1,658 47.10%
1908 2,530 68.92% 801 21.82% 340 9.26%
1904 2,772 81.39% 469 13.77% 165 4.84%
1900 2,268 71.28% 776 24.39% 138 4.34%
1896 1,653 61.06% 978 36.13% 76 2.81%
1892 1,101 53.14% 688 33.20% 283 13.66%
1888 1,270 56.70% 874 39.02% 96 4.29%
1884 1,043 54.21% 825 42.88% 56 2.91%
1880 784 67.12% 304 26.03% 80 6.85%
1876 411 66.72% 205 33.28% 0 0.00%

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. Charlevoix is part of the 114th district.

Transportation

State highways

  • US 31 is a route that parallels the shore of Lake Michigan. The route passes through the city of Charlevoix, and can be used to access Traverse City to the south, and Petoskey and the Mackinac Bridge to the north.
  • US 131 is a north–south route in the east of the county. The route passes through Boyne Falls.
  • M-32 is an east–west route that begins in East Jordan, and continues southeast into Antrim County. The highway can be used to access Gaylord and Alpena, to the east.
  • M-66 is a north–south route that terminates at US 31 in Charlevoix. The highway is the longest state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula, and continues south to the Indiana border near Sturgis.
  • M-75 is a highway that runs entirely within Charlevoix County. The highway begins at US 131 in Boyne Falls, and continues northwest to Boyne City. The highway then turns northeasterly, and terminates once more at US 31 in Walloon Lake.

County-designated highways

Airports

Ferry service

  • Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:[24]
  • The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix. It is a designated Michigan Historical Site and has been in operation since 1876.

Bus service

See also

References

  1. 1 2
    • "Bibliography on Charlevoix County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ KONSTANTIN, LYNNE (September 11, 2014). "Living History A local couple has seen to it that a historic wedding cake-style house in Washington Township lives happily ever after". No. Fall 2014. Detroit Home Magazine. Archived from the original on November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016. Early in the 1840s, Burt, along with fellow surveyor John Mullett, made a federal survey of northern Michigan's Cheboygan and Emmett counties, where there are now two lakes, one named after each man
  5. ↑ "Interior Lines – Volume 1253 – Survey notes for Charlevoix Township, Charlevoix County". seeking Michigan. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  6. ↑ Mullett, John; Cathcart, Charles W. "34N 08W – Survey Map of Charlevoix Township, Charlevoix County". seeking Michigan. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Pioneer Collections, Volume 1. Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan. 1900 [1876]. p. 213.
  8. ↑ George Dawson (1840). Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840. Detroit. pp. 196–200.
  9. ↑ accessed September 3, 2016 Cutcheon, Henry Munson Utley Cutcheon M. (2013). pp. 270–1. Michigan As a Province, Territory and State, the Twenty-Sixth Member of the Federal Union (Vol. 3). London: Forgotten Books, as pdf pp. 287–8. (Original work published 1906).
  10. ↑ Harris, William (1905). Biographical History of Northern Michigan, Containing Biographies of Prominent Citizens. BF Bowne and Co. pp. 490–493. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  11. ↑ Fellows, Deb (August 3, 2009). "Step Onto Lake Charlevoix's Ironton Ferry". Mynorth August 2, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2016. the Ironton Ferry is the short sweet ride across the narrows of the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix—a ride that's been a tradition up here since 1876.
  12. ↑ "Michigan Historical Markers". Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
  13. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Michigan: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. September 2012. p. E-19. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  15. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  19. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  21. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 1,201 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 407 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 44 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 6 votes.
  22. ↑ Fresh Air Aviation
  23. ↑ Island Airways
  24. ↑ Beaver Island Auto ferry

45°28′N 85°28′W / 45.47°N 85.46°W / 45.47; -85.46

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