Grand Traverse County ( ) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located 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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,238, making it the largest county in

Northern Michigan Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan (known colloquially to residents of more southerly parts of the state and summer residents from cities such as Detroit as " Up North"), is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan. A popul ...

. Its

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 ...

Traverse City Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was ...

. The county is part of the

Traverse City micropolitan area The Traverse City Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties in Northern Michigan, anchored by the city of Traverse City. As of the 2020 census, the Traverse City micropol ...

, which also includes neighboring Benzie, Kalkaska, and Leelanau counties. Long a part of territory under the

Council of Three Fires The Council of Three Fires (in oj, label=Anishinaabe, Niswi-mishkodewinan, also known as the People of the Three Fires; the Three Fires Confederacy; or the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians) is a long-standing Anishina ...

(comprising the

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

, Odawa, and Potawatomi), Grand Traverse County's first European settlement was established in 1839. It was originally created in 1840 as Omeena County, however it was reorganized in 1851 was Grand Traverse County. The county itself and Traverse City are named after

Grand Traverse Bay Grand Traverse Bay is a deep bay of Lake Michigan formed by the Leelanau Peninsula in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The bay is long, wide, and up to deep in spots. It is further divided into two east and west arms by the Ol ...

, a bay 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 ...

. Interlochen Center for the Arts, a prestigious

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...

, is located within the county. NorthernMichiganAsylumCTraverseCityMI

History

Early history

As a duty of the federal government under the

Treaty of Washington (1836) {{short description, 1836 treaty between the United States, the Ottawa, and the Chippewa The Treaty of Washington is a treaty between the United States and representatives of the Ottawa and Chippewa nations of Native Americans. With this treaty, ...

, the first permanent settlement in the county was the mission now known as Old Mission, established in May 1839. In 1840, the county was separated from

Mackinac County Mackinac County ( ) is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 10,834. The county seat is St. Ignace. Formerly known as Michilimackinac County, in 1818 it was one of the first ...

and originally named Omeena County, derived from an

expression, "''o-me-nah''", meaning "is it so?" Grand Traverse County was organized by an act of the state legislature on April 7, 1851, from most but not all of Omeena County. Grand Traverse is derived from a French phrase meaning "long crossing" and the county is so named because it is situated at the

. The 1851 act contained no provisions for organizing a township or choosing inspectors of election, thus it was impossible to organize the county. So the sparsely settled county remained without a legal government. In the winter of 1858 an act of the state legislature completed the organization of Grand Traverse County, extended the boundary so as to make it coincident with the original unorganized County of Omeena, and divided the county between two initial townships: * Peninsula Township, comprising the Old Mission Peninsula, and * Traverse Township, which encompassed the rest of the county. Today, Grand Traverse County contains 13 townships.

Historical markers

There are 12 recognized Michigan historical markers in the county: They are: * City Opera House * Congregation Beth El * Fife Lake Union District No. 1 Schoolhouse *

* Grand Traverse County Courthouse * Hesler Log House * Interlochen * Ladies Library Association * Novotny's Saloon * Park Place Hotel * Traverse City Regional Psychiatric Hospital
Friends of the Light
(the former Traverse City Friends Church)

Geography

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 county has a total area of , of which is land and (23%) is water. Grand Traverse County is considered to be part of

. The highest point in Grand Traverse County is Exodus Hill in Long Lake Township, and the lowest point is the

Power Island Power Island is a medium-sized island in Lake Michigan, and it is by far the largest island in Grand Traverse Bay. It is under the jurisdiction of Peninsula Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan. A small island sits a few meters to the north ...

, the largest island in Grand Traverse Bay, is part of Peninsula Township. The county is home to many notable lakes, including Arbutus Lake, Fife Lake, Green Lake,

Silver Lake Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

, Spider Lake, and part of Elk Lake. The county's largest inland lake is Long Lake.

Rivers

Betsie River The Betsie River ( ') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed November 21, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is mostly within Benzie County (which takes i ...

, begins at Green Lake (although its tributaries extend much further into the county), flows west into

Benzie County Benzie County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,970. The county seat is Beulah. The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.

, and eventually to

at Frankfort. *

Boardman River The Boardman River ( '), also known as the Ottaway River ( ') or the Boardman–Ottaway River, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed November 21, 2011 river in the northw ...

, enters from the east from

Kalkaska County Kalkaska County ( ) is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,939. The county seat is Kalkaska. Kalkaska County is included in the Traverse City Micropolitan Statistical Area. Although it is locat ...

, flows west and north until reaching West Bay in Traverse City. *

Platte River The Platte River () is a major river in the State of Nebraska. It is about long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itself ...

, begins at Long Lake and flows west to Lake DuBonnet and into Benzie County, eventually ending at Lake Michigan.

Adjacent counties

* Antrim County (northeast) *

(east) *

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 ...

(southeast) * Wexford County (south) *

Manistee County Manistee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 25,032. The county seat is Manistee. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. Th ...

(southwest) *

(west) *

Leelanau County Leelanau may refer to a number of articles relating to the region of the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan: Geography Settlements * Leelanau County, Michigan * Leelanau Township, Michigan * Lake Leelanau, Michigan Landforms * Lak ...

(northwest)

Protected area

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, ...

State parks

Interlochen State Park Interlochen State Park is a public recreation area covering between Green Lake and Duck Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. It was the State of Michigan's first officially recognized state park. It was established by the Michigan Legi ...

* Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park *

Old Mission State Park Coeur d'Alene's Old Mission State Park is heritage-oriented in the western United States in northern Idaho, preserving the Mission of the Sacred Heart, or Cataldo Mission, a national historic landmark. The park contains the church itself, the ...

Transportation

Air service

Grand Traverse County is served comercially by

Cherry Capital Airport Cherry Capital Airport is a public use airport located southeast of the central business district of Traverse City in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States. It is owned by Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.. Federal Aviation Adm ...

, which is located near Traverse City. It serves the 21-county Northern Michigan area, and has year-round and seasonal destinations around the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. In 2019, Cherry Capital Airport had the fourth-most enplanements of any airport in Michigan, behind

Detroit Metropolitan Airport Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport, or simply DTW, is a major international airport in the United States covering effective December 30, 2021. in Romulus, Michigan. It is the primar ...

, Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International Airport, and Flint's

Bishop International Airport Bishop International Airport is a commercial and general aviation airport located in Flint, Michigan, United States. It is named after banker and General Motors board member Arthur Giles Bishop (April 12, 1851 – January 22, 1944), who dona ...

. Other airparks in the county include: * Acme Skyport * Green Lake Airport * Tramps Aerodrome *

Yuba Airport Yuba Airport is a privately owned, public use airport in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States. It is located four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) south of the central business district of Elk Rapids, Michigan. Facilit ...

Formerly, there was an airport on the south side of Traverse City called Ransom Field. This was located on Rennie Hill. This airport closed sometime in the 1930s.

Major highways

The county contains about , about 1.07% of the

Michigan State Trunkline Highway System The State Trunkline Highway System consists of all the state highways in Michigan, including those designated as Interstate, United States Numbered (US Highways), or State Trunkline highways. In their abbreviated format, these classifications ...

. These highways include the ones listed below. * runs through the county southwest to northeast. It provides access to cities to the north (like

Charlevoix Charlevoix ( , ) is a cultural and natural region in Quebec, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River as well as in the Laurentian Mountains area of the Canadian Shield. This dramatic landscape includes rolling terrain, fjords, headlands ...

and Petoskey) and southwest (like Ludington and

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expans ...

). The highway runs all the way to

Spanish Fort, Alabama Spanish Fort is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. The 2020 census lists the population of the city as 10,049. It is a suburb of Mobile and is part of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metro ...

, to the south and runs through major cities like

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

, and

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

. * runs through the far southeastern part of the county, entirely within Fife Lake Township. The highway provides access to Kalkaska and Petoskey to the north, and cities like

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

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolit ...

to the south. The southern end is at the

Indiana Toll Road The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East–West Toll Road, is a tolled freeway that runs for east–west across northern Indiana from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line. It has been advertised as the "Main Street of the ...

just across the state line. * is the shortest highway segment within the county. It begins at an intersection in

, and runs northwest along the

towards the county line. It then continues in

up towards Northport and then runs southwesterly towards

Glen Arbor Glen Arbor Township is a civil township of Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 859 at the 2010 census. However, the population of the town expands rapidly during the summer months as a result of it being a summe ...

, Frankfort, and Manistee. * is the longest highway in the county. It runs from a cul-de-sac at

Old Mission Point Peninsula Township is a civil township of Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 6,068, up from 5,433 at the 2010 census. The township is coterminous with the Old Mission Peninsu ...

southerly to Traverse City and through

Buckley Buckley may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Buckley's, a Canadian pharmaceutical corporation * Buckley Aircraft, an American aircraft manufacturer * Buckley Broadcasting, an American broadcasting company * Buckley School (California), ...

. The highway then continues down through the state to Baldwin, Grand Rapids,

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

, and

Battle Creek Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which en ...

. * runs east-to-west in the county from northern Long Lake Township to near Williamsburg. The highway provides access to

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

and central Leelanau County to the west, and Kalkaska, Grayling, and Harrisville on the

Lake Huron Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrology, Hydrologically, it comprises the easterly portion of Lake Michigan–Huron, having the same surface elevation as Lake Michigan, to which it is connected by the , Strait ...

shore to the east. * runs through the southern portion of the county, connecting M-37 to US 131 while passing through

Kingsley Kingsley may refer to: People * Kingsley (given name) * Kingsley (surname) Places Australia * Kingsley, Western Australia Canada * Rural Municipality of Kingsley No. 124, Saskatchewan England * Kingsley, Cheshire * Kingsley, Hampshire *Kingsley ...

and

Walton Walton may refer to: People * Walton (given name) * Walton (surname) * Susana, Lady Walton (1926–2010), Argentine writer Places Canada * Walton, Nova Scotia, a community ** Walton River (Nova Scotia) *Walton, Ontario, a hamlet United Kingdo ...

. * was a state highway that connected US 31 near Interlochen with Interlochen Center for the Arts and

. However, this highway was decommissioned in 2020. * is a short highway providing a direct route from M-113 to US 131 and Fife Lake.

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 77,654 people, 30,396 households, and 20,730 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 34,842 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.51%

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 ...

, 0.40%

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 ...

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 ...

, 0.93% Native American, 0.49%

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 ...

, 0.54% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.09% from two or more races. 1.49% 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 ...

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. 25.1% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 11.3%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, 10.7%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 8.4%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

and 7.4%

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

ancestry, 96.4% spoke

and 1.6%

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

as their first language. There were 30,396 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $43,169, and the median income for a family was $51,211. Males had a median income of $34,796 versus $24,139 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $22,111. About 3.80% of families and 5.90% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 5.30% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

Grand Traverse County is part of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord The Diocese of Gaylord ( la, Diœcesis Gaylordensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Northern Michigan region of the United States. It comprises the twenty-one most northern counties of the lo ...

. It is also located in the

Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan The Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan is the Episcopal diocese in the western half of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The diocese was founded in 1874. The diocese is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan and covers a 33-county area that ...

Politics

Historically, Grand Traverse County has been a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

-leaning county; it has voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election since the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, except for four: 1912, 1932, 1936, and 1964. In the last decade, the county has become more politically competitive; though Democratic candidates have not carried the county since 1964, their margins of defeat have narrowed in recent elections. Traverse City leans Democratic while the rest of the county leans Republican. In the 2022 Michigan gubernatorial election, Democrat

Gretchen Whitmer Gretchen Esther Whitmer (born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 a ...

received 27,396 votes (52.38%), making it the first time a Democratic gubernatorial candidate has carried the county since

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

. In the 2020 presidential election,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

carried the county, despite losing the state of Michigan. In 2020, he won the county with 50.54% (30,502 votes), and in 2016, won with 52.73% (27,413 votes). In 2008, Republican candidate

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

received 24,716 votes in the county (50.60% of the total) to Democratic candidate

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

's 23,258 (47.62%), even as Obama carried the state of Michigan by a double-digit margin. McCain's margin of victory was narrower than usual for a Republican candidate in the county. In 2004, Republican president

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

received 27,446 votes in the county (59.42%) to Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

's 18,256 (39.52%). In 2000, Bush received 22,358 votes in the county (58.48%) to Democrat

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...

's 14,371 (37.59%).

Government

The county government operates the

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains

vital records Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some ...

, administers

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only 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 A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal tria ...

: Noelle Moeggenberg *

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

: Tom Bensley * County Clerk: Bonnie Scheele * County Treasurer: Heidi Scheppe *

Register of Deeds Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over ...

: Peggy Haines *

Drain Commissioner A drain commissioner is an elected official in county government of the U.S. state of Michigan who is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining surface water drainage systems under Public Act 40 of 1956. In counties with a population unde ...

: Andy Smits

County commission

*District 1: Betsy Coffia *District 2: Bryce Hundley *District 3: Brad Jewett *District 4: Penny Morris *District 5: Ron Clous (vice chair) *District 6: Darryl Nelson *District 7: Rob Hentschel (chair)

Law enforcement agencies

County

* Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department

City

* Traverse City Police Department

Fire departments

* Blair Township Fire Department * Fife Lake Springfield Fire Department * Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department * Green Lake Township Emergency Services * Long Lake Fire-Rescue * Paradise Emergency Services * Peninsula Township Fire Department * City Of Traverse City Fire Department * Whitewater Township Fire Department

Education

Primary and secondary

Grand Traverse County contains the portions of the following public school districts, all of which are overseen by Northwest Educational Services: *

Benzie Central Schools Benzie Central Schools, also known as Benzie County Central School District, is a public school district in Benzie and Manistee Counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. History In the fall of 1962, the school systems of Benzonia– Beulah, Ho ...

(BCS) serves the extreme southwestern corner of the county. * Buckley Community School District (BCSD) serves the southwest of the county. * Elk Rapids Schools (ERS) serves the northeasternmost areas of the county. * Forest Area Community Schools (FACS) serves the southeast of the county, focused on the village of Fife Lake. * Kingsley Area Schools (KAS) serves the south–center of the county, focused on the village of

. *

Traverse City Area Public Schools Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS; ) is a public school district based in Traverse City, Michigan, United States. This district includes 10 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools, 1 alternative high school, and 1 Mont ...

(TCAPS) serves most of the county, centered on Traverse City. The district contains two high schools, Traverse City Central and Traverse City West. The county is also home to many smaller charter and private schools, most notably those that are a part of Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.

Tertiary

Grand Traverse County is home to

Northwestern Michigan College Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) is a public community college in Traverse City, Michigan. Founded in 1951, it enrolls nearly 4,000 students. NMC offers associate degrees and professional certificates, bachelor's degrees through the Great La ...

, a public

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

in Traverse City.

Economy

According to the Grand Traverse Economic Development Corporation, the largest employers in Grand Traverse County, as of 2017, are:

Communities

City

(county seat, partially in

)

Villages

* Fife Lake *

Charter townships

* East Bay Township * Garfield Township * Long Lake Township

Civil townships

* Acme Township * Blair Township * Fife Lake Township * Grant Township * Green Lake Township * Mayfield Township * Paradise Township * Peninsula Township * Union Township * Whitewater Township

Census-designated places

* Chums Corner * Grawn *

Interlochen Interlochen ( ') is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 694, up from 583 at the 2010 census. The community is located wit ...

Other unincorporated communities

* Acme *

Brookside Brookside may refer to: Geography Canada * Brookside, Edmonton * Brookside, Newfoundland and Labrador * Brookside, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Brookside, Berkshire, England * Brookside, Telford, an area of Telford, England United States * Br ...

* Cedar Run * Fivemile Corner * Hannah * Karlin *

Mapleton Mapleton may refer to: Places Australia * Mapleton, Queensland, a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region Canada * Mapleton, New Brunswick, a rural community in Kings County * Mapleton, Moncton, New Brunswick, a neighborhood * Maple ...

* Mayfield * Monroe Center * Neahtawanta * Old Mission * Summit City *

* Williamsburg * Wexford Corner * Yuba

Ghost towns

* Archie *

Bates Bates may refer to: Places * Bates, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Bates, Illinois. an unincorporated community in Sangamon County * Bates, Michigan, a community in Grand Traverse County * Bates, New York, a hamlet in the town of Ell ...

* Bartlett * Beitner *

Devils Elbow Devils Elbow is the third album from The Mess Hall and was released on 27 October 2007. It peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Hitseekers Albums Chart. It provided a single, "Keep Walking", earlier in the same month. The album won the Australian ...

* Diamond Park * Duck Lake Park *

East Bay The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties ...

* Hodge * Keystone * Kratochvil's Plat * Lakeside Resort * Mabel * McManus Corner * Moffatt *

Munro A Munro () is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nev ...

Neal Neal (Neil) is a given masculine name and surname of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "hono ...

* Pavlovic Corner * Peninsula Resort * Slights * Skegemog Point * Traverse Point *

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

* Wylie

Indian reservation

Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians ( oj, Gichi-wiikwedong Odaawaag miina ojibweg) is a federally recognized Native American tribe located in northwest Michigan on the Leelanau Peninsula. Sam McClellan is the current tribal c ...

References

External links

Grand Traverse County Website

Grand Traverse County Amateur Radio Public Service Corps Website
* {{Coord, 44.73, -85.55, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MI_source:UScensus1990 Michigan counties Traverse City micropolitan area Populated places established in 1851 1851 establishments in Michigan

History

Early history

Historical markers

Geography

Rivers

Adjacent counties

Protected area

State parks

Transportation

Air service

Major highways

Demographics

2000 census

Religion

Politics

Government

Elected officials

County commission

Law enforcement agencies

County

City

Fire departments

Education

Primary and secondary

Tertiary

Economy

Communities

City

Villages

Charter townships

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Indian reservation

See also

References

External links