Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of

Muskegon County Muskegon County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2020, the population was 175,824. The county seat is Muskegon. Muskegon County comprises the Muskegon, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Grand Rapids- ...

. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing

regatta Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...

s, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expansive freshwater beaches, historic architecture, and public art collection. It is the most populous city along the western shore of Michigan. At the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

the city population was 38,318. It is at the southwest corner of Muskegon Township, but is administratively autonomous. Muskegon is the center of the Muskegon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is coextensive with Muskegon County and had a population of 173,566 in 2019. It is also part of the larger

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 ...

- Kentwood-Muskegon- Combined Statistical Area with a population of 1,433,288.

History

Early inhabitants

Human occupation of the Muskegon area goes back seven or eight thousand years to the nomadic Paleo-Indian hunters who occupied the area following the retreat of the Wisconsonian glaciations. The Paleo-Indians were superseded by several stages of Woodland Indian developments, the most notable of whom were the Hopewellian type-tradition, which occupied this area, perhaps two thousand years ago. The Muskegon area was previously inhabited by various bands of 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 ha ...

(Ottawa) and Pottawatomi Indian tribes, but by 1830 Muskegon was solely an Ottawa village. Perhaps the best remembered of the area's Native inhabitants was the Ottawa Chief, Pendalouan. A leading participant in the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

-inspired annihilation of the

Fox Indians The Meskwaki (sometimes spelled Mesquaki), also known by the European exonyms Fox Indians or the Fox, are a Native American people. They have been closely linked to the Sauk people of the same language family. In the Meskwaki language, the ...

of Illinois in the 1730s, Pendalouan and his people lived in the Muskegon vicinity during the 1730s and 1740s, until the French forced them to move their settlement to the

Traverse Bay Traverse Bay may refer to a number of articles relating to the geography of the Great Lakes region: Bays Lake Michigan * Grand Traverse Bay ** East (Arm) Grand Traverse Bay ** West (Arm) Grand Traverse Bay * Little Traverse Bay Lake Superio ...

area in 1742. The name "Muskegon" is derived from the Ottawa tribe term ''mashkiigong'', meaning "marshy river or swamp".

European arrival

The "Masquigon" River ( Muskegon River) was identified on French maps dating from the late seventeenth century, suggesting French explorers had reached Michigan's western coast by that time. Father Jacques Marquette traveled northward through the area on his fateful trip to St. Ignace in 1675; and a party of French soldiers under La Salle's lieutenant, Henry de Tonty, passed through the area in 1679. The county's earliest known Euro-American resident was Edward Fitzgerald, a

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...

r and trapper who came to the Muskegon area in 1748 and who died there, reportedly being buried in the vicinity of White Lake. Between 1790 and 1800, a French-Canadian trader named Joseph La Framboise established a fur-trading post at the mouth of Duck Lake. Between 1810 and 1820, several

French-Canadian French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...

fur traders, including Lamar Andie, Jean Baptiste Recollect, and Pierre Constant, had established fur-trading posts around

Muskegon Lake Muskegon Lake is a fresh-water lake in Muskegon County, Michigan, USA. Located in the lower peninsula at the mouth of the Muskegon River, Muskegon Lake forms a broad harbor along the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan, approximately wide by ...

. Euro-American settlement of Muskegon began in earnest in 1837, which coincided with the beginning of the exploitation of the area's extensive timber resources. The commencement of the lumber industry in 1837 inaugurated what some regard as the most romantic era in the history of the region. Lumbering in the mid-nineteenth century brought many settlers, particularly from Germany, Ireland, and Canada. Some Muskegon neighborhoods began as separate villages. Bluffton was founded as a lumbering village in 1862 in Laketon Township. It had its own post office from 1868 until 1892. Muskegon annexed it in 1889.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. The city is next to

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 ...

to the west and

to the north. The Muskegon River empties into Muskegon Lake at the city's northeast end.

Climate

Muskegon has a humid continental climate ( Dfa) with hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation is consistent year round. Muskegon receives heavy

lake-effect snow Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up through ...

from

during winter time.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 38,401 people, 13,967 households, and 7,895 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 16,105 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 57.0% White, 34.5% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.4%

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 ...

, 2.6% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic 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 8.2% of the population. There were 13,967 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.5% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age in the city was 34.1 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.8% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64, and 11.6% were 65 years of age or older. The city's gender makeup was 52.1% male and 47.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 40,105 people, 14,569 households, and 8,537 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,794.5 per square mile (1,079.1/km²). There were 15,999 housing units at an average density of 1,114.8 per square mile (430.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.9% White, 31.7% African American, 2.3% Native American, 0.46%

, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.69% from other races, and 3.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or

of any origins were 6.4% of the population. There were 14,569 households, of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.2% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.13. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.3 males. The city's median household income was $27,929, and the median family income was $32,640. Males had a median income of $29,114 versus $22,197 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,283. About 16.8% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Downtown Muskegon

Downtown Muskegon serves as the hub for much of Muskegon County. Positioned along the southern shoreline of Muskegon Lake, it stretches for nearly two miles. Downtown is home to a number of hotels, a 25,000 square foot convention center completed in 2021, and the Historic Mercy Health Ice Arena. Downtown Muskegon is lauded for its walkability and ease of parking. The Muskegon Farmer's Market welcome more than 10,000 visitors every Saturday in the summer, and the boutique incubator shops and chalets on Western Avenue are a popular attraction for residents and tourists looking to support small local businesses. In May 2022, local environmental groups announced cleanup efforts along Muskegon Lake have officially been completed, leading the Environmental Protection Agency to begin its study to remove Muskegon Lake from the EPA's list of "Areas of Concern", which is expected to be finalized by the end of 2022 and brings the promise of additional new economic activity in the downtown and nearby lakefront neighborhoods.

Major employers

* ADAC Automotive – automotive components manufacturing *

Howmet Howmet Aerospace Inc. (formerly Arconic Inc.) is an American aerospace company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company manufactures components for jet engines, fasteners and titanium structures for aerospace applications, and forged alumin ...

(Whitehall, Michigan, formerly

Alcoa Alcoa Corporation (an acronym for Aluminum Company of America) is a Pittsburgh-based industrial corporation. It is the world's eighth-largest producer of aluminum. Alcoa conducts operations in 10 countries. Alcoa is a major producer of primary ...

) – aerospace components manufacturing * Anderson Global (formerly Anderson Pattern) * Brunswick Bowling Products, LLC * Cannon-Muskegon Corporation – specialty alloys * Century Foundry * Cole's Quality Foods – garlic bread, frozen foods * Consumers Energy * Eagle Group * Fleet Engineers * GE Aviation (formerly Johnson Technology) – turbine engine components manufacturing * Great Lakes Die Cast (formerly Dilesco) * Kaydon Corp – precision bearings * Knoll Inc. (formerly Shaw Walker) *

L3 Communications L3 Technologies, formerly L-3 Communications Holdings, was an American company that supplied command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ( C3ISR) systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training ...

(formerly Teledyne) – armored vehicle manufacturing * Mahle (formerly Dana, formerly Sealed Power) – piston rings, aerospace * Meijer * Mercy Health – member of Trinity Health * Michigan's Adventure – amusement park (Michigan's largest amusement park and water park) * Nugent Sand * Port City Group *

Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies. Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially airlines) and military aviat ...

Component Solutions – a Raytheon Technologies Company * SAF-Holland – Muskegon (formerly Neway Equipment Company) – commercial vehicle axles, suspensions, and coupling devices * Wesco, Inc. (headquarters)

Shopping

Locally owned shops and a farmer's market are found in the historic downtown, with more shops along the Muskegon Lake waterfront and in neighborhoods. Regional shopping is found throughout the county, including several major retailers.

Arts and culture

Music and fine arts

The Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts includes two theaters (the main historic Frauenthal house and the smaller Beardsley Theater in the adjoining Hilt Building). It was refurbished in 1998 and again in 2021, and runs JAM Theatrical productions. Muskegon Civic Theatre productions, is home of the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra, was the venue for all Muskegon Community Concert Association events, and formerly home to the now-defunct Cherry County Playhouse. The Frauenthal was originally built as the Michigan Theater in 1929. Muskegon has a well-respected private collection of fine art at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Muskegon has a growing collection of publicly owned and displayed art pieces. More than two dozen pieces are on permanent display, predominately in the downtown area. Notable pieces include Muskegon, Together Rising (Richard Hunt), The Arch (Stephen Urry), A City Built on Timbers (Erik and Israel Nordic), and various civil war statues in Hackley Park that date back to 1900 (Charles Niehaus and J. Massey Rhind).

Festivals

For many years, Muskegon was home to a 10-day music festival known as Muskegon Summer Celebration. Typically scheduled around July 4, Summer Celebration was known for bringing in major artists for multiple days and providing the community with an affordable music festival experience. The event ended after the 2011 show. Events held in the town include: *Taste of Muskegon in June *Parties in the Park, every Friday from June to August at Hackley Park *The Lakeshore Art Festival in June *WeDiscover Festival in July, a two-day festival of electronic dance music, import and luxury cars, food, fireworks and family activities. *Motorcycle rally in July *Burning Foot Beer Festival held at Pere Marquette Beach *The Unity Christian Music Festival in August at Heritage Landing *The Michigan Irish Music Festival in September at Heritage Landing *The Muskegon Polish Festival on Labor Day weekend. *The International Buster Keaton Society annual convention in October.

Museums and theater

Broadway at the Frauenthal (fall through spring) brings Broadway musicals to Muskegon. Muskegon is also home to Muskegon Museum of Art and West Michigan Symphony Orchestra. The Muskegon Community Concert Association provides concerts from September through May. Lakeshore Museum Center (formerly known as Muskegon County Museum) and Hackley & Hume Historic Site: Mansions built by Muskegon's

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 themselves are restored to their old glory and open to the public. The Hackley &

Hume Hume most commonly refers to: * David Hume (1711–1776), Scottish philosopher Hume may also refer to: People * Hume (surname) * Hume (given name) * James Hume Nisbet (1849–1923), Scottish-born novelist and artist In fiction * Hume, the ...

mansions are part of downtown Muskegon's Heritage Village—two blocks from Muskegon Lake, and a National Register Historic District. The mansions are operated with the Lakeshore Museum Center, which details the grand, rich history of Muskegon County, from the Pottawatomi and

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 ...

Native American tribes and lakeside fur traders to the Lumber Queen of the World to today. Also includes science and nature exhibits. The Muskegon Museum of Art (formerly known as the Hackley Art Gallery) opened in 1912. The Muskegon Museum of Art, founded on a tradition of aesthetic excellence, is committed to fostering the life-long study and appreciation of the visual arts by strengthening, preserving, and exhibiting its collections; offering a wide range of traditional and contemporary exhibitions; stimulating learning and creativity through diverse public and educational programming; and enhancing community involvement and support in a safe, accessible, and welcoming environment. Among the highlights of its permanent collection is ''Tornado Over Kansas'', by John Steuart Curry (one of three leading painters, along with

Grant Wood Grant DeVolson Wood (February 13, 1891 February 12, 1942) was an American painter and representative of Regionalism, best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest. He is particularly well known for '' American Gothic'' (193 ...

and Thomas Hart Benton, identified as Regionalists and known for their canvases celebrating the rural Midwest). Muskegon is also the home of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum which features , a World War II submarine; , a World War II tank landing ship; and USCGC ''McLane'', a Prohibition-era United States Coast Guard cutter. In addition, Muskegon also berths , a former passenger ship built in 1904 that traveled the same route as

Lake Express Lake Express High-Speed Ferry is an American company that operates a seasonal ferry service across Lake Michigan between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan. The Lake Express Milwaukee terminal and the company headquarters are located nea ...

does today. The ship (which is a National Historic Landmark) is in the middle of a process of being restored to its original form, but in the meantime is open for tours and hosts a museum aboard the vessel with information on both ''Milwaukee Clipper'', as well as the history of maritime in Muskegon, the Clipper is the last ship of its type. Muskegon is a historical port for commerce and lake travel. The lumbering era through World War II was its busiest historical use. Its image as a port the city has embraced with the local nickname 'The Port City'. It possesses a fine deep-water port and still functions delivering bulk cement, aggregate, and large cargoes to several lakeshore facilities, also coal to the B.C. Cobb power plant, an outdated coal-burning facility due to shut down. * The Muskegon Heritage Museum-The Muskegon Heritage Association is a non-profit corporation founded in 1973 to promote the enhancement of Muskegon's Historic Resources. One of the MHA's missions is to maintain a museum to show the economic, industrial, and social history of the greater Muskegon area. The Museum was begun by the MHA in 1983 to accommodate the donated Corliss Valve 90 hp steam engine. The museum's goal is to preserve information, photos, and artifacts pertaining to The Industries of the Muskegon Area, Historic/Heritage Homes, and Businesses of Muskegon. In 2009 a revitalization of the museum began with a complete rearrangement of the main room adding new displays in the cases and on the walls. A print shop was set up and an Industrial section in the back building was rearranged. Printed signs for all displays were added. In 2010 the museum was expanded into what was the shoe store next door. During 2011-2012 we reconfigured and remodeled the second floor of the building where the Corliss Engine is housed. This is a "Made in Muskegon" exhibit. The museum also added a classroom that accommodates 35 people comfortably with all the AV equipment necessary for any presentation. * Carr-Fles Planetarium, Muskegon * The Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame exhibits, detailing the area's rich athletic past, are on display at the L.C. Walker Arena.

Sports

Previous sports teams to play in Muskegon have included: The Seaway Run is run every year in late June. It features a 15k race, 5k race, 5k walk for fun, 15k wheelchair race.

Parks and recreation

Muskegon State Park Muskegon State Park is a public recreation area located west of North Muskegon in Muskegon County, Michigan. The park's encompass two miles of sand beach on Lake Michigan and one mile of beach on Muskegon Lake. History The park was established ...

has a Winter Sports Complex that features ice fishing,

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

, ice skating, and a

luge A luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine (face up) and feet-first. A luger steers by using the calf muscles to flex the sled's runners or by exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh for s ...

track. P.J.

Hoffmaster State Park P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is a public recreation area on the shores of Lake Michigan located five miles north of Grand Haven at the southwest corner of Norton Shores, in Muskegon County, and the northwest corner of Spring Lake Township, in O ...

has many

sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

s as well as two

campground A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for camping, overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight u ...

s and a public beach. Pere Marquette Beach is the largest free public beach on the western shore of

. Windsurfing,

kite boarding Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wak ...

competitions, and professional volleyball tournaments are held there. Its quartz sand beach is a Clean Beaches Counsel-certified beach. The beach area is popular with cyclists, runners, and hikers, and sand dunes border the beach to the east. Muskegon Lake is a first-class walleye fishery and has many other freshwater species, including lake perch. Lake Michigan hosts large numbers of coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead,

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...

, lake perch, and other game fish. Sailing and recreational boating are major summer pastimes, with local services and marinas for boats of all sizes. Muskegon Lakeshore Bike Trail allows for biking along the shores of Muskegon Lake to Lake Michigan, with two trails for bike paths, one on the east side of Muskegon and the other along the north side. Michigan's Adventure, the largest amusement park in the state, is in

, a few miles north of the city of Muskegon. Michigan's Adventure features a midway with roller coasters, other rides, amusements, and a full water park.

Muskegon Country Club Muskegon Country Club was founded in 1908 and is a private country club owned by the RedWater Collection The club features a private 18 hole golf course in Muskegon, Michigan located on 130 acres of dunes between Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake ...

was founded in 1908 and features a course design by

Tom Bendelow Tom Bendelow (1868–1936), nicknamed "The Johnny Appleseed of American Golf" and "The Dean of American Golf", was a Scottish American golf course architect during the first half of the twentieth century. He is credited with having designed some ...

and a course redesign by

Donald Ross Donald Ross may refer to: *Donald A. Ross (1857–1937), Canadian politician * Donald Ross (golfer) (1872–1948), Scottish-born American golfer and golf course designer *Donald P. Ross (1902–1973), American horse racetrack and racing stable owner ...

Government

The city operates under a Commission-Manager form of local government. The seven-member city commission consists of four commissioners elected via a ward system and two commissioners elected at large. The mayor is also elected at large and serves on the city commission. The city commission hires a city manager to manage the daily operations of the city.

Education

Muskegon Public Schools 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 ...

was founded in 1860 and serves students from preschool through grade 12. Additionally, it runs the Muskegon Training and Education Center. Muskegon is also served by these private K-12 schools: Muskegon Catholic Central, Fruitport Calvary Christian, and Western Michigan Christian. In 2010, North Muskegon High School was noted as the top performing public school in the State of Michigan by the state Department of Education. The City of Muskegon is also served by Muskegon Community College and

Baker College Baker College is a private college with its main campus in Owosso, Michigan. It was founded in 1911 and has additional campuses throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The college has been accused of predatory practices. In 2022, a ProP ...

Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University (GVSU, GV, or Grand Valley) is a public university in Allendale, Michigan. It was established in 1960 as Grand Valley State College. Its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids. The universit ...

's Muskegon Campus is home to th
Muskegon Innovation Hub
(formerly MAREC) and

Annis Water Resources Institute The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI), is located in Muskegon, Michigan at the Lake Michigan Center on Muskegon Lake Muskegon Lake is a fresh-water lake in Muskegon County, Michigan, USA. Located in the lower peninsula at the ...

(AWRI) inside the Lake Michigan Center in downtown Muskegon. Western Michigan University, Ferris State University, and

all operate programs out of the

Stevenson Center for Higher Education Stevenson is an English language patronymic surname meaning "son of Steven". Its first historical record is from pre-10th-century England. Another origin of the name is as a toponymic surname related to the place Stevenstone in Devon, England. ...

on Muskegon Community College campus. It is designed so an undergraduate at MCC may transfer to any of the above schools and complete a bachelors and/or master's degree without leaving Muskegon.

Media

*Muskegon's leading newspaper is ''The Muskegon Chronicle''. ''The Chronicle'' is a daily newspaper owned by

Booth Newspapers MLive Media Group, originally known as Booth Newspapers, or Booth Michigan, is a media group that produces newspapers in the state of Michigan. Founded by George Gough Booth with his two brothers, Booth Newspapers was sold to Advance Publicatio ...

. It started publication in 1857. *Muskegon is served by several local television channels: ** WMKG-CD 38 is a low-powered television station serving the area. This station features a homey mix of programming such as television bingo and ''Dial-A-Bargain''. The ''Dial-A-Bargain'' show includes a host reading menus from various local eateries. Viewers may then call in and purchase certificates for that establishment at 50% off the regular price. ** DSETV-97 is the locally run Government-access television (GATV)

cable TV Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with broadc ...

channel based out of City Hall, privately ran by Digital Spectrum Enterprises on

Comcast Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...

Cable Channel 97. It features live televised City Hall meetings as well as locally made television shows showcasing Muskegon, and is home to local sports events. ** MCCTV-98 is Muskegon Community College's television outlet on Comcast Cable Channel 98. **

WWMT-TV WWMT (channel 3) is a television station licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan as an affiliate of CBS and The CW. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and maintains studios on West Maple Street in Ka ...

3 (CBS and CW), WOOD-TV 8 (NBC), WZZM-TV 13 (ABC),

WXMI-TV WXMI (channel 17) is a television station licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan as an affiliate of the Fox network. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, the station maintains studios on Plaza Drive (near M-37) o ...

17 (FOX), WOMS-TV 29 (MNTV), WGVU-TV 35 (PBS), WOTV (ABC),

WZPX WZPX-TV, virtual channel 43 ( UHF digital channel 21), is an Ion Television- affiliated station licensed to Battle Creek, Michigan, United States and serving the Grand Rapids–Kalamazoo–Battle Creek television market. The station is owned by ...

(ION), and

WTLJ-TV WTLJ (channel 54) is a religious television station licensed to Muskegon, Michigan, United States, serving West Michigan as an owned-and-operated station of Tri-State Christian Television (TCT). The station's transmitter is located in Allenda ...

54 (TBN). Green Bay, Milwaukee, South Bend, and Chicago affiliates are also common in the warmer months. *

holds the local cable franchise. *The Muskegon area is also served by several radio stations.

WUVS-LP WUVS-LP (103.7 FM, "103.7 The Beat") is a low power radio station licensed to Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, ...

103.7 is a popular urban (hip-hop/R&B) and gospel station with local programming as well as Sunday religious programming and local-based talk. Another local low-powered FM station is

WUGM-LP WUGM-LP (106.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Rhythmic Oldies format, along with specialized Electronic dance music-based programming on the weekends. Licensed to Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county ...

106.1, owned by the Muskegon Training and Education Center, which airs an Urban Oldies format dubbed "M-TEC 106 FM, Rock 'n' Soul." A Newer LP-FM Station

WFFR-LP WFFR-LP (100.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Roosevelt Park, Michigan. The station is owned by Shoreline Broadcasting, Inc. It airs a classic hits format. The station was assigned the WFFR-LP call letters by the Fede ...

100.9 also offers local programming along with a classic hits format. The station is based out of nearby Roosevelt Park. *Local radio talk shows include the Ramona Show on WKBZ 1090. On this show the host interviews local small business people. A once-a-week, Friday afternoon show on the same station is called "Talking Muskegon". Hosted by local celebrity Jon Van Wyke, it features homey conversations about area nightlife, his work life and volunteer activities, and the state of the professional hockey team, the Muskegon Fury. It is usually co-hosted. *Other local FM stations include 90.3 WBLV-FM (classical/jazz/NPR), 91.7

WMCQ MCQ may refer to * ''McQ'', a 1974 famous crime drama * McQ Inc, an American defense company based in Pennsylvania * Mathematical Citation Quotient, a measure of the impact of a mathematics journal * Multiple choice question * Malvern College Qing ...

-FM (religious), WWSN FM 92.5 (adult contemporary), WGVS-FM 95.3 (public radio),

WLAW-FM WLAW-FM (97.5 MHz, "97.5 Nash Icon") is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Whitehall, Michigan, the station serves the Muskegon, Michigan market. The station's programming was derived from Cumulus Media Networks' Hi ...

FM 97.5 (country),

WLCS WLCS (98.3 FM, "Classic Hits 98.3") is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to North Muskegon, Michigan, it first began broadcasting under the WFMM call sign. WLCS is a Cumulus Media station, airing local on-air hosts and ...

-FM 98.3 (oldies),

WVIB WVIB (100.1 FM, "V100") is a radio station broadcasting an urban adult contemporary format fed via satellite from Westwood One (known as " The Touch" or "Today's R&B and Old School"). The station is licensed to Holton, Michigan and serves the M ...

-FM 100.1 (urban contemporary), WMRR-FM 101.7 (classic rock),

WSNX WSNX-FM (104.5 MHz "104-5 SNX") is a Top 40 (CHR) radio station located in iHeartMedia, Inc. Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters. The station has a Top 40 (CHR) format. The station is licensed to Muskegon, in Western Michigan with the stat ...

-FM 104.5 (top 40, studios in Grand Rapids), WOOD-FM-FM 106.9 (news/talk, simulcast of WOOD-AM 1300/Grand Rapids), and WMUS FM 107.9 (country). Other local AM stations aside from WKBZ include WGVS 850,

WLAW WLAW may refer to: * WLAW (AM), a radio station (1490 AM) licensed to serve Whitehall, Michigan, United States * WLAW-FM, a radio station (97.5 FM) licensed to serve Whitehall, Michigan * WWSN (FM), a radio station (92.5 FM) licensed to serve Newa ...

1490 (country). Other area stations can be received from Grand Haven (

WGHN-FM WGHN-FM 92.1 is a radio station licensed to Grand Haven, Michigan. History WGHN-FM signed on the air on January 28, 1969. In 1976 the station changed its call letters to WFMG (those calls are now used at 101.3 FM in Richmond, Indiana) and separ ...

92.1, adult contemporary), Grand Rapids ( WGRD-FM 97.9, mainstream rock), Ludington, Holland, Zeeland ( WJQK-FM 99.3, Christian pop), and Milwaukee. *

iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...

is the major radio station owner in Muskegon, owning WKBZ-AM, WOOD-FM, WMUS-FM, WMRR-FM and, WSNX (although WSNX is considered primarily a Grand Rapids station despite being licensed to Muskegon). Cumulus Media owns WODJ-AM, WLAW-FM, WEFG-FM, WLCS-FM and WVIB-FM.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public transportation is provided by the

Muskegon Area Transit System The Muskegon Area Transit System is the primary provider of mass transportation in Muskegon County, Michigan Muskegon County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of 2020, the population was 175,824. The county seat is Muskegon. Mus ...

(MATS – "The Shore Line"), which operates nine bus routes, three trolley routes, and a paratransit system. MATS and Greyhound serve the Herman Ivory Passenger Terminal. MATS operates the Muskegon Trolley Company. Three routes cover north side, south side, and downtown; each trolley stops at 11 locations, including Hackley and Hume Historic Site, USS Silversides, and Muskegon State Park. (Memorial Day through Labor Day, daily; no trips during special events.) Commercial air service is currently provided by United Express operating regional jet flights on behalf of United Airlines at

Muskegon County Airport Muskegon County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport in Muskegon County, Michigan, Muskegon County, Michigan, United States. The airport is located four nautical miles (5 mile, mi, 7 kilometre, km) south of the central ...

(MKG), with nonstop service to

Chicago O'Hare Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport , sometimes referred to as, Chicago O'Hare, or simply O'Hare, is the main international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Loop business ...

. Other airlines provide passenger service via the

Gerald R. Ford International Airport Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport in Cascade Township approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. The facility is owned by the Kent County Board of Commissioners and managed by an independent ...

(GRR) in

. Muskegon is the eastern port of the

High Speed Car Ferry that crosses Lake Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin offering three roundtrips a day in the summer, and two roundtrips in the fall. There are many bike paths being built around the area.

CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

, along with the Michigan Shore Railway, provide rail service for many of Muskegon's industries. Rail passenger services ended in the 1960s. The nearest passenger rail available is via Amtrak in nearby Holland or Grand Rapids. Several major highways serve the city, including:

Major roads

Interstates * U.S. Highways * *, a

business loop A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...

Other state highways * *

Rail

Until 1971, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (successor to the Pere Marquette Railway) operated day and night trains from Union Station to Holland and Chicago. The

Grand Trunk Western The Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company is an American subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway operating in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Since a corporate restructuring in 1971, the railroad has been under CN's subsidiary holdi ...

and the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

had earlier operated passenger trains out of another Muskegon station to various points in Michigan.

Ferries

In 1937, the Grand Trunk Western began operating ferries that met up with train and carried passengers and automobiles across Lake Michigan to Milwaukee. Earlier, the GTW had operated the ferries out of

Grand Haven Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand H ...

. The GTW stopped operating the ferries in 1978. The last remaining ferries across the lake would be the ones launching from Ludington, Michigan until the

first came into service on June 1, 2004.

Notable people

* John Beyrle, son of Joseph Beyrle, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation confirmed July 3, 2008. *

Joseph Beyrle Joseph R. Beyrle (russian: Джозеф Вильямович Байерли; romanized: ''Dzhozef Vilyamovich Bayyerli''; August 25, 1923 – December 12, 2004) is the only known American soldier to have served in combat with both the United Stat ...

, only soldier to have served in both the US Army and the Soviet Army in World War II * Nancy Anne Fleming,

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

1961 *

Seth Privacky Seth Privacky (June 2, 1980 – July 15, 2010) was an American mass murderer who shot his parents, brother, his brother's girlfriend and his grandfather in Muskegon, Michigan on November 29, 1998, at the age of 18. He pled no contest and was ...

mass murder Mass murder is the act of murdering a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. The United States Congress defines mass killings as the killings of three or more pe ...

er *

Vonda Kay Van Dyke Vonda Kay Van Dyke (born May 19, 1943) was crowned the 1965 Miss America on September 13, 1964. Earlier in the year, she had taken a break as a 21-year-old junior at Arizona State College at Flagstaff (as of 1966, "Northern Arizona University" ...

, Miss America 1965 * Captain Jonathan Walker, "The Man With Branded Hand" abolitionist Business and politics *

Margaret Bailey Chandler Margaret Mary Bailey Chandler (May 23, 1929 – January 2, 1997) was an American community leader, a member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, based in Michigan. She was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in ...

, community leader and member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians *

Tudor Dixon Tudor Dixon (; born May 5, 1977) is an American businesswoman and conservative political commentator. A member of the Republican Party, Dixon was the party's nominee for Governor of Michigan in the 2022 election. She lost to incumbent Democra ...

, politician *

Charles Hackley Charles Henry Hackley (January 3, 1837 – February 10, 1905) was an American philanthropist who made his fortune in the lumber industry. Biography The son of Joseph H. Hackley and Salina Fuller Hackley, Charles Hackley was born in Michigan City ...

(1837–1905),

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

(Hackley Hospital, Hackley Library, Hackley Administration Building, Hackley Avenue, Hackley Art Gallery, Hackley Park); after a gift of $12 million to the community, the city of Muskegon considered changing its name to "Hackleyville" *

George Edward Hilt George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd President ...

, founder of the largest U.S. farm-store retailer *

Richard Mell Richard F. "Dick" Mell (born May 5, 1938) is an American politician. A Democrat, he served on the Chicago City Council from 1975 to 2013. He retired in 2013 and was succeeded by Deb Mell, his daughter. Early life Mell was born and raised in Musk ...

, politician Religion * Jim Bakker, TV evangelist *

Edmund Cardinal Szoka Edmund Casimir Szoka (September 14, 1927 – August 20, 2014) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Until 2006, he was President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City ...

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

President Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

of the

Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State ( la, Pontificia Commissio pro Civitate Vaticana, it, Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Città del Vaticano;) is the legislative body of Vatican City. It consists of a president, who als ...

Science and technology *

Clara H. Hasse Clara Henriette Hasse (1880 – 10 October 1926) was an American botanist whose research focused on plant pathology. She is known for identifying the cause of citrus canker, which was threatening crops in the Deep South. Biography Hasse attend ...

(1880–1926), botanist * David Leestma, astronaut *

W. Wesley Peterson William Wesley Peterson (April 22, 1924 – May 6, 2009) was an American mathematician and computer scientist. He was best known for designing the cyclic redundancy check (CRC), – The original paper on CRCs for which research he was awarded ...

, mathematician and computer scientist, invented the

Cyclic Redundancy Check A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is an error-detecting code commonly used in digital networks and storage devices to detect accidental changes to digital data. Blocks of data entering these systems get a short ''check value'' attached, based on t ...

(CRC) Artists *

Haddon Sundblom Haddon Hubbard "Sunny" Sundblom (June 22, 1899 – March 10, 1976) was an American artist of Swedish and Finnish descent and best known for the images of Santa Claus he created for The Coca-Cola Company. Sundblom's friend Lou Prentice was the ...

, graphic artist, created popular images of Santa Claus for Coca-Cola Authors *

Laurie Keller Laurie Keller is an American children's writer and illustrator. She has written and illustrated books for Henry Holt & Co. Books for Young Readers, and produced illustrations for others. Life Keller grew up in Muskegon, Michigan. After gradua ...

, children's book writer and illustrator best known for ''

The Scrambled States of America Laurie Keller is an American children's writer and illustrator. She has written and illustrated books for Henry Holt & Co. Books for Young Readers, and produced illustrations for others. Life Keller grew up in Muskegon, Michigan. After gradua ...

'' and ''Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard'' * Douglas Malloch, the “lumberman’s poet” * John Frederick Nims, poet * Cathy O'Brien (conspiracy theorist), Cathy O'Brien, conspiracy theorist and author * Lewis B. Smedes, theologian and author * Bob Wood (author), Bob Wood, author of ''Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks'' and ''Big Ten Country'' Music * Børns, singer and songwriter, born in Muskegon * Steve Gorman, drummer, Black Crowes, born in Muskegon * Rick Johnson (musician), Rick Johnson, musician, bass player for Mustard Plug * Bettye LaVette, soul music, soul singer * Iggy Pop, punk rock icon *Louise Cooper Spindle, composer * Wayne Static, lead singer and guitarist for industrial metal band, Static-X * Bill Szymczyk, music producer of the Eagles (band), Eagles, The Who and others * Gerry Teifer, Music publisher (popular music), music publisher, songwriter, performer * Richard Versalle, opera singer Stage * Buster Keaton, iconic comedian and film director; born in Kansas and spent childhood summers in Muskegon with his family in the Muskegon Actors' Colony; a vaudevillian who traveled constantly except in summer, Keaton regarded Muskegon as his home town. * Kate Reinders, Broadway actress, played Glinda in ''Wicked (musical), Wicked'' and Caroline in ''Good Vibrations (musical), Good Vibrations'' * Carly Jibson, Broadway and television actress, played Tracy Turnblad in the first national tour company of Hairspray (musical), Hairspray and originated the role of Pepper in the musical Cry Baby (musical), Cry Baby. Television *Matt Crouch (TBN), Matt Crouch, film producer and CEO of TBN * Harry Morgan, versatile stage, film and TV actor, played Colonel Potter on the TV series M*A*S*H (TV series), M*A*S*H (1972–1983) * Frank Stanton (executive), Frank Stanton, former president of CBS Sports * Justin Abdelkader – National Hockey League, NHL player, Detroit Red Wings * Curtis Adams (American football), Curtis Adams – NFL player, San Diego Chargers * Beatrice Allard – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Virginia Bell (baseball), Virginia Bell – served in the Women's Army Corps in Japan during World War II and later joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball LeagueW.C. Madden, Madden, W. C. (2005) ''The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary'' (2005). * Donna Cook – AAGPBL player * Doris Cook – AAGPBL player * Deyonta Davis – National Basketball Association, NBA player, Memphis Grizzlies * Miss Dougal – AAGPBL player, Muskegon Belles, 1953 Muskegon Belles * Tony Ferguson – winner of Ultimate Fighter Season 13 * Bill Green (hammer thrower), Bill Green – hammer thrower, former U.S. record holder, 5th place in 1984 Olympic Games * Bobby Grich – Major League Baseball, MLB All-Star second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles and California Angels * Mark Grimmette – men's double luge, winner of Olympic Games, Olympic silver (2002) and bronze (1998) medals * Mark Hughes (basketball), Mark Hughes – basketball player and coach * Ronald Johnson (American football), Ronald Johnson – University of Southern California and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver * Alta Little – AAGPBL player * Ruvell Martin – NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks * Nate McCrary, National Football League, NFL running back for the Baltimore Ravens * Beulah McGillicutty – manager in Extreme Championship Wrestling * Nate McLouth – MLB player for the Washington Nationals * Earl Morrall – Michigan State and NFL quarterback, three-time Super Bowl champion * Robert Morse – NFL player for the New Orleans Saints * Drew Naymick – professional basketball player * Don Nelson – NBA player for Boston Celtics and coach in Basketball Hall of Fame, University of Iowa basketball player * Ray Newman – MLB pitcher * Bennie Oosterbaan – three-time University of Michigan All-American football player and head coach * Marley Shriver - Olympic swimmer * Terrance Taylor (American football), Terrance Taylor – Detroit Lions defensive tackle * Kalil Pimpleton - New York Giants wide receiver

Sister cities

* Ōmuta, Fukuoka, Ōmuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan * Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom * Antalya, Turkey

References

External links

*
Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce
* {{Authority control Muskegon, Michigan, Cities in Muskegon County, Michigan County seats in Michigan Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan Michigan Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Populated places established in 1837 1837 establishments in Michigan