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 is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Etymology of the name Missaukee

The County may be named after a prominent Ottawa chief, ''Nesaukee'', who signed the treaties of 1831 and 1833. However, it is also said that "Nesaukee" could be interpreted as 'large mouth of the river.'

History

Missaukee County was partitioned from Mackinac County, Michigan, on 1 April 1840 due to expected population growth. The county was organized as a General Law county in 1871.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.6%) is water.

Lakes and rivers

There are 33 natural freshwater lakes in Missaukee County. The largest of these, Lake Missaukee, has a surface area of . The lakes and streams in much of the county drain into the Muskegon River, which flows generally north to south through its eastern tier of townships. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed November 21, 2011 Clam River, a tributary of the Muskegon, flows generally west to east through the county. The Reedsburg Dam is located within Missaukee County.

Michigan State Highways

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Adjacent counties

*Kalkaska County - north
* Crawford County - northeast
*Roscommon County - east
* Clare County - southeast
* Osceola County - southwest
* Wexford County - west
*Grand Traverse County - northwest

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,478 people, 5,450 households, and 4,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 8,621 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.50% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% were of Dutch, 18.3% German, 10.8% American, 10.0% English and 7.4% Irish ancestry. 97.9% spoke English and 1.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 5,450 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.80% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,224, and the median income for a family was $39,057. Males had a median income of $30,565 versus $20,905 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,072. About 8.20% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The Christian Reformed Church in North America is far the biggest denomination in the county with 2,010 members and 7 congregations, almost 50% of the counties population adhere to the CRCNA, followed by the Reformed Church in America with 3 congregations and 830 members, the third is the United Methodist Church with 3 churches and 500 members, the PC(USA) has 2 congregations and 200 members, but the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Lutherans (ELCA), baptists are also represented with 1 congregations each. Missaukee County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord and has 1 congregations and 800 members. There is an Amish community in the county, founded in 2000, with two church districts in 2013.

Government and politics

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the
major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers
public health 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: David DenHouten
* Sheriff: Wilbur "Wil" Yancer
* County Clerk/ Register of Deeds: Jessica Nielsen
* County Treasurer: Lori Cox
* Road Commissioners: Jack McGee; Larry Norman; Lonny Lutke

(information as of February 2021)

Election history

Missaukee County is one of Michigan's most strongly Republican counties, and one of the most consistently Republican in the nation since that party was founded. No Democratic presidential candidate has ever won Missaukee County since it was organized: even Lyndon Johnson in 1964 when he swept the Northeast received no more than 41 percent of the county's vote, which made Missaukee Barry Goldwater’s strongest county north or east of the Great Lakes. No Democrat since has received more than Barack Obama's 38 percent in 2008. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush received 68.1% in Missaukee County, his second highest percentage among Michigan's 83 counties. In 2008, Republican candidate John McCain was held down to below 60 percent, the only time and it has happened since 1964 without a strong third-party showing (Ross Perot in both 1992 and 1996) and just the second time since 1936. Regardless, it was still his second-strongest county in Michigan after Ottawa County, as he won by 21 points while Barack Obama carried the state by 16.5 points. In both 2016 and 2020, the county was Donald Trump's strongest in Michigan as he won it both times by more than 50 points. In 2002, Republican gubernatorial nominee Dick Posthumus received 66.1% in Missaukee, which also ranked it as the #2 most Republican county in the state.

Despite its strong Republican leanings, Missaukee County has voted for Democratic gubernatorial candidates on two rare occasions, those being for James Blanchard in 1986 and William B. Fitzgerald Jr. in 1978.

Communities

Cities

* Lake City (county seat)
* McBain

Civil townships

* Aetna Township
* Bloomfield Township
* Butterfield Township
* Caldwell Township
* Clam Union Township
* Enterprise Township
* Forest Township
* Holland Township
* Lake Township
* Norwich Township
* Pioneer Township
* Reeder Township
* Richland Township
* Riverside Township
* West Branch Township

Census-designated place

* Jennings

Other unincorporated communities

* Falmouth
* Lucas
* Merritt
* Moddersville

See also

* List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Missaukee County, Michigan
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Missaukee County, Michigan

References

Bibliography

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Further reading

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External links

County Website

Missaukee County map (PDF)

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Michigan counties
1871 establishments in Michigan
Populated places established in 1871