Houghton County
County
Houghton County Courthouse
Houghton County Courthouse
Official seal of Houghton County
Seal
Map of Michigan highlighting Houghton County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°59′N 88°39′W / 46.98°N 88.65°W / 46.98; -88.65
Country United States
State Michigan
Founded1843 (set off)
1845 (boundaries described)
1846 (organized)
1848 (re-organized)[1]
Named forDouglass Houghton
SeatHoughton
Largest cityHoughton
Area
 • Total1,502 sq mi (3,890 km2)
 • Land1,009 sq mi (2,610 km2)
 • Water492 sq mi (1,270 km2)  33%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total37,361
 • Density36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.houghtoncounty.net
Old specimen of native copper from Houghton County. Houghton County hosted a major copper-mining industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Houghton County (/ˈhoʊtən/; HO-tən) is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,361.[2] The county seat and largest city is Houghton.[3][4] Both the county and the city were named for Michigan State geologist and Detroit Mayor Douglass Houghton.[5][3]

Houghton County is part of the Houghton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes Keweenaw County, and was part of Copper Country during the mining boom of the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.

History

In 1843, the Upper Peninsula was divided into Mackinac, Chippewa, Marquette, Schoolcraft, Delta, and Ontonagon Counties.[6] In 1845, Houghton County boundaries were defined, with areas partitioned from Marquette and Ontonagon Counties. The new county was named after Douglass Houghton, the new state's first State Geologist, who extensively explored the Upper Peninsula's mineralogy.[6][7] The original boundaries of Houghton County included the future Keweenaw and Baraga Counties.[8] In 1846, the county was organized into three townships: Eagle Harbor, Houghton, and L'Anse.[8] Keweenaw County was set off from Houghton County in 1861 and Baraga County was set off in 1875.[9]

Houghton County's history is heavily marked by immigration. At one of the peaks of its population, the 1910 census had 40.6% of its population of 88,098 as foreign-born, with 89.3% of the population being either foreign-born or having at one or both of their parents as foreign-born. 70.6% of all voters were foreign-born, and only 5.1% of voters were native-born with native parents. This amalgam of immigrants from dozens of countries created a unique culture, especially once population growth stopped, and the county shrank in population to its current numbers. Heavily representative among many ethnicities were the Finnish. The 1910 census listed 13.1% of the residents being Finnish-born (out of the 32.3% total of the residents listed as foreign-born). The 2010 census lists almost the same proportion (32.5%) of the population as having Finnish ancestors.[10]

The Finlandia University in Hancock

Amid the Great Depression of the 1930s, a sharp increase in unemployment among workers in the mining and timber industries caused a pivot to potato production. For a brief time in the 1930s and 1940s, the region became a major exporter of potatoes within the United States.[11]

In June 2018, a major flash flood caused sinkholes and washouts in the towns of Chassell, Houghton, Ripley, Lake Linden, and Hubbell.[12]

Geography

Quincy Street in Hancock, Michigan

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,502 square miles (3,890 km2), of which 1,009 square miles (2,610 km2) is land and 492 square miles (1,270 km2) (33%) is water.[13]

The Portage Lift Bridge crosses Portage Lake, connecting Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, by crossing over Portage Lake, which is part of the river and canal system that spans the peninsula. The Portage Lift Bridge is the world's heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge. Its center span "lifts" to provide 100 feet (30 m) of clearance for ships. Since rail traffic was discontinued in the Keweenaw, the lower deck accommodates snowmobile traffic in the winter. This is the only land-based link between the Keweenaw Peninsula's north and south sections, making it crucial to local transportation.[14]

Major highways

  • US 41 runs from the southeast corner of the county, north and northwest to Chassell and Houghton, then northeast to Copper Harbor.
  • M-26 enters the western portion of county from Mass City and runs northeast through South Range and Houghton to intersect with US 41 at Keweenaw Park.
  • M-28 runs east–west across lower portion of county, past Kenton and Sidnaw.
  • M-38 runs east–west across center of county, past White, Nisula, and Alston.
  • M-203 runs northwest from Houghton, then loops northeast and east to intersect with US 41.

Airport

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Climate

Houghton County
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
50
 
 
−12
−14
 
 
75
 
 
−7
−16
 
 
64
 
 
−2
−12
 
 
104
 
 
9
−2
 
 
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17
5
 
 
138
 
 
21
10
 
 
126
 
 
22
14
 
 
96
 
 
21
15
 
 
103
 
 
19
10
 
 
129
 
 
12
2
 
 
105
 
 
4
−3
 
 
59
 
 
−11
−12
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [15]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
2
 
 
10
7
 
 
3
 
 
19
3
 
 
2.5
 
 
28
10
 
 
4.1
 
 
48
28
 
 
4.4
 
 
63
41
 
 
5.4
 
 
70
50
 
 
5
 
 
72
57
 
 
3.8
 
 
70
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4.1
 
 
66
50
 
 
5.1
 
 
54
36
 
 
4.1
 
 
39
27
 
 
2.3
 
 
12
10
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Communities

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

Cities

Villages

Charter townships

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850708—
18609,2341,204.2%
187013,87950.3%
188022,47361.9%
189035,38957.5%
190066,06386.7%
191088,09833.4%
192071,930−18.4%
193052,851−26.5%
194047,631−9.9%
195039,771−16.5%
196035,654−10.4%
197034,652−2.8%
198037,8729.3%
199035,446−6.4%
200036,0161.6%
201036,6281.7%
202037,3612.0%
US Decennial Census[16]
1790-1960[17] 1900-1990[18]
1990-2000[19] 2010-2018[2]

In 2020, the county had a population of 37,361.

Government

Houghton County voters tend to favor Republican Party nominees. Since 1884, the Republican Party has been selected in 76% (26 of 34) of national elections.

United States presidential election results for Houghton County, Michigan[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 10,378 56.00% 7,750 41.82% 405 2.19%
2016 8,475 53.77% 6,018 38.18% 1,268 8.05%
2012 8,196 53.36% 6,801 44.27% 364 2.37%
2008 8,101 50.72% 7,476 46.81% 395 2.47%
2004 8,889 56.08% 6,731 42.46% 231 1.46%
2000 7,895 55.54% 5,688 40.01% 633 4.45%
1996 5,941 43.46% 5,957 43.57% 1,773 12.97%
1992 5,575 36.74% 6,558 43.22% 3,040 20.04%
1988 7,098 51.83% 6,510 47.54% 86 0.63%
1984 8,652 57.14% 6,434 42.49% 55 0.36%
1980 7,926 47.94% 6,858 41.48% 1,750 10.58%
1976 8,049 51.60% 7,352 47.13% 199 1.28%
1972 9,053 58.07% 6,402 41.06% 135 0.87%
1968 6,639 46.94% 6,988 49.41% 516 3.65%
1964 5,024 33.97% 9,761 65.99% 6 0.04%
1960 7,767 49.09% 8,021 50.70% 34 0.21%
1956 9,620 58.26% 6,866 41.58% 25 0.15%
1952 10,563 59.57% 7,100 40.04% 70 0.39%
1948 9,541 54.61% 6,925 39.64% 1,005 5.75%
1944 9,110 47.35% 10,066 52.32% 62 0.32%
1940 11,030 50.31% 10,815 49.33% 81 0.37%
1936 9,345 44.07% 11,642 54.90% 219 1.03%
1932 12,308 59.23% 7,838 37.72% 634 3.05%
1928 11,240 62.30% 6,573 36.43% 229 1.27%
1924 13,833 83.02% 1,045 6.27% 1,784 10.71%
1920 14,938 80.20% 3,088 16.58% 599 3.22%
1916 8,013 60.18% 4,615 34.66% 688 5.17%
1912 3,571 29.18% 2,385 19.49% 6,282 51.33%
1908 9,352 73.04% 2,424 18.93% 1,028 8.03%
1904 8,857 78.43% 1,471 13.03% 965 8.55%
1900 8,019 73.39% 2,422 22.17% 486 4.45%
1896 6,141 71.85% 1,996 23.35% 410 4.80%
1892 3,316 45.84% 2,607 36.04% 1,311 18.12%
1888 3,012 51.12% 2,696 45.76% 184 3.12%
1884 2,383 57.90% 1,694 41.16% 39 0.95%

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.

The Houghton County Courthouse "..stood high upon the bluff on Houghton Village facing North and pleasantly overlooking Portage Lake.", and has been inducted in the US Registry of Historic Districts and Buildings of the Upper Peninsula. Construction began in spring 1886. The building had its first addition to the north wing, the addition of a larger jail wing, in 1910, and that was the only renovation until the jail wing was condemned in 1961. A new jail was built in its present location, adjacent to the original. According to the Mining Gazette, "The materials used with the exception of the facing brick are the product of the Upper Peninsula" (July 25, 1886, p. 3). Kathryn Eckert, in her Buildings of Michigan, wrote:[21]

"The courthouse is composed of the original structure, a rectangular block from which project central pavilions with parapeted dormers, a four-story tower, and north and west wing additions. The curbed mansard roof, the grouping of windows beneath red sandstone lintels connected by bands that encircle the structure, and the decorative entablature unite the composition. Porches supported with posts and Gothic-arch brackets...The interior is richly finished with wood; red, rich brown, and light yellowish brown floor tiles; ornamental plaster; and oak staircase; and stone fireplaces."

The building section that was once the jail wing is now used for office space.

Elected officials

(information as of Sept 2018)[23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bibliography on Houghton County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Monette, Clarence J. (1975). Some Copper Country Names And Places. Lake Linden, Michigan. ISBN 0-942363-04-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Encyclopedia of Detroit". Detroit Historical Society. 2020.
  6. 1 2 Sawyer, Alvah Littlefield (1911). A History of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan and Its People. Lewis Publishing Co. p. 466. ISBN 9780598489524.
  7. ↑ "Houghton County Bibliography" (PDF). Library of Michigan.
  8. 1 2 Sawyer (1911), p. 467.
  9. ↑ Sawyer (1911), p. 468.
  10. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Houghton County Potato Farming – Michigan Tech Archives Blog". April 4, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  12. ↑ Powell, Mariah (June 17, 2018). "Floods Devastate Houghton Business District". Upper Michigan's Source. Negaunee, Michigan: WLUC-TV.
  13. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Keweenaw Michigan field trip". minsocam.org.
  15. ↑ "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  16. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  20. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  21. ↑ Eckert, Kathryn Bishop (1993). Buildings of Michigan. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 464. ISBN 978-0-19-509379-7.
  22. ↑ Neese, Garrett (September 15, 2021). "Saaranen Appointed Houghton County Sheriff". The Daily Mining Gazette. Houghton, Michigan. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Houghton County Directory". Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  • Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Great Lakes Books. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0814318386.

46°59′N 88°39′W / 46.98°N 88.65°W / 46.98; -88.65

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