Charlevoix, Michigan
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Charlevoix ( ) 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 so ...
of
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
. It is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of Charlevoix County. Part of
Northern Michigan Northern Michigan (also known as Northern Lower Michigan and colloquially within Michigan as "Up North") is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan. The region, which is distinct from the more northerly Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsul ...
, Charlevoix is located on an
isthmus An isthmus (; : isthmuses or isthmi) 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 count ...
between
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 depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
and
Lake Charlevoix Lake Charlevoix ( ) is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest inland lake in the state with a surface area of over and of shoreline. The maximum depth in the main basin is and in the south arm, . T ...
, bisected by the short Pine River. Charlevoix serves as the main access point for Beaver Island, the largest island in Lake Michigan, which can be accessed by
Island Airways Island Airways is a small passenger airline based in Charlevoix, Michigan, United States. It provides services to Welke Airport and Charlevoix Municipal Airport. History The airline began in 1945 as McPhillips Flying Service. In 1975, Welke Av ...
or
carferry A train ferry is a ship (ferry) designed to carry railway vehicles, as well as their cargoes and passengers. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to th ...
. The population of Charlevoix was 2,348 at the 2020 census. Charlevoix is mostly surrounded by
Charlevoix Township Charlevoix Township is a civil township of Charlevoix County, Michigan, Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,763 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The township surrounds the city of Charlevoix, Michi ...
, but the two are administered autonomously.


History

Charlevoix is named after Fr.
Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, S.J. (; ; 24 or 29 October 1682 – 1 February 1761) was a French Jesuit priest, traveller, and historian, often considered the first historian of New France. Name Charlevoix's name also appears as Pier ...
, a French explorer who traveled the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
and was said to have stayed the night on Fisherman's Island during a harsh storm. During this time, Native Americans were thought to have lived in the Pine River valley. The
Odawa The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ) are an Indigenous North American people who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, now in jurisdictions of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Their territory long prec ...
and
Ojibwe The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...
lived throughout northern Michigan prior to European colonization.


Settlement (1850s and 1860s)

European-American settlement of Charlevoix was initially by fishermen, who were there by 1852.Romig, Walter ''Michigan Place Names'' (Grosse Point: Walter Romig publisher, not dated), p. 111 Soon after its formation in the 1850s, the residents of Charlevoix entered into a short-lived conflict with
Jesse Strang James Jesse Strang (March 21, 1813 – July 9, 1856) was an American religious leader, politician and self-proclaimed monarch. He served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1853 until his assassination. In 1844, he said he ...
, leader and namesake of the Strangite Mormons, and then self-proclaimed 'king' of Beaver Island. Relations between Charlevoix residents and the Strangites were often tense. In 1853, a gunfight broke out between the two groups as the townspeople refused to hand over a man who was called for jury duty on the island, an event known locally as The Battle of Pine River. Strang was assassinated on June 20, 1856. The
Homestead Act of 1862 The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of t ...
brought many Civil War veterans and speculators to Northern Michigan. It sold 160-acre tracts of land for $1.25 an acre. In 1864, settlers built a large dock at the mouth of the Pine River on Lake Michigan. Boats there were exposed to the harsh vicissitudes of Great Lakes weather, so local entrepreneurs sought to connect Lake Michigan to an inland harbor at Round Lake. The Pine River channel was dredged in 1869, connecting Lake Michigan to Lake Charlevoix. In 1866, early settler John S. Dixon completed plats of the entire town (then called "Pine River"), showing that he owned most of the land. By 1867, Charlevoix had its first boarding house, the Fountain City House Charlevoix became the county seat in 1869 when Charlevoix County was formed.


Commercial and cultural transformation (1869–1880s)

In 1869, the Charlevoix Sentinel was founded, which became a major
newspaper of record A newspaper of record is a major national newspaper with large newspaper circulation, circulation whose editorial and news-gathering functions are considered authoritative and independent; they are thus "newspapers of record by reputation" and i ...
for the area for the next 60 years. Prior to 1869, Lake Charlevoix (then known as Pine Lake) was two feet higher than Round Lake, which was 2 feet higher than Lake Michigan. In order to aid lumber and boat traffic, city leaders pooled resources to cut a channel between Lake Charlevoix to Round Lake, and to dredge the Pine River for navigation between Round Lake and Lake Michigan. When this was completed in 1869, lake levels dropped, and navigation between Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan was established. This had profound commercial implications for the area. Another transformative event came in November 1873 when rail operations arrived in "Bear Creek" (now known as Petoskey), 16 miles north. Passengers and goods passed through Petoskey and made their way to Charlevoix via boat or stagecoach. During the 1870s, Presbyterian evangelist Rev. George W. Wood Jr. sold bibles to homesteading settlers throughout Charlevoix and Emmet Counties. Between 1868 and 1884, the Army Corps of Engineers used
dredging Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing d ...
and
revetment A revetment in stream restoration, river engineering or coastal engineering is a facing of impact-resistant material (such as stone, concrete, sandbags, or wooden piles) applied to a bank or wall in order to absorb the energy of incoming water an ...
to increase Pine River channel width from 75 feet to over 100 feet, and expanded the channel depth from under 6 feet to a depth of 12 feet. In 1876, Charlevoix was declared a
port of entry In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border control, border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not impo ...
and became one of the busiest ports on the Great Lakes. Lumber mills proliferated as the forests along Lake Charlevoix could finally be harvested. In 1876, John Nichols consolidated Charlevoix lumber operations into the Charlevoix Lumber Company, and it became a Charlevoix institution for decades. At its height in the late 1800s, the company annually shipped out more than 40 million board feet of lumber before it stripped much of the peninsula. For many years Charlevoix was a fueling stop for the wood-powered steamships on Lake Michigan. Charlevoix incorporated as a village in 1879. In June 1883, Charles J. Strang, the son of Mormon King
James J. Strang James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
started the Charlevoix Journal, which would be renamed the Charlevoix Courier in 1894. Dr. Levi Lewis and his wife Edith built the 800-seat "Lewis Grand
Opera House An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...
" along the Pine River in 1883 in order to bring more culture to the backwater pioneer town. In October 1884, East Jordan to be the county seat, followed by Boyne City becoming the county seat in 1886. Charlevoix became the county seat again in 1894. The Argo Milling Company was built in 1886 along the Pine River. By 1914, many small businesses were established along Bridge Street.


Early resort era (1880s–1918)

In 1880, several members of the First Congregational Church of Chicago
formed a Chicago Summer Resort association, now known as the "Chicago Club." Early citizens contributed to the founding of such early institutions as the Lewis Grand Opera House (1883) and Methodist (1878) and Congregational (1885) churches. In 1892, the first rail traffic to Charlevoix arrived as the
Chicago and West Michigan Railway The Chicago and West Michigan Railway (C&WM) is a defunct railroad which operated in the state of Michigan between 1881 and 1899.Bay View. (This is not related to the 1901 Detroit and Charlevoix Railroad line to East Jordan). Rail lines opened up formerly remote tracts of inland land and lakeshore to commercial, industrial, resort, and other real estate development, as follows: * The Detroit-based D.M. Ferry Seed Company expanded operations in northern Michigan, developing the land along Lake Charlevoix in 1892. It built a 200' dock and warehouse complex by 1905. Ferry's Charlevoix operations continued until 1927. * In 1899, the Federal Revenue Cutter Service came to Charlevoix and began tending buoys on the north side of the Round lake train bridge. This site would later become known as the Coast Guard moorings. * By 1901, industrialist James M. Felts of
Rushville, Indiana Rushville is a city in Rushville Township, Rush County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,185 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Rush County. It, like the county, was named in honor of Dr. Benjamin Rush, who signed th ...
had purchased thousands of acres between Mount McSauba and Big Rock point and began construction of a massive sugar beet factory to be called the Charlevoix Sugar Company. The National Construction Company of Detroit built the factory between 1902 and 1903 at the point where Stover Creek emptied into Pine Lake. The factory was not profitable, and by 1911 the factory had closed and the machinery was removed to Ohio. The building, made almost entirely of concrete, slowly decayed until it was demolished in 1964 to make room for the Irish boat shop. * In 1909, Chicago real estate developer and Chicago Club of Charlevoix member Edward Carson Waller purchased 2000-acres north of the Pere Marquette rail line including the former Felts tract. He replanted the land with pine trees, and commissioned architect
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
to create a bathing pavilion on the site. The pavilion burned down in 1922 or 1923. * The rail also brought tourist traffic during the summer. It was not long before the city became known as a resort destination. With three summer associations (the
Belvedere Club The Belvedere Club, located south of Charlevoix, Michigan is a summer home association of 91 cottages between Round Lake and Lake Charlevoix in Northern Michigan founded in 1878. Members are generally from upper class households and originate ...
, Sequanota Club, and the Chicago Club); a number of luxurious summer hotels, including The Inn and The Beach; and rail service at two train depots on the
Pere Marquette Railway The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes (North America), Great Lakes region of the United States and southern parts of Ontario in Canada. It had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and the Canadi ...
line (one depot for the
Belvedere Club The Belvedere Club, located south of Charlevoix, Michigan is a summer home association of 91 cottages between Round Lake and Lake Charlevoix in Northern Michigan founded in 1878. Members are generally from upper class households and originate ...
on the south side of Round Lake and one on the north side near the
Chicago Club The Chicago Club, founded in 1869, is a private social club located at 81 East Van Buren Street at Michigan Avenue in the Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Its membership has included many of Chicago's most prominent ...
); Charlevoix became known as one of the nation's finest summer communities. * In 1913, the Pine Point development (near Oyster Bay) opened on Pine Lake, making it one of the earliest neighborhood subdivisions in the Charlevoix area. Charlevoix was also a popular destination for many lake passenger liners, including the ''Manitou'', ''Alabama'', ''North American'', ''South American'', ''
Milwaukee Clipper SS ''Milwaukee Clipper'', also known as SS ''Clipper'' , and formerly as SS ''Juniata'', is a retired passenger ship and automobile ferry that sailed under two configurations and traveled on all of the Great Lakes except Lake Ontario. The vessel ...
,'' ''Illinois'', and others. By 1907, the
Gazetteer A gazetteer is a geographical dictionary or wikt:directory, directory used in conjunction with a map or atlas.Aurousseau, 61. It typically contains information concerning the geographical makeup, social statistics and physical features of a co ...
published by R.L. Polk & Co. listed Charlevoix as a port of call for several Michigan steamboat lines including: * the Anchor Line ( Erie and Western Transportation Company from Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, and Detroit to the summer resorts, Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie, Marquette, Houghton and Hancock, Duluth, St. Paul, Minneapolis etc. connecting at Mackinaw Island with steamer lines to and from Milwaukee and Chicago, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Frankfort, Bay View, and Green Bay Ports.) * Boyne City and Charlevoix Line (daily) * East Jordan and Charlevoix Steamboat Line * Manitou Steamship Company (Between Chicago, Frankfort, Charlevoix, Petoskey, Roaring Brook,
Wequetonsing Little Traverse Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,657 at the 2020 census. Communities *Conway is an unincorporated community and census-designated place A census-designated place ( ...
, Harbor Springs, Bay View, and Mackinaw) * Northern Michigan Transportation Company (every Wednesday and Saturday between Chicago and Ludington, Manistee, Frankfort, Glen Haven, Glen Arbor, Northport, Suttons Bay, Traverse City, Old Mission, Charlevoix, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Bay View, St. James, St. Ignace, Mackinac Island, and Cheboygan) * Traverse Bay Transportation Company (daily between Traverse City, Northport, Charlevoix, and intermediate points)


Interwar era (1919–1945)

Northern Michigan continued to be a resort destination after World War I. Beginning in 1918 real estate agent, regional promoter, and self-taught architect Earl Young began to design and build his signature "mushroom houses" and other buildings out of locally harvested boulders. In 1925, members of the Charlevoix Summer Resort Association decided their existing social club needed a golf course. The members called on Scotsman
William Watson William, Willie, Bill or Billy Watson may refer to: Arts * William Watson (songwriter) (1794–1840), English concert hall singer and songwriter * William Watson (poet) (1858–1935), English poet * William J. Watson (author) (1865-1948), Scott ...
, who was working across town as head pro of the Chicago Club. Watson's resume included working on such layouts like
Interlachen Country Club The Interlachen Country Club is a private country club in Edina, Minnesota which has hosted several national golf tournaments, including the 1930 U.S. Open (won by Bobby Jones on his way to winning the Grand Slam), the 2002 Solheim Cup, and ...
in Minneapolis,
Harding Park Golf Club TPC Harding Park, formerly Harding Park Golf Club and commonly known as Harding Park, is a municipal golf course located on the West Side of San Francisco, California. It is owned by the city and county of It is now a part of the PGA Tour's ...
, and the
Olympic Club The Olympic Club is an sports club, athletic club and private social club in San Francisco, San Francisco, California. First named the "San Francisco Olympic Club", it is the oldest sports club, athletic club in the United States. Established ...
in San Francisco. At Belvedere he used five teams of horses and 150 men to build 18 holes through a pair of valleys dissected by Marion Center Rd. just south of town. Opened in 1927, the course soon became a respected tournament venue. In 1918, Albert Loeb, an executive from the Sears corporation in Chicago, built an experimental farm on the southern outskirts of Charlevoix. Known as Loeb Farms, the farm raised prizewinning cattle sold through the Sears Catalog. In its heyday it was the primary employer in Charlevoix County. Loeb's son became involved in an infamous murder trial (the
Leopold and Loeb Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. (November 19, 1904 – August 29, 1971) and Richard Albert Loeb (; June 11, 1905 – January 28, 1936), usually referred to collectively as Leopold and Loeb, were two American students at the University of Chicago ...
trial). During the trial, Scopes trial lawyer
Clarence Darrow Clarence Seward Darrow (; April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer who became famous in the 19th century for high-profile representations of trade union causes, and in the 20th century for several criminal matters, including the ...
arrived at the Charlevoix train station to visit the Loeb family at Loeb Farms. Albert Loeb died in 1924 and the farm closed in 1927 after a three-year agricultural recession. In 1926. Pine Lake was renamed Lake Charlevoix. Between 1927 and 1948, former Michigan football player
Lewis Reimann Lewis Charles Reimann (1890 – August 20, 1961) was an American author, camp operator, politician and football player. A native of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Reimann played college football for the Michigan Wolverines in 1914 and 1915 ...
founded Camp Charlevoix as a
recreational camp Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure ...
for at-risk boys. first in Ironton, Michigan and then in 1928 at a permanent 170-acre site on the shores of
Lake Charlevoix Lake Charlevoix ( ) is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest inland lake in the state with a surface area of over and of shoreline. The maximum depth in the main basin is and in the south arm, . T ...
. Reimann operated Camp Charlevoix for more than 20 years. After an expansion in 1937, Reimann sold Camp Charlevoix in 1948. Camp Charlevoix continued operations under Kenneth W. Smith until at least 1960. During Prohibition, Charlevoix became a popular place for gang members from the Chicago area. The Colonial Club, a restaurant and gambling joint on the city's north side became known as a popular place for the Midwest's most powerful and influential. John Koch, the club's owner, kept automobile license number "2", only second to the governor – a telling sign of his influence. The converted lumber barge ''Keuka'' served as a
blind pig A speakeasy, also called a beer flat or blind pig or blind tiger, was an illicit establishment that sold alcoholic beverages. The term may also refer to a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. In the United States ...
and
speakeasy A speakeasy, also called a beer flat or blind pig or blind tiger, was an illicit establishment that sold alcoholic beverages. The term may also refer to a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. In the United State ...
and sailed nightly between Boyne City and Charlevoix, hosting its guests in relative comfort. A murder aboard the ship and the pressure of
US Treasury Department The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States. It is one of 15 current U.S. government departments. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and ...
surveillance, however, forced the owner to scuttle the vessel in
Lake Charlevoix Lake Charlevoix ( ) is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest inland lake in the state with a surface area of over and of shoreline. The maximum depth in the main basin is and in the south arm, . T ...
. In 1930, the first Charlevoix Venetian Festival started as a candle-lit boat parade. (It has continued to be held annually and grown in length and in the types of entertainment offered.) In the early 1930s photographer and historian Bob Miles began a 42-year career documenting the city of Charlevoix and surrounding areas. On March 9, 1935, The Petoskey
Kiwanis Club Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. In 1987, the organization ...
sponsored a charter meeting of the Charlevloix Kiwanis Club. In 1939, the Charlevoix Kiwanis Club created Boy Scout Troop 11. Troop 11 is the second oldest Boy Scout troop in Northern Michigan. Several bridges had been built to cross the Pine River. A drawbridge was planned to be built in 1940, but due to Pearl Harbor, the completion of the current Charlevoix drawbridge bridge was delayed until 1947.


Post WWII era (1945–1980)

Charlevoix suffered economically during the decades after World War II, due to industrial restructuring and changes in fashion, as people used automobiles and airplanes to travel to new tourist destinations. The manufacturing base was displaced with jobs moved elsewhere, the train lines to the city ceased operating, and the larger tourist hotels closed due to competition from other locations. Many empty buildings were left downtown. Several large corporations, such as the nuclear power plant and the cement plant, set up operations in the early 1960s and spurred economic development in the area. In the 1960s, the lifesaving station was relocated from along the channel to the east part of Round Lake. November 18, 1958, Charlevoix City Hall served as a makeshift morgue for the bodies of crewmen of the SS ''Carl D. Bradley'' after the
lake freighter Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carriers operating on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. Freighters typically have a long, narrow hull, a raised pilothouse, and the ...
foundered in Lake Michigan during a severe storm. The USCGC ''Sundew'', stationed at Charlevoix, was one of the first vessels to arrive at the search area and played a pivotal role in that night's rescue of the two surviving crewmen. Charlevoix was home to Michigan's first
nuclear power plant A nuclear power plant (NPP), also known as a nuclear power station (NPS), nuclear generating station (NGS) or atomic power station (APS) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power st ...
, Big Rock Point, which operated from 1962 to 1997. On January 7, 1971, an unarmed USAF B-52C-45-BO, 54-2666, of the 9th BW, Westover AFB, Massachusetts, crashed into Lake Michigan near Charlevoix during a practice bomb run, exploding on impact. Only a small amount of wreckage, two life vests, and some spilled fuel were found in Little Traverse Bay. The bomber went down six nautical miles from the Bay Shore Air Force Radar Site and close to the Big Rock Point Nuclear Plant. Nine crew members were lost.Redlands, California: ''Redlands Daily Facts,'' United Press International, ''Unarmed B-52 crashes into Lake Michigan'', January 8, 1971, page one. In the 1960s, the Medusa corporation decided to build their first greenfield cement plant. they build a cement plant in Charlevoix that came on line in 1967. The plant is located south of town off of US 31 near
Fisherman's Island State Park Fisherman's Island State Park is a public recreation area of sitting on of Lake Michigan shoreline southwest of Charlevoix, Michigan. It is named for a small piece of land, Fisherman Island, located some from the mainland. For most of the per ...
. In the late 1970s, Crane Company took over Medusa and began consolidating operations. This not only resulted in modernization and investment in the Charlevoix plant, but personnel (and their families) from other Crane cement holdings were transferred into the Charlevoix area in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the late 1990s the cement plant was bought out by
Cemex CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., known as Cemex, is a Mexican multinational building materials company headquartered in San Pedro, near Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. It manufactures and distributes cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates in more than ...
, a transnational company from Mexico. In 2000 Cemex sold the plant to St Marys Cement Group. Until 2013 the cement plant was a frequent port of call for the oldest freighter on the great lakes, '' SS St. Marys Challenger''. In 1965 the Loeb Farms complex that had been fallow since 1927, was turned into a medieval castle tourist attraction by John Van Have

This venture quickly folded and was bought by the Reibel family in 1969. For the next ~25 years, the
Castle Farms Castle Farms is a special events facility located in Charlevoix, Michigan. It was constructed in 1918 by Albert Loeb, who was the Vice President of Sears, Roebuck and Company, and it was designed by Arthur Heun. History Albert Loeb built Castle ...
complex hosted large rock concerts. In 1974, Terry and Judy Edger opened WVOY-AM in Charlevoix. WVOY was a 5,000-watt daytime-only station at 1270 kHz on the AM dial. WVOY was one of the first all-contemporary-hit-music radio stations in northern Michigan and featured Bill Vogel ("The Captain," formerly of Detroit's WDRQ), John Yaroch, Rick Durkin, and other major-market-quality talent. Despite WVOY's limited signal, the station became extremely popular and gave northern Michigan listeners a taste of the "big city" radio sound.


Recent history (1980–present)

In May 1980, former WVOY employee Tim Moore started the
WKHQ-FM WKHQ-FM (105.9 MHz) is a 100,000-watt radio station licensed to Charlevoix, Michigan, with studios located on U.S. 131 South Petoskey, Michigan and US 31 Acme, Michigan. The Top 40 (CHR) station is known to listeners as '' Hits 106 KHQ, Norther ...
"The Rhythm of the Northwest" radio station in downtown Charlevoix using
TM Programming TM or Tm and variants may refer to: * Trademark, often indicated with the symbol ™ ** Trademark symbol Businesses and organizations * TM Forum, telecommunications and entertainment industry association * TM Supermarket, a chain of supermarkets ...
's " Stereo Rock" format. Despite moving its studios to Petoskey in the 1990s, WKHQ is still licensed as being from Charlevoix. The station was mentioned by
Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio presenter who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40'', as well as the weekly syndicated televi ...
several times on
American Top 40 ''American Top 40'' (abbreviated to ''AT40'') is an internationally radio syndication, syndicated, independent song countdown radio programming, radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs (broadcaster), Ron Jaco ...
radio program in the 1980s. The 1980s brought many
condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership regime in which a building (or group of buildings) is divided into multiple units that are either each separately owned, or owned in common with exclusive rights of occupation by individual own ...
developments in the area. In 1991, former farmland near Stover Creek along M-66 was developed into "Charlevoix Commons" shopping center, anchored by a K-mart with the Charlevoix Estates
mobile home park A trailer park, caravan park, mobile home park, mobile home community or manufactured home community is a temporary or permanent area for mobile homes and travel trailers. Advantages include low cost compared to other housing, and quick and e ...
across the street. Several new businesses established themselves in this area, and the Post office moved from downtown to this site in 1996. In 1993 600 acres of the undeveloped
Waller tract Waller may refer to: Places in the United States * Waller, Pennsylvania * Waller, Texas * Waller, Washington * Waller County, Texas People * Waller (surname) * nickname of John Walsh (rugby league), English rugby league footballer in the 1960s a ...
on the north side of town was transformed into an 18-hole golf course and residential development named the Charlevoix Country Club. After the 1996 murder of JonBenét Ramsey, whose family spent summers in Charlevoix and had won a pageant in the town, Charlevoix became a regular haven for tabloid photographers, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Ramsey family. John Ramsey, JonBenet's father and husband of the late Patsy Ramsey, still resides in Charlevoix. In 1997, Charlevoix made national news when it experienced a fireworks disaster during the Venetian Festival. At least one person died and 17 others were injured, while windows were shattered across downtown. In 2004 and 2005,
Wal-Mart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
tried to build a 157,400-square-foot superstore on the edge of town (
Charlevoix Township Charlevoix Township is a civil township of Charlevoix County, Michigan, Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,763 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The township surrounds the city of Charlevoix, Michi ...
) near the intersection of US-31 and Marion Center Road across from the Charlevoix airport. Amid community disagreement, some local businesses and residents formed a group called "This Is Our Town" and successfully resisted the entry of Wal-Mart into their community. For a list of historical landmarks, see Charlevoix County.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the city has a total area of , all land.


Climate

This
climatic Climate is the long-term weather pattern in a region, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorolog ...
region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Charlevoix has a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,513 people, 1,266 households, and 651 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,201 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.2%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 2.0% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population. There were 1,266 households, of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 48.6% were non-families. 42.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.61. The median age in the city was 48.1 years. 17.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.8% were from 25 to 44; 31.3% were from 45 to 64; and 23.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,994 people, 1,375 households, and 812 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,096 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.92%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.27%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 2.84% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.43% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population. There were 1,375 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.76. In the city, 21.6% of the population was the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,284, and the median income for a family was $42,853. Males had a median income of $31,544 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,319. About 3.7% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.


Culture

Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter
Joe Henry Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums. Early life H ...
, who spent much of his childhood in Michigan, includes a song entitled "Charlevoix" on his 1990 album ''Shuffletown''.


Festivals

*Petunia Planting- Petunia planting began in 1982 when "Keep Charlevoix Beautiful" organization member Dale Boss had a vision to line the streets of the city with thousands of petunias from the north side of the city limit all the way to the south and "Operation Petunia" began. Now, every Thursday before
Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...
hundreds of residents gather to plant over 60,000 petunias up and down Main Street. *Venetian-The Venetian Festival began in 1931 with a very simple boat show in Charlevoix's Round Lake and has now grown into a week-long festival bringing in tens of thousands of people and costing $200,000. Venetian now includes two nights of some of the best fireworks in Northern Michigan, big name concerts, a parade, athletic events, a carnival, a boat parade, and many more family friendly and adult activities. *Apple Fest- The 30th annual Apple Festival was celebrated in October 2008. The Apple Festival celebrates one of Northern Michigan's most prominent fruits, the apple. It gives local farmers the chance to sell their harvest right in the downtown Charlevoix area. The festival also includes pony rides, face painting, a craft show and many more activities to draw in tourism.


Tourism

Charlevoix bills itself as "Charlevoix the Beautiful" on its promotional literature and on municipal signs around the city. This moniker was also the name of a book by prominent local "stone house" architect Earl Young.


Transportation


Water

The town is situated between
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 depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
and the western end of
Lake Charlevoix Lake Charlevoix ( ) is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest inland lake in the state with a surface area of over and of shoreline. The maximum depth in the main basin is and in the south arm, . T ...
, which drains into Lake Michigan through the short Round Lake/Pine River complex in the heart of downtown Charlevoix. The Charlevoix South Pier Light Station marks the opening of the channel onto Lake Michigan. Charlevoix's Round Lake has been called the best natural harbor on Lake Michigan. The only way to get from Lake Michigan to East Jordan, Boyne City and other sites on Lake Charlevoix by boat is via Charlevoix. As a result, much commercial, industrial, and recreational boat traffic passes through Charlevoix.


U.S. Coast Guard Station

The town of Charlevoix has a U.S. Coast Guard station located in its vicinity. Station Charlevoix has served the waters of Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan for over one hundred years. The station was first sited in 1898 on the south break wall of the Pine River Channel, leading into Lake Michigan. It was officially commissioned as a
United States Lifesaving Service The United States Life-Saving ServiceDespite the lack of hyphen in its insignia, the agency itself is hyphenated in government documents including: and was a United States government agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian eff ...
Station July 5, 1900. During the early 1960s, the station was relocated to its present-day location along the Pine River Channel's Lake Charlevoix end. The area of response for Station Charlevoix runs from Cross Village down to Leland, extending into Lake Michigan through Beaver Island and the North and South Fox Islands, and covers numerous inland lakes and
waterways A waterway is any navigable body of water. Broad distinctions are useful to avoid ambiguity, and disambiguation will be of varying importance depending on the nuance of the equivalent word in other ways. A first distinction is necessary betw ...
. Spring through late fall the 41' UTB and the 25' RB-S are in operation and during the winter months, the 14' ice skiff is put into operation. There is also a U.S.
Coast Guard Auxiliary The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX, CGAux, or USCG Aux) is the uniformed, civilian volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Congress established the military organization, unit on 23 June 1939, as the United States Coa ...
Flotilla based at the Station. Some
USCG Auxiliary The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, mil ...
surface facilities are occasionally moored at Station Charlevoix.


Major highways

* is a major highway running through the heart of the city. It continues southerly toward
Traverse City Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although it partly extends into Leelanau County. The city's population was 15,678 at the 2020 census, while the four-county Traverse C ...
and
Muskegon Muskegon ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Muskegon County, Michigan, United States. Situated around a harbor of Lake Michigan, Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, and boating. It is the most populous city along Lake Michigan' ...
and northerly toward Petoskey to a terminus near
Mackinaw City Mackinaw City ( ) is a village at the northernmost point of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, United States. Divided between Cheboygan and Emmet counties, Mackinaw City is located at the southern end of the Mackinac Bridge, which carries Interst ...
. * terminates at US 31 in Charlevoix and continues southerly through East Jordan and Kalkaska en route to the southern part of the state. * begins at US 31 just northeast of the city and continues east-southeasterly toward Boyne City. * ends at US 31 immediately west of the M-66 junction on the south side of the city. This route continues southerly toward Ellsworth and Central Lake.


Bus

*The Charlevoix County Transit System provides
demand responsive transport Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...
, or dial-a-ride, bus service Monday-Saturday for the entire county. Fares are distance based. *
Indian Trails Indian Trails is an intercity bus operator primarily serving the U.S. state of Michigan, with routes also serving Wisconsin and Minnesota. Indian Trails is based in Owosso, Michigan, with offices in Romulus, East Lansing, and Kalamazoo. His ...
provides daily intercity bus service between
Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
and
Petoskey, Michigan Petoskey ( ) is the largest city in and the county seat of Emmet County, Michigan, and is the largest settlement within the county. Petoskey has a population of 5,877 at the 2020 census, up from 5,670 at the 2010 census. Petoskey is part of N ...
.


Rail

Regular intercity passenger train service ended on September 1, 1962, after the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis Potter Huntington, it reached from Virginia's capital city of Rich ...
(C&O) discontinued
Traverse City, Michigan Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, Michigan, Grand Traverse County, although it partly extends into Leelanau County, Michigan, Leelanau County. The city's population was 15, ...
– Charlevoix –
Petoskey, Michigan Petoskey ( ) is the largest city in and the county seat of Emmet County, Michigan, and is the largest settlement within the county. Petoskey has a population of 5,877 at the 2020 census, up from 5,670 at the 2010 census. Petoskey is part of N ...
service. Freight rail service ended between Charlevoix and
Williamsburg, Michigan Williamsburg is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is located in Whitewater Township, Grand Traverse County. The community is home to Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel. As an unincorporated community, William ...
in 1982 after C&O Railroad abandoned the track. The tracks were removed in 1983. The state of Michigan purchased the track between Charlevoix and Petoskey from the C&O Railroad and contracted
Michigan Northern Railway The Michigan Northern Railway was a railroad that provided service to the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from 1976 to 1986. At the beginning of service on April 1, 1976, the MIGN operated the former Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail ...
to operate it. This section of track was removed in the 1990s because of a series of washouts and no rail freight customers in Charlevoix. Sections of this rail line now serve as a bicycle trail. The Charlevoix railroad depot has been adapted as a museum of the Charlevoix Historical Society.


Air

* Charlevoix Municipal Airport is a public airport. In addition to private planes, the airport offers charter flights to Beaver Island and other locations (via
Island Airways Island Airways is a small passenger airline based in Charlevoix, Michigan, United States. It provides services to Welke Airport and Charlevoix Municipal Airport. History The airline began in 1945 as McPhillips Flying Service. In 1975, Welke Av ...
and Fresh Air Aviation).


Media

Charlevoix is primarily served by four newspapers: the '' Charlevoix Courier'', the '' Petoskey News Review'', the ''
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 ...
'', and the ''
Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' (commonly referred to as the ''Freep'') is a major daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest local newspaper owned by Gannett (the publisher of ''USA Today''), and is operated by the Detro ...
''. Most television and radio stations are based in
Traverse City Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although it partly extends into Leelanau County. The city's population was 15,678 at the 2020 census, while the four-county Traverse C ...
and serve all of the Northern Michigan region including Charlevoix.


Notable people

* Robert Boss, professional football player. * Bob Carey, All-American football and track-and-field athlete. *
Zach Hankins Zach Hankins (born July 27, 1996) is an American professional basketball player who plays for U-BT Cluj-Napoca of the Liga Nationala. He played college basketball for the Xavier Musketeers his senior season. As a power forward/ center, Hanki ...
(born 1996), basketball player for
Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Jerusalem is a sport organization in Jerusalem as a local branch of the Hapoel movement. The branch was established in the 1920s and represents the city in more sports than any other sport organization in Jerusalem. Today, the club's lead ...
of the
Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl (, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is a professional basketball league in Israel and the highest level of basketball in the country. The league's name is abbreviated as either BSL ...
*
Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...
, iconic author, spent his boyhood summers in the area, setting many of his
Nick Adams Stories ''The Nick Adams Stories'' is a volume of short stories written by Ernest Hemingway published in 1972, a decade after the author's death. In the volume, all the stories featuring Nick Adams, published in various collections during Hemingway's ...
on or near
Lake Charlevoix Lake Charlevoix ( ) is a lake in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the third largest inland lake in the state with a surface area of over and of shoreline. The maximum depth in the main basin is and in the south arm, . T ...
. * Albert Loeb, lawyer and vice president of
Sears and Roebuck Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears ( ), is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwal ...
who built the Castle Farm test farm complex in Charlevoix. * Richard Albert Loeb, son of Albert, of
Leopold and Loeb Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. (November 19, 1904 – August 29, 1971) and Richard Albert Loeb (; June 11, 1905 – January 28, 1936), usually referred to collectively as Leopold and Loeb, were two American students at the University of Chicago ...
murder trial fame. *
Jetty Rae Jetty Rae (born January 13, 1987) is an unsigned American indie folk singer-songwriter (also part of the group Pen Pals) whose career began in Kona, Hawaii, but now resides in Michigan. Notable appearances include Lilith Fair 2010, CMJ Music ...
, musician and independent artist. *
John Bennett Ramsey John Bennett Ramsey (born December 7, 1943) is an American businessman, author, and father of Killing of JonBenét Ramsey, JonBenét Ramsey, the victim of an unsolved homicide. Early life and education Ramsey was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the ...
, businessman, father of JonBenet Ramsey, resided in Charlevoix. * JonBenét Ramsey summered here with her family until her death in 1996, and her family moved here after her murder. * Willard J. Smith, thirteenth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. *
Glendon Swarthout Glendon Fred Swarthout (April 8, 1918 – September 23, 1992) was an American writer and novelist. Several of his novels were made into films. ''Where the Boys Are'', and ''The Shootist'', which was John Wayne's last work, are probably the bes ...
, novelist. * Edward Carson Waller, Prominent Chicago real estate developer, Spent much time in Charlevoix and developed Waller farm in which covered much of the northern end of town along Lake Michigan. Waller Rd. in Charlevoix is named for him. * Alson Wood, Wisconsin politician, lived in Charlevoix. * Earl Young, builder of distinctive stone houses


Notes


External links


Charlevoix official websiteCharlevoix Area Chamber of commerceCharlevoix Historical Society
{{Authority control Cities in Charlevoix County, Michigan County seats in Michigan Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan Superfund sites in Michigan Populated places established in 1852 1852 establishments in Michigan