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Otsego County, Michigan
Otsego County Building (Michigan)
Otsego County Building in Gaylord
Seal of Otsego County, Michigan
Seal
Map of Michigan highlighting Otsego County
Location in the state of Michigan
Map of the U.S
Michigan's location in the U.S.
Founded 1840 (created)
1875 (organized)[1]
Seat Gaylord
Largest city Gaylord
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

526 sq mi (1,362 km²)
514 sq mi (1,331 km²)
11 sq mi (28 km²), 2.1%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

25,091
47/sq mi (18/km²)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Otsego County circuit court (Michigan)

Otsego County District Court in Gaylord

Otsego County ( /ˌɒtsɡ/ 'aat-SEE-go'), formerly known as Okkuddo County, is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 25,091.[2] The county seat is Gaylord.[3] The county was founded in 1840 and organized in 1875.[1]

Etymology[]

Otsego may be a Native American name meaning "place of the rock". However, an alternative theory is that it derives from a lake and a county in New York state, which are said to bear the name derived from a Mohawk Iroquoian word meaning either "clear water" or "meeting place."[4] It may be a neologism coined by Henry Schoolcraft, who was a borrower of words and pieces of words from many languages (including Arabic, Greek, Latin, and various American Indian dialects).[5] See List of Michigan county name etymologies.

History[]

1842 Negissee Okkuddo Cheonoquet Wabbassee Shawwano Oscoda counties Michigan

A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Otsego County as Okkuddo County, its name from 1840 to 1843. Several nearby counties are also shown with names that would later be changed.

The county was created in 1840 as Okkuddo County (meaning "sickly water," although the reason for using a name with such a negative meaning is lost). The name was changed to Otsego in 1843.[6] It was organized in 1875.[1] On May 20, 2022 an EF3 tornado stuck the county seat of Gaylord killing 2 and injuring 44 while causing major damage to the downtown business district and severely damaging a mobile home park.

Geography[]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 526 square miles (1,360 km2), of which 515 square miles (1,330 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (2.1%) is water.[7] It is the fifth-smallest county by total area in Michigan. Although it is located on Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Otsego County is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Otsego County has more than 370 lakes, mostly in the southern part of the county. Otsego Lake, is the county's largest, and has a surface area of 1,972 acres (7.980 km2). Other large lakes in the southern part of the county include Big Lake, Big Bear Lake, Buhl Lake, Crapo Lake, Dixon Lake, Douglas Lake, Guthrie Lake, Heart Lake, Lake Tecon, Manuka Lake, Opal Lake, Pencil Lake, and Turtle Lake. The larger lakes in the northern part of the county are Five Lakes, Hardwood Lake, Lake Twenty Seven, and Pickerel Lake. Many of these are so-called 'kettle lakes,' formed by the melting of blocks of glacial ice, left as the glacier retreated, which created a depression in the soil.[6]

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.[8]

Headwaters of the Au Sable, Black, Manistee, Pigeon, and Sturgeon Rivers are in Otsego County. The Au Sable River watershed is the county's largest watershed.[6]

Adjacent counties[]

Transportation[]

Major highways[]

  • I-75 I-75 runs generally north–south through the west-central part of the county, passing Vanderbilt, Gaylord and Oak Grove.
  • Business Loop 75 BL I-75 is a loop route running through Gaylord. It follows the former route of US 27.
  • M-32 M-32 runs east–west through the county, linking East Jordan to the west and Alpena to the east.

Airport[]

Gaylord Regional Airport – on SW edge of Gaylord, owned and operated by Otsego County, is a General Utility Airport. It is listed as a tier one airport in all categories of the Michigan Airport System Plan.[9][10]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1880 1,974
1890 4,272 116.4%
1900 6,175 44.5%
1910 6,552 6.1%
1920 6,043 −7.8%
1930 5,554 −8.1%
1940 5,827 4.9%
1950 6,435 10.4%
1960 7,545 17.2%
1970 10,422 38.1%
1980 14,993 43.9%
1990 17,957 19.8%
2000 23,301 29.8%
2010 24,164 3.7%
US Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[2]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[15] there were 23,301 people, 8,995 households, and 6,539 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile (17/km2). There were 13,375 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.51% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.1% were of German, 17.6% Polish, 10.5% Irish, 9.9% English and 9.4% American ancestry. 96.8% spoke English and 1.3% Polish as their first language.

There were 8,995 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.00.

The county population contained 26.80% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,876, and the median income for a family was $46,628. Males had a median income of $34,413 versus $21,204 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,810. About 5.30% of families and 6.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government[]

Otsego County voters have been reliably Republican from the start. They have selected the Republican Party nominee in 88% of national elections (30 of 34).

Political Culture[]

United States presidential election results for Otsego County, Michigan[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 9,779 66.19% 4,743 32.10% 253 1.71%
2016 8,266 65.55% 3,556 28.20% 788 6.25%
2012 7,011 58.96% 4,681 39.37% 199 1.67%
2008 6,752 53.39% 5,634 44.55% 261 2.06%
2004 7,470 60.70% 4,674 37.98% 163 1.32%
2000 6,108 58.14% 4,034 38.40% 363 3.46%
1996 3,638 43.73% 3,351 40.28% 1,331 16.00%
1992 3,393 36.85% 3,129 33.99% 2,685 29.16%
1988 4,620 63.31% 2,635 36.11% 43 0.59%
1984 4,639 68.27% 2,117 31.16% 39 0.57%
1980 3,771 53.70% 2,666 37.96% 586 8.34%
1976 3,155 53.01% 2,724 45.77% 73 1.23%
1972 2,854 58.93% 1,912 39.48% 77 1.59%
1968 1,871 49.33% 1,661 43.79% 261 6.88%
1964 1,214 35.07% 2,245 64.85% 3 0.09%
1960 1,944 56.04% 1,521 43.85% 4 0.12%
1956 1,930 63.74% 1,095 36.16% 3 0.10%
1952 1,941 68.88% 865 30.70% 12 0.43%
1948 1,392 60.00% 888 38.28% 40 1.72%
1944 1,259 57.70% 912 41.80% 11 0.50%
1940 1,353 54.56% 1,119 45.12% 8 0.32%
1936 1,102 45.03% 1,280 52.31% 65 2.66%
1932 1,006 40.35% 1,377 55.23% 110 4.41%
1928 1,049 68.52% 476 31.09% 6 0.39%
1924 1,144 73.81% 249 16.06% 157 10.13%
1920 874 64.03% 466 34.14% 25 1.83%
1916 531 49.17% 519 48.06% 30 2.78%
1912 448 42.79% 194 18.53% 405 38.68%
1908 864 72.48% 276 23.15% 52 4.36%
1904 1,239 78.82% 266 16.92% 67 4.26%
1900 1,020 67.95% 436 29.05% 45 3.00%
1896 859 59.41% 560 38.73% 27 1.87%
1892 525 47.60% 531 48.14% 47 4.26%
1888 573 52.81% 434 40.00% 78 7.19%
1884 485 52.95% 410 44.76% 21 2.29%


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.

Elected officials[]

  • Prosecuting Attorney: Michael A. Rola
  • Sheriff: Matthew Nowicki
  • County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Susan I. DeFeyter
  • County Treasurer: Diann M. Axford
  • County Surveyor: Ronald C. Brand[17]

(information as of September 2005)

Media[]

The Gaylord Herald Times is the newspaper of record for Otsego County. It is published twice weekly, and is the oldest surviving business. It was founded in 1875, the year that the county was organized.[18]

Communities[]

Otsego County, MI census map

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

City[]

  • Gaylord (county seat)

Village[]

  • Vanderbilt

Civil townships[]

  • Bagley Township
  • Charlton Township
  • Chester Township
  • Corwith Township
  • Dover Township
  • Elmira Township
  • Hayes Township
  • Livingston Township
  • Otsego Lake Township

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Arbutus Beach
  • Elmira (partial)
  • Eyedylwild Beach
  • Farrar Landing
  • Green Timbers
  • Hetherton (partial)
  • Johannesburg
  • Lower Chub Landing
  • Oak Grove
  • Otsego Lake
  • Pearll City
  • Sparr
  • Vienna Corners (partial)
  • Waters
  • Whites Landing

See also[]

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

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Bibliography on Otsego County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/AccessMaterials/Bibliographies/MichiganLocalHistory/Pages/otsego.aspx. 
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/otsegocountymichigan/POP010220. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ "History". Otsego County. http://www.otsegocountymi.gov/history.htm. 
  5. ^ "Michigan Counties". Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_20826_20829-54126--,00.html. 
  6. ^ a b c Soil Survey of Otsego County. United States Department of Agriculture. http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Manuscripts/MI137/0/Otsego_MI.pdf. 
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_26.txt. 
  8. ^ "NPWRC :: Regional Landscape". United States Geological Survey. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/habitat/rlandscp/s7-2-2.htm. 
  9. ^ "Gaylord Regional Airport". http://www.otsegocountymi.gov/airport/airport.htm. 
  10. ^ "Gaylord Regional Airport". AirNav.com. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KGLR. 
  11. ^ "US Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mi190090.txt. 
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  16. ^ US Election Atlas
  17. ^ "Election results". Traverse City Record-Eagle. August 4, 2004. http://static.record-eagle.com/2004/aug/04tally212.html. 
  18. ^ "Gaylord". Petoskey News-Review. http://www.gaylordheraldtimes.com/about_us/. 

External links[]

Template:Otsego County, Michigan Template:Northern Michigan

Coordinates: 45°01′N 84°37′W / 45.02, -84.61

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