Houghton County, Michigan

Houghton County is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,628.[2] The county seat and largest city is Houghton.[3][4] Both the county and the city were named for Michigan State geologist and Detroit Mayor Douglass Houghton.[5][3]

Houghton County
U.S. county
Houghton County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°59′N 88°39′W
Country United States
State Michigan
Founded1843 (set off)
1845 (boundaries described)
1846 (organized)
1848 (re-organized)[1]
Named forDouglass Houghton
SeatHoughton
Largest cityHoughton
Area
 • Total1,502 sq mi (3,890 km2)
 • Land1,009 sq mi (2,610 km2)
 • Water492 sq mi (1,270 km2)  33%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
36,219
 • Density36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Old specimen of native copper from Houghton County. Houghton County hosted a major copper-mining industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Houghton County is part of the Houghton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes Keweenaw County, and was part of Copper Country during the mining boom of the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.

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.[6]

The Portage Lift Bridge crosses Portage Lake, connecting Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, by crossing over Portage Lake, which is part of the river and canal system that spans the peninsula. The Portage Lift Bridge is the world's heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge. Its center span "lifts" to provide 100 feet (30 m) of clearance for ships. Since rail traffic was discontinued in the Keweenaw, the lower deck accommodates snowmobile traffic in the winter. This is the only land-based link between the Keweenaw Peninsula's north and south sections, making it crucial to local transportation.[7]

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
  • Prickett-Grooms Field (FAA LID: 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

National protected areas

Climate
Houghton County
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
50
 
 
−12
−14
 
 
75
 
 
−7
−16
 
 
64
 
 
−2
−12
 
 
104
 
 
9
−2
 
 
111
 
 
17
5
 
 
138
 
 
21
10
 
 
126
 
 
22
14
 
 
96
 
 
21
15
 
 
103
 
 
19
10
 
 
129
 
 
12
2
 
 
105
 
 
4
−3
 
 
59
 
 
−11
−12
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [8]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1850708—
18609,2341,204.2%
187013,87950.3%
188022,47361.9%
189035,38957.5%
190066,06386.7%
191088,09833.4%
192071,930−18.4%
193052,851−26.5%
194047,631−9.9%
195039,771−16.5%
196035,654−10.4%
197034,652−2.8%
198037,8729.3%
199035,446−6.4%
200036,0161.6%
201036,6281.7%
Est. 201836,219[9]−1.1%
US Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2018[2]

The 2010 United States Census[14] indicates Houghton County had a population of 36,628. This is an increase of 612 people from 2000, a growth of 1.7%. In 2010 there were 14,232 households and 8,093 families in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 18,635 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). 94.5% of the population were White, 2.9% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.2% of some other race and 1.3% of two or more races. 1.1% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 32.5% were of Finnish, 14.0% German, 9.4% French, 6.2% English and 5.1% Irish ancestry.[15]

There were 14,232 households out of which 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.[14]

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 per capita income for the county was $18,556. About 12.6% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of people under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

In 1843, the Upper Peninsula was divided into Mackinac, Chippewa, Marquette, Schoolcraft, Delta, and Ontonagon Counties.[16] In 1845, Houghton County boundaries were defined, with areas partitioned from Marquette and Ontonagon Counties. The new county was named after Douglass Houghton, the new state's first State Geologist, who extensively explored the Upper Peninsula's mineralogy.[16][17] The original boundaries of Houghton County included the future Keweenaw and Baraga Counties.[18] In 1846, the county was organized into three townships: Eagle Harbor, Houghton, and L'Anse.[18] Keweenaw County was set off from Houghton County in 1861 and Baraga County was set off in 1875.[19]

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.[20]

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.[21]

In June 2018, a major flash flood caused sinkholes and washouts in the towns of Chassell, Houghton, Ripley, Lake Linden, and Hubbell.[22]

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.

Presidential election results
Presidential election results[23]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 53.8% 8,475 38.2% 6,018 8.1% 1,268
2012 53.4% 8,196 44.3% 6,801 2.4% 364
2008 50.7% 8,101 46.8% 7,476 2.5% 395
2004 56.1% 8,889 42.5% 6,731 1.5% 231
2000 55.5% 7,895 40.0% 5,688 4.5% 633
1996 43.5% 5,941 43.6% 5,957 13.0% 1,773
1992 36.7% 5,575 43.2% 6,558 20.0% 3,040
1988 51.8% 7,098 47.5% 6,510 0.6% 86
1984 57.1% 8,652 42.5% 6,434 0.4% 55
1980 47.9% 7,926 41.5% 6,858 10.6% 1,750
1976 51.6% 8,049 47.1% 7,352 1.3% 199
1972 58.1% 9,053 41.1% 6,402 0.9% 135
1968 46.9% 6,639 49.4% 6,988 3.6% 516
1964 34.0% 5,024 66.0% 9,761 0.0% 6
1960 49.1% 7,767 50.7% 8,021 0.2% 34
1956 58.3% 9,620 41.6% 6,866 0.2% 25
1952 59.6% 10,563 40.0% 7,100 0.4% 70
1948 54.6% 9,541 39.6% 6,925 5.8% 1,005
1944 47.4% 9,110 52.3% 10,066 0.3% 62
1940 50.3% 11,030 49.3% 10,815 0.4% 81
1936 44.1% 9,345 54.9% 11,642 1.0% 219
1932 59.2% 12,308 37.7% 7,838 3.1% 634
1928 62.3% 11,240 36.4% 6,573 1.3% 229
1924 83.0% 13,833 6.3% 1,045 10.7% 1,784
1920 80.2% 14,938 16.6% 3,088 3.2% 599
1916 60.2% 8,013 34.7% 4,615 5.2% 688
1912 29.2% 3,571 19.5% 2,385 51.3% 6,282
1908 73.0% 9,352 18.9% 2,424 8.0% 1,028
1904 78.4% 8,857 13.0% 1,471 8.6% 965
1900 73.4% 8,019 22.2% 2,422 4.5% 486
1896 71.9% 6,141 23.4% 1,996 4.8% 410
1892 45.8% 3,316 36.0% 2,607 18.1% 1,311
1888 51.1% 3,012 45.8% 2,696 3.1% 184
1884 57.9% 2,383 41.2% 1,694 1.0% 39

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has 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.

The Houghton County Courthouse "..stood high upon the bluff on Houghton Village facing North and pleasantly overlooking Portage Lake.", and has been inducted in the US Registry of Historic Districts and Buildings of the Upper Peninsula. Construction began in spring 1886. The building had its first addition to the north wing, the addition of a larger jail wing, in 1910, and that was the only renovation until the jail wing was condemned in 1961. A new jail was built in its present location, adjacent to the original. According to the Mining Gazette, "The materials used with the exception of the facing brick are the product of the Upper Peninsula" (July 25, 1886, p. 3). Kathryn Eckert, in her Buildings of Michigan, wrote:

"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." (p. 464)

The building section that was once the jail wing is now used for office space.

Elected officials

(information as of Sept 2018)[24]

Communities
U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Houghton County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.

Cities

Villages

Charter townships

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities
gollark: I have no idea how many there are. I don't see how people would be particularly hurt by prizes becoming easier to get.
gollark: Changes which upset lots of people are bad. So are status quos which upset people. We have a bad status quo.
gollark: Well, I suggested it.I may have been joking.
gollark: Nobody accepted my *ultra-*fair idea of randomly moving the prizes between owners every month.
gollark: <@203389342729764864> Probably a poll or something.

See also

References
  1. "Bibliography on Houghton County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  3. Monette, Clarence J. (1975). Some Copper Country Names And Places. Lake Linden, Michigan. ISBN 0-942363-04-3.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. "Encyclopedia of Detroit". Detroit Historical Society. 2020.
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  7. "Keweenaw Michigan field trip". minsocam.org.
  8. "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  10. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  14. "U.S. Census website". Retrieved July 6, 2013.
  15. Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "U.S. Census website".
  16. Sawyer, p. 466
  17. "Houghton County Bibliography" (PDF). Library of Michigan.
  18. Sawyer, p. 467
  19. Sawyer, p. 468
  20. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  21. "Houghton County Potato Farming – Michigan Tech Archives Blog". April 4, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  22. Powell, Mariah (June 17, 2018). "Floods Devastate Houghton Business District". Upper Michigan's Source. Negaunee MI: WLUC-TV.
  23. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  24. "Houghton County Directory". Retrieved September 12, 2018.

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