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Gogebic County, Michigan
Gogebic County Courthouse
Gogebic County Courthouse, July 2014
Logo of Gogebic County, Michigan
Logo
Map of Michigan highlighting Gogebic County
Location in the state of Michigan
Map of the U.S
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded 1887[1]
Named for Lake Gogebic
Seat Bessemer
Largest city Ironwood
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

1,476 sq mi (3,823 km²)
1,102 sq mi (2,854 km²)
374 sq mi (969 km²), 25%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

14,380
15/sq mi (6/km²)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Gogebic County ( /ɡˈɡɪbɪk/ goh-GHIB-ik) is the westernmost county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 14,380.[2] The county seat is Bessemer.[3] This was historically part of the territory of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa, which had twelve bands in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation is in this county, in Watersmeet Township; it is the land base of one of the federally recognized tribes.

Gogebic County was organized in 1887, partitioned from Ontonagon County. The county's name derives from a lake of the same name, which was originally rendered Agogebic. Sources agree that the name is from Ojibwe, but differ on the original meaning. The county's website suggests it meant "body of water hanging on high,"[4] but an 1884 military annal said it meant "water-mold lake" (Agogibing).[5] (See also: List of place names of Native American origin in Michigan)

Geography[]

Lake Gogebic

Lake Gogebic, the largest lake of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, lies partially in Gogebic County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,476 square miles (3,820 km2), of which 1,102 square miles (2,850 km2) is land and 374 square miles (970 km2) (25%) is water.[6]

Water features[]

  • Lake Superior – forms the county's northern land border.
  • Lake Gogebic – the largest lake in the Upper Peninsula.
  • Montreal River – forms the county's western border, as well as the state's border with Wisconsin in this area.

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Ottawa National Forest (part)

State protected area[]

  • Lake Gogebic State Park

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1890 13,166
1900 16,738 27.1%
1910 23,333 39.4%
1920 33,225 42.4%
1930 31,577 −5.0%
1940 31,797 0.7%
1950 27,053 −14.9%
1960 24,370 −9.9%
1970 20,676 −15.2%
1980 19,686 −4.8%
1990 18,052 −8.3%
2000 17,370 −3.8%
2010 16,427 −5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[2]

The 2010 United States Census[11] indicates Gogebic County had a population of 16,427. This decrease of 943 people from the 2000 United States Census is a -5.4% change in population. In 2010 there were 7,037 households and 4,171 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (6/km2). There were 10,795 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km2). 91.7% of the population were White, 4.1% Black or African American, 2.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 1.4% of two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 17.4% were of Finnish, 12.8% German, 11.2% American, 10.0% Italian, 6.8% Polish, 6.7% English and 5.1% Irish ancestry.[12]

There were 7,037 households, out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.69.

The county population was 16.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.8 years. 53.3% of the population was male, and 46.7% of the population was female.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,917, and the median income for a family was $47,219. The per capita income for the county was $20,759. About 14.0% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Gogebic County was reliably Republican at the beginning of the twentieth century. Roosevelt's New Deal changed the county's mood, which has voted for the Democratic candidate in all but three presidential elections since 1932. In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican to win the county since Richard Nixon did in 1972. Trump carried the county again in 2020, despite losing nationally.

United States presidential election results for Gogebic County, Michigan[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 4,600 55.58% 3,570 43.14% 106 1.28%
2016 4,018 54.42% 2,925 39.62% 440 5.96%
2012 3,444 45.24% 4,058 53.30% 111 1.46%
2008 3,330 40.21% 4,757 57.44% 194 2.34%
2004 3,935 46.56% 4,421 52.31% 96 1.14%
2000 3,929 47.12% 4,066 48.76% 344 4.13%
1996 2,769 33.83% 4,436 54.19% 981 11.98%
1992 2,838 30.76% 4,792 51.95% 1,595 17.29%
1988 3,509 40.38% 5,151 59.27% 31 0.36%
1984 4,006 41.81% 5,554 57.97% 21 0.22%
1980 4,388 42.80% 5,254 51.25% 610 5.95%
1976 3,953 38.04% 6,341 61.02% 98 0.94%
1972 5,631 52.26% 4,984 46.25% 161 1.49%
1968 4,140 39.71% 5,839 56.00% 447 4.29%
1964 3,350 29.60% 7,945 70.19% 24 0.21%
1960 5,429 42.89% 7,200 56.88% 30 0.24%
1956 6,865 52.68% 6,142 47.13% 25 0.19%
1952 6,195 47.47% 6,803 52.13% 53 0.41%
1948 5,204 41.40% 6,722 53.48% 643 5.12%
1944 5,283 39.82% 7,938 59.83% 47 0.35%
1940 6,431 40.87% 9,104 57.86% 199 1.26%
1936 4,649 35.07% 8,461 63.82% 147 1.11%
1932 5,379 46.69% 5,531 48.01% 611 5.30%
1928 6,061 64.74% 3,134 33.48% 167 1.78%
1924 5,128 66.54% 487 6.32% 2,092 27.14%
1920 5,486 79.72% 823 11.96% 573 8.33%
1916 2,204 55.04% 1,540 38.46% 260 6.49%
1912 818 26.92% 572 18.82% 1,649 54.26%
1908 2,256 72.96% 614 19.86% 222 7.18%
1904 2,111 77.98% 414 15.29% 182 6.72%
1900 2,166 73.13% 676 22.82% 120 4.05%
1896 1,982 68.37% 837 28.87% 80 2.76%
1892 2,344 57.25% 1,615 39.45% 135 3.30%
1888 1,367 54.35% 1,112 44.21% 36 1.43%



Government[]

BessemerCH1920

Gogebic County Courthouse circa 1920

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, maintains vital records and property 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.

Transportation[]

Major highways[]

  • US 2 US 2
  • Business plate
    US 2 BUS US 2 serves the city of Ironwood.
  • US 45 US 45
  • M-28 M-28
  • M-64 M-64

Airport[]

  • KIWD - Gogebic-Iron County Airport – 7 miles (13 km) NE of Ironwood. Commercial air service is available.

Communities[]

Gogebic County, MI census map

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

Cities[]

  • Bessemer (county seat)
  • Ironwood
  • Wakefield

Charter township[]

  • Ironwood Charter Township

Civil townships[]

  • Bessemer Township
  • Erwin Township
  • Marenisco Township
  • Wakefield Township
  • Watersmeet Township

Census-designated places[]

  • Marenisco
  • Watersmeet

Other unincorporated communities[]

  • Anvil
  • Connorville
  • Dunham
  • Harley
  • Puritan
  • Ramsay
  • Siemens
  • Tamarack
  • Thayer
  • Thomaston
  • Tula
  • Wellington

Indian reservations[]

  • Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation

See also[]

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

References[]

  1. ^ "Bibliography on Gogebic County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/AccessMaterials/Bibliographies/MichiganLocalHistory/Pages/gogebic.aspx. 
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/gogebiccountymichigan/POP010220. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ Heikkinen, Carlo (1966). "Little Known Facts of the Gogebic Range". http://www.gogebic.org/hist.html. 
  5. ^ Kelton, Dwight H. (1884). Annals of Fort Mackinac. Library of Congress. pp. 146–147. https://archive.org/details/annalsfortmacki01keltgoog. 
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_26.txt. 
  7. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mi190090.txt. 
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". https://www.census.gov. 
  12. ^ Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS). "U.S. Census website". census.gov. https://www.census.gov. 
  13. ^ US Election Atlas

External links[]

Template:Gogebic County, Michigan

Coordinates: 46°29′N 89°47′W / 46.48, -89.79

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Gogebic 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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