Manistee ( ') is a city in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

. Located in southwestern

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 ...

, it is part of the northwestern

Lower Peninsula The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the S ...

. Manistee is the

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 ...

of Manistee County, and its population was 6,259 at the 2020 census. This makes Manistee the fifth-largest city 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 popula ...

. Manistee is located on an

isthmus An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthm ...

between

Manistee Lake Manistee Lake is a water body adjacent to the city of Manistee, Michigan. Its primary inlet, as well as its outlet, is the Manistee River, flowing to Lake Michigan. The tributary Little Manistee River enters the southeast end of the lake befor ...

and

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 ...

, with the

Manistee River The Manistee River ( '), seldom referred to as the Big Manistee River, runs U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed November 21, 2011 through the northwestern Lower Peninsula of ...

bisecting the city as it flows west to the latter. Many smaller communities surround Manistee, such as

Eastlake Eastlake may refer to: Places ;Australia * Kingston, Australian Capital Territory, formerly called Eastlake ** Eastlake Football Club, an amateur Australian Rules Football Club named after that location ;United States * Eastlake, Lake County, C ...

, Filer City, Oak Hill, Parkdale, and Stronach. Also bordering Manistee are the townships of

Filer Filer may refer to: Places * Filer, Idaho * Filer, Missouri * Filer Charter Township, Michigan ** Filer City, Michigan * Filer Haven, a cove on Signy Island, Antarctica * Filer Hill, a mountain near east of Rootville, New York Other * Fi ...

, Manistee, and Stronach. Manistee is also the location of the junction of

US 31 U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. It ...

and M-55, two major state trunkline highways.

History

In 1751, a Jesuit Mission was established in Manistee. Missionaries visited Manistee in the early 19th century, and a Jesuit mission house is known to have been located on the NW shore of Manistee Lake in 1826. In 1832, a group of traders from

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

built a log house up the Manistee River. However, they were soon driven off by the

Odawa The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ), said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, commonly known as the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. They h ...

nation. The first white settlement and sawmill was built there in 1841. In 1830 the village of Manistee was one of about 15 Odawa (

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

) villages along the shore of

. Much of the Manistee River Valley, including Manistee itself, was designated as an Odawa Reservation from 1836 to 1848. The first permanent Euro-American settlement was made on April 16, 1841, when John Stronach and his son, Adam Stronach, arrived at the mouth of the Manistee River in a

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoo ...

loaded with fifteen men and equipment, and established a

saw mill 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 ( dimen ...

In 1846, the town was named "Manistee"; it was made part of Ottawa County, whose county offices were 100 miles away at Grand Haven. After a series of new counties were organized, by 1855 Manistee was part of a large

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 ...

that also included modern-day Manistee,

Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N1 ...

, and Missaukee counties.

Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

, Manistee's first lawyer, moved there in 1860 and remained there until his death. Ramsdell owned the first hardware store in the city, and was responsible for the construction of a bridge across the Manistee River. On October 8, 1871, the town was practically destroyed by fire; on the same day that the Peshtigo Fire, the

Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 1 ...

, and fires in

Port Huron Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administered separately. Located along the St. Clair ...

and

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

occurred, the

Great Michigan Fire The Great Michigan Fire was a series of simultaneous forest fires in the state of Michigan in the United States in 1871. They were possibly caused (or at least reinforced) by the same winds that fanned the Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fir ...

burned Manistee. Manistee was incorporated as a city in 1882.

21st century to present

In 2000, Manistee made national headlines after a local jury convicted a woman for expressing to her mother near a Hispanic family in a restaurant her wish that immigrants would learn English; the judge described it as "insulting conduct" consisting of "

fighting words Fighting words are written or spoken words intended to incite hatred or violence from their target. Specific definitions, freedoms, and limitations of fighting words vary by jurisdiction. The term ''fighting words'' is also used in a general ...

", an offense that was punishable under a local ordinance. Allegations appeared of improper procedure and irregularities in the court records. Two years later (November 1, 2002) and after the defendant spent four nights in jail, the conviction was overturned by the state Court of Appeals.

Etymology

The name "Manistee" is from an

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 ...

word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from ''ministigweyaa'', "river with islands at its mouth". Other sources claim that it was an Ojibwe term meaning "spirit of the woods".

Geography

* According to the

United States 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 An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. * At the mouth of the

is the

Manistee Pierhead lights The Manistee Pierhead lights are a pair of active aids to navigation located on the north and south pier in the harbor of Manistee, Michigan, "Lake Michigan’s Victorian Port City." History The first light was on the south pier in 1870. Unfor ...

(north and south piers) that were built in 1873, and replaced in 1927. * Manistee is considered to be part of

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,226 people, 2,816 households, and 1,614 families residing in the city. The population as of 2013 is 6117. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was . There were 3,599 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.5%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 0.5%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 3.8% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.7% 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 3.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population. There were 2,816 households, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.7% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age in the city was 43.6 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.1% were from 45 to 64; and 18% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,586 people, 2,912 households, and 1,729 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,023.7 per square mile (782.4/km²). There were 3,426 housing units at an average density of 1,052.7 per square mile (407.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.90%

, 0.33%

, 1.38% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 0.96% from

, and 1.88% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.20% of the population. There were 2,912 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.88. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,351, and the median income for a family was $41,816. Males had a median income of $35,347 versus $20,102 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 city was $16,810. About 6.9% of families and 11.1% 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 ...

, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Industry

In its heyday, Manistee was home to a booming logging industry. Silas C. Overpack was a famous resident in the later part of the 19th century associated with logging. His well-known invention that he made downtown was his logging wheels, which were used in the logging industry from about 1875 until the later part of the 1920s. In the late 19th century, Manistee was one of the leading

shingle Shingle may refer to: Construction *Roof shingles or wall shingles, including: **Wood shingle ***Shake (shingle), a wooden shingle that is split from a bolt, with a more rustic appearance than a sawed shingle *** Quercus imbricaria, or shingle oa ...

manufacturing cities in the world, with over 30 shingle mills on the Manistee river at one time. During the lumber boom of the 1880s, Manistee was the headquarters of its own railroad, the Manistee and North-Eastern, and had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the United States. Manistee is also associated with the

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quanti ...

industry. Manistee is now the home of three factories on Lake Manistee;

Packaging Corporation of America Packaging Corporation of America is an American manufacturing company based in Lake Forest, Illinois. The company has about 15,500 employees, with operations primarily in the United States. The CEO is Mark W. Kowlzan. History and operations T ...

Morton Salt Morton Salt is an American food company producing salt for food, water conditioning, industrial, agricultural, and road/highway use. Based in Chicago, the business is North America's leading producer and marketer of salt. It is a subsidiary of h ...

, and

Martin Marietta The Martin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of Glenn L. Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. History Martin Ma ...

. The town is also a local favorite for tourism and fishing.

Media

Manistee is home to a radio station,

WMTE-FM WMTE-FM (101.5 MHz "Eagle 101.5") is a radio station located in Manistee, Michigan, United States, and owned by 45 North Media, Inc. WMTE-FM airs an adult hits format and positions itself as Uniquely Northern Michigan. History The station was ...

(101.5), and was previously home to the now-defunct WMTE (1340 AM). The ''Ludington Daily News,'' ''Manistee News Advocate'' and ''

Traverse City Record-Eagle The ''Traverse City Record-Eagle'' is a daily morning newspaper based in Traverse City, Michigan. It calls itself "Northern Michigan's Newspaper". and is the newspaper of record for Grand Traverse County. History The newspaper was owned by Dow ...

'' cover the Manistee area and distribute daily newspapers in the city. Formerly distributing newspapers in Manistee included the ''Bear Lake Beacon'', the ''Copemish Courier'', the ''Manistee Advocate'', the ''Manistee Daily Advocate'' (which became the ''Manistee News Advocate''), the ''Manistee Daily News'', the ''Manistee Democrat'', and the ''Onekama Lake Breeze''. Movies Manistee is home to

10 West Studios Harold David Cronk (born October 27, 1973) is an American writer, director and producer best known for his work in Christian films, and for being a founding partner in 10 West Studios and EMC Productions. Cronk won the Best Director award at the ...

which produces full-length motion pictures. Notable movies include: ''What If...'', starring

Kevin Sorbo Kevin David Sorbo (born September 24, 1958) is an American actor. He had starring roles in two television series: as Hercules in ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'', and as Captain Dylan Hunt in '' Andromeda''. Sorbo is also known for acting ...

and

John Ratzenberger John Dezso Ratzenberger (born April 6, 1947)About John
from Ratzenberger's official website is an Americ ...

filmed in Manistee, ''Jerusalem Countdown'' featuring

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

Stacy Keach Walter Stacy Keach Jr. (born June 2, 1941) is an American actor and narrator. He has played mainly dramatic roles throughout his career, often in law enforcement or as a private detective. His most prominent role was as Mickey Spillane's fiction ...

and

Lee Majors Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary; April 23, 1939) is an American actor. Majors portrayed the characters of Heath Barkley in the American television Western series ''The Big Valley'' (1965–1969), Colonel Steve Austin in the American television ...

, ''

Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy ''Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy'' is a 2012 American family adventure-comedy film with the descendants of a treasonous band of Civil War villains known as Copperheads serving as the antagonists. The film's primary artifact is a Pet ...

'' starring

Christopher Lloyd Christopher Allen Lloyd (born October 22, 1938) is an American actor. He has appeared in many theater productions, films, and on television since the 1960s. He is known for portraying Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the ''Back to the Future'' tril ...

and

Ernie Hudson Earnest Lee Hudson (born December 17, 1945) is an American actor. His roles include Winston Zeddemore in the ''Ghostbusters'' film series, Sergeant Darryl Albrecht in ''The Crow'' (1994), and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's '' Oz'' (1997–2003). H ...

, and ''

God Bless the Broken Road ''God Bless the Broken Road'' is a 2018 American Christian drama film directed by Harold Cronk. A loose interpretation of the 1994 song "Bless the Broken Road," the plot follows a mother who loses her husband in the War in Afghanistan and must co ...

'' starring

Jordin Sparks Jordin Sparks-Thomas (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of ''American Idol'' at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debu ...

and

Lindsay Pulsipher Lindsay Pulsipher (born May 6, 1979) is an American actress. She has had several roles in film and television and is known for her series regular role as Rose Lawrence on A&E Network's '' The Beast'' (2009). She joined the third season of HBO's '' ...

Area activities

* Orchard Beach State Park is approximately 2 miles North of Manistee. * Little River Casino Resort is approximately 5 miles North-East of Manistee. * Manistee National Golf Resort is approximately 2 miles South of Manistee. * Manistee Golf and Country Club was established in 1901 and is located within the city of Manistee. * There are three public beaches, Fifth Avenue Beach with the small man-made lake next to Fifth Avenue Beach and First Street Beach, located respectively north and south of the harbor entrance on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Local events and attractions

Manistee has museums, an opera house, and recurring events. These include: * Arcadia Area Historical Museum *Armory Youth Project * Brethren Heritage Museum * Kaleva Bottle House Museum also known as the

John J. Makinen Bottle House The John J. Makinen Bottle House (also known as the Kaleva Bottle House, Kaleva Bottle House Museum, and Kaleva Historical Museum) is a house built of bottle wall construction in 1941 by John J. Makinen, Sr. It is located in Kaleva, Michigan nea ...

* Kaleva Train Depot Museum * Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary (Michigan

Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...

) * Manistee Art Institute * Manistee County Historical Museum * Manistee Fire Hall *

Manistee National Forest The Manistee National Forest is a national forest located in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It has a total area of . It was established in 1938, and combined with the Huron National Forest in 1945 for administrative purposes, creating the Hur ...

Festival * Marilla Historical Museum * Our Savior's Historical Museum *

Ramsdell Theatre The Ramsdell Theatre is a historic playhouse theater building and opera house at 101 Maple Street in downtown Manistee, Michigan. The building was financed by local businessman and politician Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell and was built in 1902. I ...

, home to the Manistee Civic Players. and the Manistee Art Institute. * Riverwalk, of

Victoriana Victoriana is a term used to refer to material culture related to the Victorian period (1837–1901). It often refers to decorative objects, but can also describe a variety of artifacts from the era including graphic design, publications, phot ...

and scenic river views. * Page Road * , a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

* Victorian Manistee Tours * Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend * Historic Vogue Theatre built in 1938, having

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unit ...

Art Moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In industrial design ...

design elements, and considered to be notable. * Waterworks Building

Retail

Manistee has a historic downtown with many original buildings from the Victorian era. The entire Downtown District is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

. There are a good variety of retail stores in Manistee, many of which are locally owned and operated.

Government and infrastructure

The

Michigan Department of Corrections The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) oversees prisons and the parole and probation population in the state of Michigan, United States. It has 31 prison facilities, and a Special Alternative Incarceration program, together composing appr ...

Oaks Correctional Facility is in Manistee Township, near Manistee.Oaks Correctional Facility (ECF)
" ''

''. Retrieved on August 10, 2010.

Recreation

* Over 40 charter fishing boats operate on Lake Michigan from Manistee County ports. * Fishing in the

can yield salmon and steelhead. * Because a large portion of the county is public land, hunting is popular. * Filmmaker

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American filmmaker, author and left-wing activist. His works frequently address the topics of globalization and capitalism. Moore won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for ...

visited Manistee in February 2011 to support the restoration of the Vogue Theatre in downtown Manistee.

Sports

The Manistee Saints are a semi-professional baseball team that have called Manistee home since 1934. Their home games are at Rietz Park in Manistee. Formerly, the

Manistee Colts Manistee may refer to: Places * Manistee, Michigan * Manistee, Alabama * Manistee County, Michigan ** Manistee County-Blacker Airport * Manistee Township, Michigan * Manistee National Forest, jointly administered as part of the Huron-Manist ...

and the

Manistee Champs The Manistee Champs were a minor league baseball team based in Manistee, Michigan. The Champs played from 1912 to 1914, after an earlier Manistee team played in 1890, followed by the 1911 Manistee "Colts." The Manistee teams played exclusively a ...

played in the

Michigan State League The Michigan State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in various seasons between 1889 and 1941. The league franchises were based exclusively in Michigan, with the league forming on six different occasions. Twenty two different ...

, a minor league baseball league. There are many golf courses located around the city of Manistee. * Manistee National Golf and Resort * Manistee Country Club * Fox Hills Golf Course * Heathlands Golf Course * Bear Lake County Highlands * Fawn Crest Golf Course *

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, designed by Warren Henderson and Rick Smith, was founded in 1999 in Arcadia, Michigan. The course is built on the bluffs above the shore of Lake Michigan on approximately . The course drops from its highest point down to ...

* Crystal Mountain *

Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort Caberfae Peaks ( ) is a downhill ski area located in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan near Cadillac, Michigan. It gets its name from the Gaelic word for "stag's head". History Caberfae Peaks' official opening was in January, 1938, making it on ...

There are also two ski resorts near the city of Manistee. * Crystal Mountain (30 miles North) *

(36 miles East) There are many

disc golf Disc golf, also known as frisbee golf, is a flying disc sport in which players throw a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf. Most disc golf discs are made out of polypropylene plastic, otherwise known as polypropene, which ...

courses,

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and p ...

trails, and

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A His ...

trails all over

and in the city of Manistee.

Schools

Currently operating

Elementary * James Madison Elementary (DayCare, Pre-School, K), Manistee Area Public Schools * Thomas Jefferson Elementary (1-2), Manistee Area Public Schools * Trinity Lutheran School (K-8), Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod Private School * John F. Kennedy Elementary (Location of Former Middle School) (3-5), Manistee Area Public Schools Secondary * Casman Alternative Academy (7-12), Provides an alternative education for those in Manistee County and surrounding areas. * Manistee Middle/High School (6-12), Manistee Area Public Schools, Class B/Division 3 ; Division 5 (Football) in sports All grades * Manistee Catholic Central School (K-12), Roman Catholic private school, Class D/Division 4 ; Division 8 (Football)

Formerly operating

Elementary * George Washington Elementary (K-6), Manistee Area Public Schools * Abraham Lincoln Elementary (K-6), Manistee Area Public Schools * John F. Kennedy Elementary (Parkdale Location) (4-6), Manistee Area Public Schools Secondary * Guardian Angels Schools (7-12), Catholic Church School * St. Joseph Schools (K-12), Catholic Church School * Newland Academy (6-12), School (Type Unknown) (formerly "Lake Bluff Academy") Unknown * Tomaszewski Country School (K-8), School (One Room Country School)Closed 1959/60 Students moved to Parkdale School * Union School (?-?), School (Type Unknown) * Woodrow Wilson Elementary (?-?), Manistee Area Public Schools

Transportation

* Manistee is served by

Manistee County Blacker Airport Manistee County Blacker Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) northeast of the central business district of Manistee, a city in Manistee County, Michigan, United States. It is owned by the Manistee Coun ...

(IATA: MBL, ICAO: KMBL, FAA LID: MBL), approximately northeast of the city. Since May 2012, Cape Air offers non-stop scheduled flights to and from

Chicago Midway International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport , typically referred to as Midway Airport, Chicago Midway, or simply Midway, is a major commercial airport on the Southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the Lo ...

. * traverses the heart of Manistee, running southerly toward Scottville 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 expan ...

and northerly toward Bear Lake and

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 ...

. * begins northeast of Manistee * begins northeast of Manistee and proceeds easterly across the

to Tawas City. * is a former state trunkline that used to run from US 31 on the city line of Manistee and Parkdale within Manistee Township to Orchard State Park. It was decommissioned in 2003.

Notable people

* Dave Campbell, baseball player and sportscaster *

Byron M. Cutcheon Byron Mac Cutcheon (May 11, 1836 – April 12, 1908) was an American Civil War officer, Medal of Honor recipient and politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. Early life Cutcheon was born in Pembroke, New Hampshire May 11, 1836 but his parents ...

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 polic ...

veteran and winner of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

, Congressman, attorney, and postmaster *

Fred W. Green Fred Warren Green (October 19, 1871November 30, 1936) was an American politician who served as the 31st governor of Michigan from 1927 to 1931, and he was the mayor of Ionia, Michigan, from 1913 to 1916. Active in athletics during his time as a ...

Governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as th ...

, 1927–1931 * Nels Johnson and his business of Century tower clocks *

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

, actor, first began acting at the

in Manistee *

Edward Kozlowski Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

, Polish-American priest, later Bishop of Milwaukee *

Michael J. Malik Sr. Michael J. Malik Sr. (born February 1954) is a developer and entrepreneur from Detroit, Michigan who resides in Birmingham, Michigan. Currently his net worth is $750,000,000. Since the early 1990s he and his partner Marian Ilitch have been cat ...

, developer * Harry W. Musselwhite, politician and newspaper publisher *

Harriet Quimby Harriet Quimby (May 11, 1875 – July 1, 1912) was an American pioneering aviator, journalist, and film screenwriter. In 1911, she became the first woman in the United States to receive a pilot certificate, issued to her by the Aero Club of Am ...

, first licensed American woman aviator, was born in nearby Arcadia Township *

Rasmus Rasmussen (merchant) Rasmus Rasmussen (1850–1921) was an American merchant and businessman of Manistee and Ludington, Michigan. He operated a Great Lakes schooner and was in the lumber business transporting lumber related material around Lake Michigan. He also own ...

, lumberman and merchant * Olaf Swenson, fur trader, adventurer, and author *

George W. Tennant George Woolsey Tennant (born March 7, 1882, Manistee, Michigan; died February 15, 1953, Manistee, Mich.) served as chief steward in the Byrd Antarctic Expedition. In 1928, on the first stage of the expedition, he served in the galley on expediti ...

, cook, Antarctic explorer *

Toni Trucks Toni Trucks is an American actress. Best known as Lisa Davis on ‘’ SEAL Team’’(2017-) Career Trucks studied Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Upon graduation, she moved to New York where she ...