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Alger County, Michigan
2009-0618-Munising-AlgerCtyCourt
Alger County Courthouse Complex, Munising (2009)
Seal of Alger County, Michigan
Seal
Map of Michigan highlighting Alger County
Location in the state of Michigan
Map of the U.S
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded March 17, 1885[1]
Named for Russell A. Alger
Seat Munising
Largest city Munising
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

5,048 sq mi (13,074 km²)
915 sq mi (2,370 km²)
4,133 sq mi (10,704 km²), 82%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

8,842
10/sq mi (4/km²)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Alger County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 8,842.[2] Its county seat is Munising.[3] The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.

History[]

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 elected as a Michigan Governor, and US Senator, and appointed as US 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.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,048 square miles (13,070 km2), of which 915 square miles (2,370 km2) is land and 4,133 square miles (10,700 km2) (82%) is water.[4] It is the second-largest county in Michigan by total area, mainly because of Lake Superior on the north side of the county.

Highways[]

  • US 41 US 41
  • M-28 M-28
  • M-67 M-67
  • M-77 M-77
  • M-94 M-94
  • Alger County H-01 H-01
  • Alger County H-03 H-03
  • Alger County H-05 H-05
  • Alger County H-11 H-11
  • Alger County H-13 H-13
  • Alger County H-15 H-15
  • Alger County H-44 H-44
  • Alger County H-52 H-52
  • Alger County H-58 H-58, passes through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
  • Forest Route 13 FFH 13

Adjacent counties[]

National protected areas[]

Pictured Rocks Bridalveil Falls

Bridalveil Falls emptying into Lake Superior

  • Grand Island National Recreation Area
  • Hiawatha National Forest (part)
  • Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1890 1,238
1900 5,868 374.0%
1910 7,675 30.8%
1920 9,983 30.1%
1930 9,327 −6.6%
1940 10,167 9.0%
1950 10,007 −1.6%
1960 9,250 −7.6%
1970 8,568 −7.4%
1980 9,225 7.7%
1990 8,972 −2.7%
2000 9,862 9.9%
2010 9,601 −2.6%
US Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[2]

The 2010 United States Census[9] indicates Alger County had a population of 9,601. This decrease of 261 people from the 2000 United States Census represents a 2.6% population decrease. 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).

Regarding specific ethnicities, 15.7% of the population was of German heritage, 13.5% Finnish, 12.6% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 9.3% English, 7.3% Polish, 6.9% Irish and 5.3% American ancestry.[10]

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.

Government[]

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and 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 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.

Communities[]

Alger County, MI census map

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

City[]

  • Munising (county seat)

Village[]

  • Chatham

Civil townships[]

  • Au Train Township
  • Burt Township
  • Grand Island Township
  • Limestone Township
  • Mathias Township
  • Munising Township
  • Onota Township
  • Rock River Township

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Au Train
  • Christmas
  • Coalwood
  • Deerton
  • Diffin
  • Dixon
  • Dorsey
  • Doty
  • Eben Junction
  • Evelyn
  • Forest Lake
  • Grand Marais
  • Green Haven
  • Indian Town
  • Juniper
  • Kentucky
  • Kiva
  • Ladoga
  • Limestone
  • Mantila Camp
  • Melstrand
  • Munising Junction
  • Myren
  • Onota
  • Rock River
  • Rumely
  • Sand River
  • Shingleton
  • Slapneck
  • Star
  • Stillman
  • Sullivans Landing
  • Sundell
  • Sunrise Landing
  • Traunik
  • Trenary
  • Vail
  • Van Meer
  • Wetmore
  • Williams Crossing
  • Williams Landing
  • Winters

Indian reservations[]

  • Alger County contains two very small portions of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians tribal community, which is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie in Chippewa County. One portion is in the northeastern corner of Au Train Township, and another slightly larger portion is about two miles south of Munising in Munising Township.[11]

Politics[]

Alger County was reliably Republican from the beginning through 1928. Since then it has voted for the Democratic nominee 65% (15 of 23) of the time.

United States presidential election results for Alger County, Michigan[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 3,014 58.70% 2,053 39.98% 68 1.32%
2016 2,585 57.22% 1,663 36.81% 270 5.98%
2012 2,330 50.45% 2,212 47.90% 76 1.65%
2008 2,188 46.06% 2,472 52.04% 90 1.89%
2004 2,318 48.65% 2,395 50.26% 52 1.09%
2000 2,142 49.06% 2,071 47.43% 153 3.50%
1996 1,429 33.77% 2,229 52.68% 573 13.54%
1992 1,471 32.19% 2,144 46.91% 955 20.90%
1988 1,830 45.08% 2,210 54.45% 19 0.47%
1984 2,175 51.69% 2,018 47.96% 15 0.36%
1980 2,059 44.31% 2,242 48.25% 346 7.45%
1976 1,722 41.38% 2,379 57.17% 60 1.44%
1972 2,035 52.48% 1,803 46.49% 40 1.03%
1968 1,406 40.03% 1,927 54.87% 179 5.10%
1964 1,010 26.90% 2,743 73.05% 2 0.05%
1960 1,663 41.68% 2,321 58.17% 6 0.15%
1956 2,070 49.37% 2,105 50.20% 18 0.43%
1952 2,066 49.68% 2,058 49.48% 35 0.84%
1948 1,702 42.73% 2,009 50.44% 272 6.83%
1944 1,504 37.26% 2,519 62.41% 13 0.32%
1940 1,629 34.84% 2,984 63.83% 62 1.33%
1936 1,291 30.67% 2,824 67.09% 94 2.23%
1932 1,354 36.69% 2,111 57.21% 225 6.10%
1928 1,716 59.05% 1,053 36.24% 137 4.71%
1924 1,623 66.52% 228 9.34% 589 24.14%
1920 1,263 66.09% 468 24.49% 180 9.42%
1916 687 48.31% 650 45.71% 85 5.98%
1912 290 26.56% 263 24.08% 539 49.36%
1908 997 75.59% 231 17.51% 91 6.90%
1904 1,081 81.40% 204 15.36% 43 3.24%
1900 1,017 69.90% 415 28.52% 23 1.58%
1896 801 58.42% 539 39.31% 31 2.26%
1892 160 50.31% 156 49.06% 2 0.63%
1888 284 62.28% 162 35.53% 10 2.19%



See also[]

  • List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Alger County, Michigan
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Alger County, Michigan

References[]

External links[]



Coordinates: 47°10′N 86°29′W / 47.16, -86.48

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Alger County, Michigan. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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