Kalkaska County, Michigan

From Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Infobox U.S. county

Kalkaska County (/kælˈkæskə/ kal-KASS-kə) is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, its population was 17,939.[1] The county seat is Kalkaska.[2]

Kalkaska County is part of the Traverse City metropolitan area. Although it is located in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Kalkaska County is considered part of Northern Michigan.

History

[edit]
File:1842 Leelenaw Omeena Negissee Wabbassee Okkuddo Shawwano counties Michigan.jpg
A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Kalkaska County as "Wabbassee" (a misspelling of Wabassee, the county's name from 1840 to 1843.[3]) Several nearby counties are also shown with names that would later be changed.
See also: History of Northern Michigan

Kalkaska County, originally named Wabassee County (from waabizii meaning swan in Ojibwe) was separated from Michilimackinac County in 1840,[4] renamed in 1843.[3][5] In 1851, Kalkaska County was attached to Grand Traverse County for legal purposes.[6] The first settler in Kalkaska County was William Copeland, from England, who purchased land in the northwest corner of the county in 1855. Kalkaska County was organized in its own right on January 27, 1871. Crawford County was then temporarily attached to Kalkaska County for legal purposes.[7]

Etymology

[edit]

The county's name is a pseudo-Native American neologism coined by Henry Schoolcraft, a Michigan geographer and ethnologist.[8] Some theorists suggest this is word play. Schoolcraft's family name had been Calcraft, and the Ks may have been added to make the name appear more like a Native American word.[9] Alternatively, the name may be derived from a Chippewa word meaning flat or burned-over country.

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 571 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.9%) are covered by water.[10]

Kalkaska sand, the state soil of Michigan, was named after the county because of the large amounts deposited in the area from glaciers in the Ice Age.

Kalkaska County has over 80 lakes and 275 miles (443 km) of streams and rivers. Much of the county is marshland. County elevation ranges from 595 feet (181 m) to about 1,246 feet (380 m). This makes it one of the more uneven counties in the Lower Peninsula.

The Pere Marquette State Forest covers much of the county. Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the Grayling outwash plain, a broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges, jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.[11]

Lakes

[edit]

Rivers

[edit]

Major highways

[edit]
  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type – runs NE through the western part of the county. Enters at 4 miles (6.4 km) north of SW corner; exits into Antrim County near midpoint of north county line.
  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type – runs north–south through west-central part of county. Passes Kalkaska.
  • Error: package.lua:80: module 'Module:Road data/strings/USA/MI' not foundModule:Jct error: Invalid route type – runs east and ESE through middle portion of county. Passes Kalkaska.

Adjacent counties

[edit]

Communities

[edit]
File:Kalkaska County, MI census map.png
U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Kalkaska County

Village

[edit]

Civil townships

[edit]

Former townships

[edit]

Census-designated places

[edit]

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]

Template:US Census population

File:Kalkaska MI Density.png
2020 population density of Kalkaska County MI by census block[12]

Racial and ethnic composition

[edit]
Kalkaska County, Michigan – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[13] Pop 1990[14] Pop 2000[15] Pop 2010[16] Pop 2020[17] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 10,831 13,263 16,063 16,456 16,523 98.90% 98.27% 96.93% 95.94% 92.11%
Black or African American alone (NH) 3 10 34 50 40 0.03% 0.07% 0.21% 0.29% 0.22%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 34 110 122 144 139 0.31% 0.81% 0.74% 0.84% 0.77%
Asian alone (NH) 25 23 37 41 60 0.23% 0.17% 0.22% 0.24% 0.33%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [18] x [19] 8 1 0 x x 0.05% 0.01% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 5 4 3 2 59 0.05% 0.03% 0.02% 0.01% 0.33%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [20] x [21] 162 245 763 x x 0.98% 1.43% 4.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 54 87 142 214 355 0.49% 0.64% 0.86% 1.25% 1.98%
Total 10,952 13,497 16,571 17,153 17,939 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 17,939. The median age was 45.7 years. 20.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.1 males age 18 and over.[22]

The racial makeup of the county was 92.9% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.0% of the population.[23]

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[24]

There were 7,438 households in the county, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.7% were married-couple households, 20.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[22]

There were 11,570 housing units, of which 35.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.8% were owner-occupied and 16.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.7%.[22]

2010 census

[edit]

At the 2010 United States census[25] there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 inhabitants per square mile (12/km2). There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2).

In 2010, the racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% were of German, 12.4% English, 10.4% Irish, 10.0% American, 6.3% Polish and 5.1% French ancestry. 98.8% spoke English as their first language.

Government

[edit]

Kalkaska County voters have been reliably Republican from the start. They have selected the Republican Party nominee in 86% of national elections (31 of 36).

United States presidential election results for Kalkaska County, Michigan[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1884 630 60.93% 369 35.69% 35 3.38%
1888 798 62.34% 400 31.25% 82 6.41%
1892 717 59.45% 389 32.26% 100 8.29%
1896 940 66.38% 422 29.80% 54 3.81%
1900 1,312 75.45% 361 20.76% 66 3.80%
1904 1,354 83.89% 184 11.40% 76 4.71%
1908 1,153 69.33% 356 21.41% 154 9.26%
1912 448 32.28% 293 21.11% 647 46.61%
1916 724 57.46% 430 34.13% 106 8.41%
1920 890 73.19% 224 18.42% 102 8.39%
1924 966 70.46% 205 14.95% 200 14.59%
1928 988 84.59% 160 13.70% 20 1.71%
1932 705 47.47% 649 43.70% 131 8.82%
1936 855 45.72% 952 50.91% 63 3.37%
1940 1,155 61.27% 718 38.09% 12 0.64%
1944 992 70.25% 409 28.97% 11 0.78%
1948 837 65.54% 400 31.32% 40 3.13%
1952 1,326 72.74% 483 26.49% 14 0.77%
1956 1,443 69.11% 636 30.46% 9 0.43%
1960 1,341 65.77% 693 33.99% 5 0.25%
1964 861 41.31% 1,220 58.54% 3 0.14%
1968 1,190 53.29% 753 33.72% 290 12.99%
1972 1,855 64.39% 924 32.07% 102 3.54%
1976 2,280 53.13% 1,957 45.61% 54 1.26%
1980 2,802 56.42% 1,807 36.39% 357 7.19%
1984 3,623 69.15% 1,595 30.44% 21 0.40%
1988 3,369 61.21% 2,092 38.01% 43 0.78%
1992 2,173 33.82% 2,297 35.75% 1,956 30.44%
1996 2,455 40.28% 2,666 43.74% 974 15.98%
2000 3,842 56.10% 2,774 40.50% 233 3.40%
2004 5,084 60.67% 3,189 38.05% 107 1.28%
2008 4,527 53.27% 3,780 44.48% 192 2.26%
2012 4,901 59.06% 3,272 39.43% 126 1.52%
2016 6,116 69.24% 2,280 25.81% 437 4.95%
2020 7,436 69.95% 3,002 28.24% 193 1.82%
2024 8,149 70.55% 3,206 27.76% 195 1.69%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:M.I. GovHead Template:M.I. GovRow Template:M.I GovFoot 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.

Events

[edit]

The National Trout Festival is an annual festival since 1936, held in April. It notes the heritage and sportsmanship of Kalkaska.[27]

Education

[edit]

The Northwest Educational Services, based in Traverse City, services the students in the county along with those of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau. The intermediate school district offers regional special education services, early education and English learner programs, and technical career pathways for students of its districts.[28]

Kalkaska County is served by the following regular public school districts:[29]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Newberry Library. "Michigan: Individual County Chronologies". Atlas of County Historical Boundaries. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  4. ↑ George Dawson (1840). Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840. Detroit. pp. 196–200.
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named clarke
  6. ↑ "History in Grand Traverse County, Michigan". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Genealogy Trails Kalkaska County Michigan". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Michigan Counties". Michigan.gov. Archived from the original on March 13, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  9. ↑ Michigan History, County Names.
  10. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ Michigan regional geology. Archived June 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ "2025 TIGER/Line® Shapefiles". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  13. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Michigan - Tables 15 and 16 – Race by Sex: 1980 and Tables 16 and 17 – Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 24-59. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Michigan: Table 3-5 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 37-179. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2026 – via Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Kalkaska County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kalkaska County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
  17. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kalkaska County, Michigan". United States Census Bureau.
  18. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  19. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  20. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  21. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  23. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  24. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  25. ↑ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  26. ↑ US Election Atlas
  27. ↑ National Trout festival, and picture of 'the trout.'
  28. ↑ "About us". Northwest Educational Services. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  29. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics. "Search for Public School Data - Kalkaska County, MI". Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 18, 2023.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Kalkaska Genealogical Society: Big Trout, Black Gold: History of Kalkaska County MI
[edit]

Template:Geographic Location

Template:Kalkaska County, Michigan Template:Northern Michigan Template:Michigan Coordinates: 44°41′N 85°05′W / 44.69°N 85.08°W / 44.69; -85.08

Retrieved from "https://wiki.tachyony.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Kalkaska_County,_Michigan&oldid=82510"