Mackinac County, Michigan


Mackinac County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,834. The county seat is St. Ignace. Formerly known as Michilimackinac County, in 1818 it was one of the first counties of the Michigan Territory, as it had long been a center of French and British colonial fur trading, a Catholic church and Protestant mission, and associated settlement. The county's name is shortened from "Michilimackinac", which referred to the Straits of Mackinac area as well as the French settlement at the tip of the lower peninsula. Mackinac County is one of two U.S. counties to feature shorelines on two Great Lakes, being Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

History

Michilimackinac County was created on October 26, 1818, by proclamation of territorial governor Lewis Cass. The county originally encompassed the Lower Peninsula of Michigan north of Macomb County and almost the entire present Upper Peninsula. As later counties were settled and organized, they were divided from this territory.
On April 1, 1840, areas in the Lower Peninsula were laid off to create 30 new counites. By 1841, the County of Michilimackinac was confined to the Upper Peninsula and its nearby islands, bordering Chippewa and Menominee counties.
On March 9, 1843, Michigan further divided the Upper Peninsula into six counties. At this time, the County of Michilimackinac more closely resembled its modern configuration, including only a portion of the Upper Peninsula closest to the Straits of Mackinac, plus several islands.
At the time of founding, the county seat was the community of Michilimackinac Island on Michilimackinac Island, later known as Mackinac Island, Michigan. This has been an important center for fur trading before the 1830s, when European demand declined. The county was organized in 1849 as Mackinac County. In 1882 the county seat was moved from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace, Michigan, which had been founded as a French Jesuit mission village during the colonial years.
Mackinac County is home to the Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians, a Native American state recognized tribe located in St. Ignace.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Mackinac County lies at the boundary of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
St. Ignace is the northern terminus of the Mackinac Bridge. Mackinac Island is within the county.
Due to its sparse population, the county has no weather stations.

Adjacent counties

By land
  • Chippewa County
  • Luce County
  • Schoolcraft County
By water
  • Presque Isle County
  • Cheboygan County
  • Emmet County
  • Charlevoix County

    National protected area

  • Hiawatha National Forest

    Communities

Cities

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 10,834. The median age was 53.7 years, 16.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 29.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.7 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 74.6% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 15.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 8.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.
25.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 74.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 5,040 households in the county, of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.8% were married-couple households, 21.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 10,519 housing units, of which 52.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.3% were owner-occupied and 20.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.3%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, Mackinac County had a population of 11,113, a decrease of 830 from the 2000 census. There were 5,024 households and 3,219 families in the county. The population density was. There were 11,010 housing units at an average density of. Racially, 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. Culturally, 18.5% were of German, 8.8% English, 8.0% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 7.6% Irish and 5.1% Polish ancestry.
In 2010, there were 5,024 households, 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. Among them, 18.7% of the population were 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 household income was $39,055 and the median family income was $50,984. The per capita income 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.

Religion

Religiously, Christianity is the predominant religion for the county and region of the Upper Peninsula. Mackinac County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette.

Education

School districts include:
K-12:
Elementary:

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"
  • Channel 8:WGTQ "ABC 29&8"
  • Channel 10:WWUP-TV "9&10 News"

    Radio

The following stations can be heard in St. Ignace:

FM

AM

Government

Mackinac County is reliably Republican. Since the 1964 landslide of Lyndon B. Johnson, it has only supported a Democrat twice, and neither time with a majority of the vote. Bill Clinton won the county in his 1992 and 1996 victories; the latter remains the last time a Democratic presidential candidate has won the county.
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.

Elected officials

  • Prosecuting Attorney: J. Stuart Spencer
  • Sheriff: Edward Wilk
  • County Clerk: Hillary Vowell
  • County Treasurer: Jennifer Goudreau
  • Register of Deeds: Mary Jo Savard
  • County Surveyor: Jeffrey M. Davis

    Historical markers

There are 34 official state historical markers in the county: