Cadillac ( ) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in and
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Wexford County in the U.S. state of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
.
The population was 10,371 at the
2020 census, which ranks it the third most-populated city in the
Northern Michigan region after
Traverse City and
Alpena.
Cadillac was settled as early as 1871 and formerly known as the village of Clam Lake before incorporating as a city in 1877. The city is the junction of several major highways, including
U.S. Route 131
US Highway 131 (US 131) is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.64 of its 269.96 miles (1.03 of 434.46 km) are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a sta ...
,
M-55, and
M-115. The geographic center of Michigan is approximately north-northwest of Cadillac. Cadillac is the central city of the
Cadillac micropolitan area, which includes all of Wexford County and
Missaukee County
Missaukee County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 15,052. The county seat is Lake City.
Missaukee County is part of the Cadillac, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area. The county i ...
to the east, and had population of 48,725 at the
2020 census.
History
Village of Clam Lake
European explorers and fur traders visited this area from the 18th century, most of them initially French and French-Canadians who traded with regional Native Americans. More permanent communities were not established until the late 19th century. Initial settlements developed from logging camps and the logging industry.
In 1871, the first
sawmill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
began operations at Clam Lake. Originally called the Pioneer Mill, it was built by John R. Yale. That same year,
George A. Mitchell
George A. Mitchell (January 8, 1824 – August 5, 1878) was an American businessman, merchant, railwayman, lumber baron, and real estate developer. In the 1870s he bought of land in Michigan, divided and sold it in lots, and established the villa ...
, a prominent local banker and railroad entrepreneur, and Adam Gallinger, a local carpenter, formed the Clam Lake Canal Improvement and Construction Company. Two years later, the
Clam Lake Canal
The Clam Lake Canal (sometimes called the Cadillac Canal) is a man-made canal between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac in Cadillac, Michigan made by George A. Mitchell in the 1870s. The purpose of the canal was to facilitate the movement of log ...
was constructed between Big and Little Clam lakes, known as present-day Lakes Mitchell and
Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac is a lake located within the city of Cadillac, Michigan. It is part of the Muskegon River watershed.
Natural features
Lake Cadillac is fed by two inlets: a small river flowing from Lake Mitchell and a short canal of the same origi ...
. Sawmill owners used the canal to transport timber from Big Clam Lake to the mills and railroad sites on Little Clam Lake. The
Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA. The company was formed on January 18, 1854.
Beginnings
After grappl ...
(G.R. & I. Railroad) had reached the area in 1872.
[Schindler, Kurt H. (2002]
Wexford County Factbook, ''History,''
Chapter B2
MSU Extension
Retrieved on January 5, 2008
The settlement of Clam Lake was incorporated as a village in 1874. George Mitchell was elected as the first mayor.
The village was incorporated as a city in 1877 and renamed Cadillac, after
Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac
Antoine is a French language, French given name (from the Latin ''Antonius'' meaning 'highly praise-worthy') that is a variant of Danton (name), Danton, Titouan, D'Anton and Antonin.
The name is used in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, West ...
, a French colonist who started the first permanent settlement at
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
in 1701.
Battle of Manton
The Wexford County seat of government, originally located in Sherman, was moved to
Manton in 1881, as the result of a compromise between the feuding residents of Cadillac and Sherman. Cadillac partisans, however, won the county seat by a county-wide vote in April 1882.
The day following the election, a sheriff's posse left the city for Manton by special train to seize the county records. After they arrived and collected a portion of the materials, however, an angry crowd confronted the Cadillac men and drove them out of town.
[Battling for the County Seat](_blank)
Absolute Michigan
'' Retrieved on January 5, 2008.
When the sheriff returned to Cadillac, he encountered a force consisting of several hundred armed men; this group reportedly included a brass band. The Sheriff's force, some of whom may have been intoxicated, traveled back to Manton to seize the remaining records. Although Manton residents confronted the Cadillac men and barricaded the courthouse, the posse successfully seized the documents. They returned to Cadillac in dubious glory.
City of Cadillac
![Shay Locomotive](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Shay_Locomotive.jpg)
In 1878, Ephraim Shay perfected his
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive is a geared steam locomotive that originated and was primarily used in North America. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a ''geared st ...
, which was particularly effective in its ability to climb steep grades, maneuver sharp turns, and accommodate imperfections in railroad tracks. Cadillac was home to the
Michigan Iron Works
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
Company, which manufactured the Shay locomotive for a short time in the early 1880s. The lumber industry continued to dominate the city, attracting a large immigrant labor force, most of whom were
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
. (Later Cadillac made sister city arrangements with
Mölnlycke
Mölnlycke is a small town nearby Greater Gothenburg, a locality and the seat of Härryda Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 17,499 inhabitants in 2019. The urban area stretches over two municipalities. Mölndal Municipality is ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, and
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi ( , ; sme, Roavvenjárga ; smn, Ruávinjargâ; sms, Ruäʹvnjargg) is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland, and its southern part Perà ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
).
In 1899, the Cadillac Club formed, the forerunner of the Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce. Gradually, various manufacturing firms found success in Cadillac.
By the early 20th century, with the lumber depleted, the timber industry was in decline. Industrial development soon dominated the local economy, and it continues to do so today. Cadillac's range of industries includes the manufacture of pleasure boats, automotive parts, water-well components, vacuum cleaners, and rubber products.
In 1936, the
U.S. Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...
and the
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...
developed the
Caberfae Ski Area during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
as an investment in future economic development. This resulted in promotion of this area as a tourist center. Caberfae remains in operation today, as the oldest ski resort in the midwest.
[Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau, Cadillac Yesterday]
.
Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau
'' Retrieved on January 4, 2008. Tourism and outdoor recreation have since become an important sector of Cadillac's economy.
In the summer, tourists travel to the city and region for boating, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and camping. During the fall, hunting and color tours are popular. The winter is possibly the busiest season; the area can be found packed with downhill skiers, cross-country skiers, ice-fishers, snow-shoers and–most of all-snowmobilers. The North American Snowmobile Festival (NASF) is held on frozen Lake Cadillac every winter.
Thirsty's, a gas station on M-55 west of Cadillac, was the home of Samantha or "Sam The Bear" from the 1970s through the late 1990s, when Sam died of old age.
Sam was the only
brown bear
The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kno ...
in captivity in the US at the time to hibernate naturally.
Sam lived in a large cage in front of the gas station and was fed ice cream cones by tourists every summer.
In October 1975 the rock group
Kiss
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
visited Cadillac and performed at the Cadillac High School gymnasium. They played the concert to honor the
Cadillac High School
Cadillac High School (also referred to as Cadillac Senior High School) is a high school in Cadillac, Michigan, United States. It is one of eight schools in the Cadillac Area Public Schools (CAPS) school district.
History
Clam Lake Public Scho ...
football team. In previous years, the team had compiled a record of sixteen consecutive victories, but the 1974 squad opened the season with two losses. The assistant coach, Jim Neff, an English teacher and
rock'n'roll fan, thought to inspire the team by playing Kiss music in the locker room. He also connected the team's game plan, K-I-S-S or "Keep It Simple Stupid", with the band. The team went on to win seven straight games and their conference co-championship. After learning of their association with the team's success, the band decided to visit the school and play for the homecoming game.
Historic landmarks
Cadillac maintains a number of state historic landmarks. Most are marked with a green "Michigan Historical Marker" sign, which includes a description of the landmark. Six sites with the city are marked:
Cadillac Carnegie Library, Charles T. Mitchell House, Clam Lake Canal, Cobbs & Mitchell Building, Cobbs & Mitchell No. 1, and the Shay Locomotive (pictured at the right). Two more are in the near Cadillac area: Caberfae Ski Resort and Greenwood Disciples of Christ Church; and another two are in surrounding Wexford County, marking Battle of Manton and the First Wexford County Court House.
Geography
![Cadillac, MI post office](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Cadillac%2C_MI_post_office.jpg)
Topography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
The
Lake Cadillac
Lake Cadillac is a lake located within the city of Cadillac, Michigan. It is part of the Muskegon River watershed.
Natural features
Lake Cadillac is fed by two inlets: a small river flowing from Lake Mitchell and a short canal of the same origi ...
is entirely within the city limits. The larger, Lake Mitchell is nearby on the west side of the city, with of shoreline within the city's municipal boundary. The lakes were connected by a stream which was replaced in 1873 by the
Clam Lake Canal
The Clam Lake Canal (sometimes called the Cadillac Canal) is a man-made canal between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac in Cadillac, Michigan made by George A. Mitchell in the 1870s. The purpose of the canal was to facilitate the movement of log ...
. The canal was featured on
Ripley's Believe It or Not
''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' fea ...
in the 1970s due to the phenomenon that in winter the canal freezes before the lakes and then after the lakes freeze, the canal thaws and remains unfrozen for the rest of the winter.
Cadillac is located at the eastern edge of what is now managed as the
Manistee National Forest. The surrounding area is heavily wooded, with mixed hardwood and conifer forests.
Christmas tree
A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...
farming
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
has been important to the area agricultural industry. Cadillac was chosen in 1988 to donate the holiday tree installed at the lawn of the
U.S. Capitol building
The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill at ...
in Washington, D.C.
[
The area surrounding Cadillac is primarily rural, and is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. Given the small size of nearby communities, the city is a major commercial and industrial hub of the region.
]
Cityscape
The commercial center of the city is located on the eastern edge of Lake Cadillac. Most downtown buildings range from two to five stories in height. Many face Mitchell Street, the city's tree-lined main street and traditional corridor of travel through town. The downtown contains a movie theater, gift shops, restaurants, a bookstore, specialty food stores, jewelers, clothing retailers, and various other businesses.
The Courthouse Hill Historic District
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
, recognized in April 2005, lies adjacent to the city's commercial center. The District contains a number of large Victorian-style residences built by the lumber baron
A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...
s and businessmen who helped develop the city in the 1870s. Population and building density is highest in this area.
On the western bank of Lake Cadillac, where M-55 intersects M-115, is what is locally referred to as Cadillac West. This is a small commercial district, bordering Mitchell State Park
William Mitchell State Park is a public recreation area covering within the city limits of Cadillac in northern lower Michigan. The state park is located between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. The historic Clam Lake Canal, approximately ...
and the two lakes; it caters mostly to tourists. It contains a number of motels and restaurants.
Along the northern and southern stretches of the lake are the main residential areas of the city. They are generally of low to moderate density, characterized primarily by single-family structures.
Climate
Cadillac experiences a typical northern Michigan climate
Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologic ...
, undergoing temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
seasonal changes, influenced by the presence of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
and the inevitable lake effect. Winters are generally cold with large amounts of snowfall
Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
. Summers are warm. The average high temperature in July is and the average low in January is . Summer temperatures can exceed , and winter temperatures can drop below . Average annual rainfall is , and average annual snowfall is . Snowfall typically occurs between the months of November and March. According to the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Cadillac has a humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.
Superfund sites
Cadillac has two superfund
Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the United States Environmental Pro ...
sites, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...
. One is located at 1100 Wright Street, the former site of Kysor Industrial Corp, which operations resulted in toxic wastes. The other is located at 1002 6th Street, the former site of Northernaire Plating. Its operations also produced hazardous wastes, which produced contamination.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 10,355 people, 4,280 households, and 2,625 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,927 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.6% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.5% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.6% Native American, 1.0% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.4% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.8% of the population.
There were 4,280 households, of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.7% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the city was 36.5 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,000 people, 4,118 households, and 2,577 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,466 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.55% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.21% Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.92% Native American, 0.63% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.28% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 1.18% of the population were Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 4,118 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,899, and the median income for a family was $36,825. Males had a median income of $29,773 versus $21,283 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,801. About 10.9% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Cadillac was incorporated as a city in 1877. It is a home rule city
Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralization. Devolved territories h ...
with a Council-Manager form of government-one.[Cadillac, The Community: Government]
, Retrieved on March 23, 2010
Current council members are Shari Spoelman, Antoinette Schippers, Arthur Stevens, James Dean and Carla Filkins (mayor). The present City Manager is Marcus Peccia.
Cadillac is located in Michigan's 4th congressional district
Michigan's 4th congressional district is a United States congressional district that from 2003 to 2013 included portions of Northern and Central Michigan, consisting of all of Clare, Clinton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, ...
, represented by Republican John Moolenaar
John Robert Moolenaar ( ; born May 8, 1961) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Michigan's 4th congressional district since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Michigan House of Representatives ...
.
Economy
Manufacturing has been the greatest employer in Cadillac since the logging industry. More than 26% of the city's labor force is employed in manufacturing. Three industrial park
An industrial park (also known as industrial estate, trading estate) is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more "heavyweight" version of a business park or office park, ...
s are located within the city limits, comprising 7% of the total land use in Cadillac. Their operations generate 47% of the city's tax base. Much of the city's economic performance is determined by the fortunes of local industry.
The center of the city is generally perceived to have a "small-town-feel". In the summer, the downtown fills with tourists, many from southern Michigan. The city center is one block from Lake Cadillac. For visitors by boat who dock at the public docks, it is nearly as accessible by boat as it is by car. The city's immediate proximity to two lakes, as well as Manistee National Forest, Pere Marquette State Forest
The Pere Marquette State Forest encompasses lands in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, on the western side of the state. Counties within the Pere Marquette are: Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, ...
, Mitchell State Park
William Mitchell State Park is a public recreation area covering within the city limits of Cadillac in northern lower Michigan. The state park is located between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. The historic Clam Lake Canal, approximately ...
and a number of major highways, has established tourism as a significant sector of the local economy.[
During the winter months, Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell freeze over and the city becomes covered with snow. Cadillac is connected to a number of trail systems popular with winter recreation enthusiasts. The city integrates unusually well into the corridors of travel created by snowmobilers.
Cadillac is also known as Chestnut Town, USA. The local area has a relatively high number of ]American chestnut
The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts. ...
trees, planted by pioneers from New York and Pennsylvania who settled in western Michigan. A blight
Blight refers to a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism.
Description
Blight is a rapid and complete chlorosis, browning, then death of plant tissues such as leaves, branches, twigs, or floral organ ...
in the early 20th century killed nearly every American Chestnut tree, but those in western Michigan had developed a mysterious resistance and survived.
Top employers
According to the city's 2019 ''Comprehensive Annual Financial Report'', the principal employers in the city were:
Education
Cadillac's public education system has a total of 10 schools, with approximately 3,100 students and 166 teachers with a student:teacher ratio of 19.1:1. Cadillac has 4 private primary and secondary schools with approximately 394 students, 20 teachers and a student:teacher ratio of 20:1.
Cadillac Area Public Schools (CAPS)
The city has two high schools: Cadillac High School
Cadillac High School (also referred to as Cadillac Senior High School) is a high school in Cadillac, Michigan, United States. It is one of eight schools in the Cadillac Area Public Schools (CAPS) school district.
History
Clam Lake Public Scho ...
and Innovation High School. The area also has a junior high school, covering grades 7 and 8, located adjacent to the high school, and a middle school, Mackinaw Trail Middle School, covering grades 5 and 6. There are four elementary schools, Forest View Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Kenwood Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary.
Cadillac also has an alternative high school, located in the building that formerly housed Cooley Elementary School. Adult high school and GED courses are offered there as well. As a whole, the programs at Cooley are part of a curriculum that aids individuals in overcoming the exceptional obstacles to their educational and workforce goals.
Vocational career training is available to high school students free of charge in Cadillac and nearby schools at Wexford–Missaukee Intermediate School District (ISD) Career Tech Center (formerly Wexford-Missaukee Vocational Center or Voc-Tech). Students are bussed for part of the day to the Career Tech Center from their respective schools and receive credits toward high school graduation. Students are also able to earn certification in a chosen trade. Courses include:
*Agriscience
*Allied Heath Technologies
*Automotive
*Building Trades
*Business Management and Administration
*Computers and Electronics
*Digital Media Productions
*Electrical Occupations (formally Robotics and Automation)
*Heavy Equipment
*Hospitality Retailing and Entrepreneureship
*Machine Trades
*Metal Fabrication
*Power sports and Equipment
Cosmetology is offered through the Career Tech Center, but at an off-campus location in downtown Cadillac. Adults can attend the vocational or cosmetology school with tuition or financial aid for certification.
Cadillac hosts the Wexford-Missaukee ISD Special Education for residents of the two counties who are in need of special services. This school is on the same campus as the Career Tech Center.
The class of 2006 was the largest class to go through Cadillac Public Schools.
Private schools
Cadillac offers several options for private religious education.
Cadillac Heritage Christian offers nondenominational Christian education from pre-K through 12th grade. It is a coed school with 98 students and a teacher:student ratio of 1:11. Graduating classes are typically between 3–12 students.
Northview Adventist School has 16 students in grades 1–10 as of 2020. It is a coed Seventh Day Adventist School. They operate in a one-room format, with one teacher that doubles as the principal, and one or two teachers assistants. They also have a multitude of volunteers that runs a library, band, and physical education, among other things. They do not participate in competitive sports.
Noah's Ark Day School is a small alternative non-denominational Christian school for students in pre-K through first grade only. It is coed with 42 students and 1 teacher.
Cadillac's largest and most well-known private school is St. Ann School, a coed private Roman Catholic school with 236 students in grades pre-K through 7. The teacher:student ratio is 1:26. St. Ann is a member of the National Catholic Education Association
The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is a private, professional educational membership association of over 150,000 educators in Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs. It is the largest such organization ...
. No Catholic high school education is offered at St. Ann School, and students typically attend public school for grades 8–12.
Training schools
Northwoods Aviation, located at Wexford County Airport, offers training programs for piloting and servicing aircraft. Northwoods Aviation also offers primary instruction for those interested in sport pilot, private, and commercial certificates.
The Cadillac Institute of Cosmetology (formerly Cadillac Academy of Beauty) is a full service teaching salon in downtown Cadillac that offers training for general cosmetologists and specialized technicians to high school students through a partnership with Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School District. Training is also available to adult students though private courses on a tuition basis. Upon completion of the program, students are qualified to take the state board exam to become a licensed cosmetologist or specialty technician.
Colleges
The Baker College-Cadillac campus occupies just outside the City of Cadillac. The school has an enrollment of more than 1,300 students and offers Associate's and bachelor's degrees, in addition to professional certifications.
Transportation
Major highways
Cadillac is situated as the confluence of three highways: US 131, M-55 and M-115. Prior to 2001, the northern end of the freeway portion of US 131 was located at the southern entrance to Cadillac. With the construction of a bypass, the US 131 freeway was extended around the east side of the city. The former route of the highway through downtown Cadillac was redesignated as BUS US 131. In the city, BUS US 131 is named Mitchell Street, after George Mitchell, but may be referred to as main street.
* bypasses the city to the east. The freeway continues southerly toward Big Rapids
Big Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,601 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but it is politically independent. Big Rapids is home o ...
and Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
and northerly toward Manton before transitioning to a two-lane highway for the remainder of the distance to Petoskey.
*, a loop route through downtown, running largely along the former route of US 131 through the city.
* is a major two-lane east–west route across the state, connecting with Manistee on the west and Lake City, Houghton Lake, West Branch West Branch may refer to:
Communities
* West Branch, Iowa, city in Cedar and Johnson counties
* West Branch, Michigan, city in Ogemaw County
* West Branch, New Brunswick, in the Local Service District of Weldford Parish
* West Branch River John, i ...
, and Tawas City
Tawas City is a city in and county seat of Iosco County, Michigan, Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,834 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city is mostly surrounded by Tawas Township, Michigan, Tawa ...
on the east.
*, another major two-lane route, runs diagonally from Clare Clare may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Clare Range, a mountain range in Victoria Land
Australia
* Clare, South Australia, a town in the Clare Valley
* Clare Valley, South Australia
Canada
* Clare (electoral district), an electoral district
* Cl ...
to the southeast to Frankfort to the northwest.
Rail
The city is serviced by rail via the Great Lakes Central Railroad. This is primarily a freight line, although passenger service is expected in the future.
Public transit
*Cadillac and Wexford County jointly operate a local public bus service. Th
Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority (CWTA)
is a demand-response, public transportation system, and has been in operation since 1974.
*Indian Trails
Indian Trails, Inc. is an inter-city bus company based in Owosso, Michigan, with offices in Romulus (in Metro Detroit) and Kalamazoo.
History
Indian Trails was founded in 1910 in Owosso as the Phillips-Taylor Livery Service, whose main busi ...
provides daily intercity bus service between Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
and St. Ignace and stops in Cadillac.
Non-motorized transportation
The White Pine Trail's northern terminus is in Cadillac. The trail, which stretches and originates from Comstock Park
Comstock Park is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,088 at the 2010 census. The community is located within Alpine Township to the west and Plain ...
, follows an abandoned railroad bed into the center of the city. The trail is paved from the village of Leroy 16 miles north to Cadillac.Trail Surface
White Pine Trail
Retrieved on March 5, 2009
Local media
Newspapers
*'' The Cadillac News''
Radio
* WTCM (580 am, Traverse City) – news and talk
* WLDR (1210 am, Kingsley-Traverse City) – classic country
*WATT
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...
(1240 am) – news and talk
* WLJW (1370 am) – religious
* WIAA (88.7 FM, Interlochen) – classical music "IPR Music Radio"
*WOLW
WOLW is a radio station licensed to Cadillac, Michigan broadcasting on 91.1 FM. WOLW airs a format consisting of Christian contemporary music and Christian talk and teaching as an affiliate of The Promise FM, and is owned by Northern Christian R ...
(91.1 FM) – religious "Northern Christian Radio"
* WGCP (91.9 FM) – religious Strong Tower Radio
*WJZQ
WJZQ 92.9 Cadillac/Traverse City is a 100,000-watt radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format as ''Z93''. It is owned by Ross Biederman's Midwestern Broadcasting, who also owns WTCM-AM/ FM and WCCW- AM/ FM, all in Traverse City, MI.
...
(92.9 FM) – Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
"Z-93"
*WKAD
WKAD (93.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Harrietta, Michigan, and serving the Cadillac market, it first began broadcasting in 2003. WKAD features programming from Fox Sports Radio. WKAD carries the Detroit Tig ...
(93.7 FM) – "The Ticket" (Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio is an American sports radio network. Based in Los Angeles, California, the network is operated and managed by Premiere Networks in a content partnership with Fox Corporation's Fox Sports division and iHeartMedia, parent company ...
)
*WLXV
WLXV (96.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to Cadillac, Michigan.
The station, which began broadcasting on July 7, 1974, has previously programmed easy listening and adult contemporary music as WITW, beautiful music as WEVZ, and CHR as WWLZ ("La ...
(96.7 FM) – 96.7 The Bull
*WUPS
WUPS (98.5 FM) is a 100 kW radio station licensed to Harrison, Michigan and serving central and northern Michigan, with its chief focus on the Mount Pleasant area. The station, previously owned by Sindy Fuller, through licensee Bridge to Bri ...
(98.5 FM, Houghton Lake) – classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes songs from the top 40 music charts from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with music from the 1980s serving as the core of the format. Music that was popularized by MTV in the early 1980s ...
* WLDR (101.9 FM, Traverse City) – country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
"101.9 Sunny Country"
* WTCM (103.5 FM, Traverse City) – country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
* WAIR (104.9 FM) – contemporary Christian " Smile-FM"
*WCKC
WCKC (107.1 FM, "The Drive") is a radio station in Cadillac, Michigan, owned by Up North Radio, LLC. WCKC airs a classic rock format.
History
In 1985 Donald "Doc" Benson, then-owner of WMKC-FM/WIDG-AM in St. Ignace, obtained the CP (Construction ...
(107.1 FM) – classic rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...
"The Drive"
*WCDY
WCDY (107.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to McBain, Michigan and serving the Cadillac area, broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format.
The station was launched on November 6, 2010 with a temporary format of Christmas music. The permanent format deb ...
(107.9 FM) – hot AC "107.9 CDY"
Television
* WPBN (channel 7, Traverse City) – NBC, branded as "TV 7 & 4"
* WWTV (Channel 9) – CBS, branded as "9 &10 News"
* WMNN (Channel 26) – flagship station of national news network NewsNet, branded as "NewsNet Northern Michigan"
* WCMV (Channel 27) – PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
, satellite of WCMU in Mount Pleasant, Michigan
* WGTU (Channel 29, Traverse City) – ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
, branded as "ABC 29 & 8"
* WFQX (Channel 32) – Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
, branded as "Local 32"
*WFQX-DT2 (Channel 32.2) - The CW Plus
The CW Plus is a secondary national programming service feed of The CW that is fully controlled and 75% owned by Nexstar Media Group, with Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery each owning a 12.5% stake in the network. It is intended primar ...
, branded as "The CW Northern Michigan"
*W23EB-D
W, or w, is the twenty-third and fourth-to-last letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. It represents a consonant, but in some languages it r ...
(Channel 23.1-23.7) - 3ABN
The Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or 3ABN, is a Christian media television and radio network which broadcasts Seventh-day Adventist religious and health-oriented programming, based in West Frankfort, Illinois, United States. Although it is ...
, Amazing Facts
Amazing Facts is a non-profit Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic ministry based in Granite Bay, California, which broadcasts daily television programming worldwide. It is based on the teachings of Scripture, and especially focuses on the Three ...
TV, Strong Tower Radio
Notable people
* Jim Bowman, NFL player
* Jan Harold Brunvand, American folklorist, born in Cadillac
* Larry Joe Campbell
Lawrence Joseph Campbell (born November 29, 1970) is an American actor and comedian best known for his role as Andy on the ABC sitcom ''According to Jim''.
Early life
Born in Cadillac, Michigan, Campbell graduated from high school at Pine Ri ...
, actor ('' According to Jim''); born in Cadillac
* George A. Mitchell
George A. Mitchell (January 8, 1824 – August 5, 1878) was an American businessman, merchant, railwayman, lumber baron, and real estate developer. In the 1870s he bought of land in Michigan, divided and sold it in lots, and established the villa ...
, father of the city of Cadillac (first developer).
* Jackie Swanson
Jackie Swanson (born June 25, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her role on the American sitcom ''Cheers'' as Kelly Gaines the rich, simple love interest of Woody Boyd and as Amanda Hunsaker in the first Lethal Weapon movie.
...
, actress (''Cheers
''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...
''), attended high school in Cadillac
* Guy Vander Jagt, U.S. congressman from Michigan's 9th congressional district
Michigan's 9th congressional district is a United States congressional district located in parts of Oakland County and Macomb County in the southeast areas of the State of Michigan. It includes the communities of Ferndale, Royal Oak, Hazel P ...
; born in Cadillac
* Luke Winslow-King
Luke Winslow-King Balzuweit (born March 12, 1983) is an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and lyricist based out of alatayud, Aragón Spain, who plays vintage blues and jazz music and is known for his slide guitar wor ...
, musician; born in Cadillac
* Ad Wolgast
Adolphus Wolgast (February 8, 1888 - April 14, 1955), nicknamed Michigan Wildcat, was the world's lightweight champion from 1910 to 1912.
Biography
Wolgast's siblings were fellow boxers Johnny Wolgast and Al Wolgast.
Wolgast trained on a meat ...
, professional boxer; born in Cadillac
References
Further reading
*
External links
City of Cadillac
Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control
Cities in Wexford County, Michigan
County seats in Michigan
Populated places established in 1872
1872 establishments in Michigan