KALKASKA COUNTY, MICHIGAN

'Kalkaska County' is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 16,571. The county seat is Kalkaska⁶.

Contents

Geography

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

History

Government

Kalkaska County elected officials

Cities, villages, and townships

External links

Further reading

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,478 km² (571 mi²). 1,453 km² (561 mi²) of it is land and 25 km² (10 mi²) of it (1.71%) is water.
Kalkaska County has over 80 lakes and 275 miles of streams and rivers. Starvation Lake and Lake Skegemog are located in the county with many others. The largest rivers include the Manistee, Boardman, and Rapid River.
Kalkaska Sand, the state soil of Michigan, was named after the county because of the large amounts deposited in the area from the glaciers in the Ice Age.

Major highways

★ US 131

★ M-66

★ M-72

Adjacent counties

★ Antrim County (north)

★ Crawford County (east)

★ Missaukee County (south)

★ Grand Traverse County (west)

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 11/km² (30/mi²). There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 7/km² (19/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.54% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 98.8% spoke English as their first language.

'Kalkaska County'
Year	Population	Change
1940	5,159	-
1950	4,597	-10.9%
1960	4,382	-4.7%
1970	5,372	22.6%
1980	10,592	97.2%
1990	13,497	27.4%
2000	16,571	22.8%
2005 (est.)	17,239	4.0%

There were 6,428 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,072, and the median income for a family was $39,932. Males had a median income of $31,860 versus $20,455 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,309. About 8.20% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

History

The first settler in Kalkaska County was an Englishman named William Copeland, who purchased land in the northwest corner of the county in 1855. The county was originally called Wabasee. The name Kalkaska is thought to be a Chippewa word meaning flat or burned-over country. Logging was the first important industry.
The discovery of substantial deposits of oil and natural gas resulted in the construction of a processing plant by Shell Oil Company in 1973 and a major economic boom in the community.

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the
major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers
public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and
other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the
budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local
government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street
maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Kalkaska County elected officials

★ Prosecuting Attorney: Brian Donnelly

★ Sheriff: William Artress

★ County Clerk: Patricia Rodgers

★ County Treasurer: Gwen Gehrcke

★ Register of Deeds: Joan Hall

★ Drain Commissioner: Francis Kelly
(information as of September 2005)

Cities, villages, and townships

★ Bear Lake Township

★ Blue Lake Township

★ Boardman Township

★ Clearwater Township

★ Coldsprings Township

★ Excelsior Township

★ Garfield Township

★ Kalkaska Township

★ Kalkaska, village

★ Oliver Township

★ Orange Township

★ Rapid River Township

★ Springfield Township

External links

★ Kalkaska County government

★ Village of Kalkaska

★ Kalkaska Memorial Health Center

★ Kalkaska Chamber of Commerce

★ Kiwanis Club of Kalkaska

★ Michigan Heritage & Research Foundation

★ National Trout Festival

★ Historical Society of Kalkaska

★ Kalkaska Visitors Guide

Further reading

★ Kalkaska Genealogical Society: ''Big Trout, Black Gold: History of Kalkaska County, Michigan''. nd.