Kalkaska County, Michigan

Kalkaska County (/kælˈkæskə/ kal-KASS-kə) is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 17,939.[2] The county seat is Kalkaska.[3]

Kalkaska County
County
Kalkaska County Government Offices in Kalkaska
Kalkaska County Government Offices in Kalkaska
Map of Michigan highlighting Kalkaska County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°41′N 85°05′W
Country United States
State Michigan
Founded1840 (established)
1871 (organized)[1]
SeatKalkaska
Largest villageKalkaska
Area
 • Total571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Land560 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Water11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total17,939
 • Density31/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitekalkaskacounty.net

Kalkaska County is part of the Traverse City micropolitan area. Although it is located on Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Kalkaska County is considered part of Northern Michigan.

History
A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Kalkaska County as "Wabbassee" (a misspelling of Wabassee, the county's name from 1840 to 1843.[4]) Several nearby counties are also shown with names that would later be changed.
See also: History of Northern Michigan

Kalkaska County, originally named Wabassee County, was separated from Michilimackinac County in 1840,[5] renamed in 1843.[4][1] In 1851, Kalkaska County was attached to Grand Traverse County for legal purposes.[6] The first settler in Kalkaska County was William Copeland, from England, who purchased land in the northwest corner of the county in 1855. Kalkaska County was organized in its own right on January 27, 1871. Crawford County was then temporarily attached to Kalkaska County for legal purposes.[7]

Etymology

The county's name is a pseudo-Native American word coined by Henry Schoolcraft, a Michigan geographer and ethnologist.[8] The name is thought to be a Chippewa word meaning flat or burned-over country. An alternative theory is that this is a neologism or neonym created by Henry Schoolcraft, originally spelled Calcasca. Some theorists suggest this is word play. Schoolcraft's family name had been Calcraft, and the Ks may have been added to make the name appear more like a Native American word.[9]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 571 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.9%) are covered by water.[10]

Kalkaska sand, the state soil of Michigan, was named after the county because of the large amounts deposited in the area from glaciers in the Ice Age.

Kalkaska County has over 80 lakes and 275 miles (443 km) of streams and rivers. Much of the county is marshland. County elevation ranges from 595 feet (181 m) to about 1,246 feet (380 m). This makes it one of the more uneven counties in the Lower Peninsula.

The Pere Marquette State Forest covers much of the county. 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.[11]

Lakes

Rivers

Major highways
  • US 131 – runs NE through the western part of the county. Enters at 4 miles (6.4 km) north of SW corner; exits into Antrim County near midpoint of north county line.
  • M-66 – runs north–south through west-central part of county. Passes Kalkaska.
  • M-72 – runs east and ESE through middle portion of county. Passes Kalkaska.

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870424—
18802,937592.7%
18905,16075.7%
19007,13338.2%
19108,09713.5%
19205,577−31.1%
19303,799−31.9%
19405,15935.8%
19504,597−10.9%
19604,382−4.7%
19705,27220.3%
198010,952107.7%
199013,49723.2%
200016,57122.8%
201017,1533.5%
202017,9394.6%
US Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2018[2]

As of the 2010 United States Census[16] there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 inhabitants per square mile (12/km2). There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% were of German, 12.4% English, 10.4% Irish, 10.0% American, 6.3% Polish and 5.1% French ancestry. 98.8% spoke English as their first language.

There were 6,428 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.95.

The county population contained 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% 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 101.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,072, and the median income for a family was $39,932. Males had a median income of $31,860 versus $20,455 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,309. About 8.20% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Kalkaska County voters have been reliably Republican from the start. They have selected the Republican Party nominee in 85% of national elections (29 of 35).

United States presidential election results for Kalkaska County, Michigan[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 7,436 69.95% 3,002 28.24% 193 1.82%
2016 6,116 69.24% 2,280 25.81% 437 4.95%
2012 4,901 59.06% 3,272 39.43% 126 1.52%
2008 4,527 53.27% 3,780 44.48% 192 2.26%
2004 5,084 60.67% 3,189 38.05% 107 1.28%
2000 3,842 56.10% 2,774 40.50% 233 3.40%
1996 2,455 40.28% 2,666 43.74% 974 15.98%
1992 2,173 33.82% 2,297 35.75% 1,956 30.44%
1988 3,369 61.21% 2,092 38.01% 43 0.78%
1984 3,623 69.15% 1,595 30.44% 21 0.40%
1980 2,802 56.42% 1,807 36.39% 357 7.19%
1976 2,280 53.13% 1,957 45.61% 54 1.26%
1972 1,855 64.39% 924 32.07% 102 3.54%
1968 1,190 53.29% 753 33.72% 290 12.99%
1964 861 41.31% 1,220 58.54% 3 0.14%
1960 1,341 65.77% 693 33.99% 5 0.25%
1956 1,443 69.11% 636 30.46% 9 0.43%
1952 1,326 72.74% 483 26.49% 14 0.77%
1948 837 65.54% 400 31.32% 40 3.13%
1944 992 70.25% 409 28.97% 11 0.78%
1940 1,155 61.27% 718 38.09% 12 0.64%
1936 855 45.72% 952 50.91% 63 3.37%
1932 705 47.47% 649 43.70% 131 8.82%
1928 988 84.59% 160 13.70% 20 1.71%
1924 966 70.46% 205 14.95% 200 14.59%
1920 890 73.19% 224 18.42% 102 8.39%
1916 724 57.46% 430 34.13% 106 8.41%
1912 448 32.28% 293 21.11% 647 46.61%
1908 1,153 69.33% 356 21.41% 154 9.26%
1904 1,354 83.89% 184 11.40% 76 4.71%
1900 1,312 75.45% 361 20.76% 66 3.80%
1896 940 66.38% 422 29.80% 54 3.81%
1892 717 59.45% 389 32.26% 100 8.29%
1888 798 62.34% 400 31.25% 82 6.41%
1884 630 60.93% 369 35.69% 35 3.38%

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.

Events

The National Trout Festival is an annual festival since 1936, held in April. It notes the heritage and sportsmanship of Kalkaska.[18]

Communities
U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Kalkaska County

Village

Civil townships

Former townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Education

The Northwest Educational Services, based in Traverse City, services the students in the county along with those of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau. The intermediate school district offers regional special education services, early education and English learner programs, and technical career pathways for students of its districts.[19]

Kalkaska County is served by the following regular public school districts:[20]

See also

References
  1. "Bibliography on Kalkaska County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. Newberry Library. "Michigan: Individual County Chronologies". Atlas of County Historical Boundaries. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  5. George Dawson (1840). Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840. Detroit. pp. 196–200.
  6. "History in Grand Traverse County, Michigan". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  7. "Genealogy Trails Kalkaska County Michigan". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  8. "Michigan Counties". Michigan.gov. Archived from the original on March 13, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  9. Michigan History, County Names.
  10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  11. Michigan regional geology. Archived June 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  12. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  16. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  17. US Election Atlas
  18. National Trout festival, and picture of 'the trout.'
  19. "About us". Northwest Educational Services. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  20. National Center for Education Statistics. "Search for Public School Data - Kalkaska County, MI". Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 18, 2023.

Further reading
  • Kalkaska Genealogical Society: Big Trout, Black Gold: History of Kalkaska County MI

44.69°N 85.08°W / 44.69; -85.08

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