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Montmorency County, Michigan

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Montmorency County (/ˌmɒntməˈrɛnsi/ MONT-mə-REN-see) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,153,[3] making it the second-least populous county in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, behind its southern neighbor, Oscoda County. The county seat is Atlanta.[4]

Montmorency County
County
View of Long Lake near Hillman
View of Long Lake near Hillman
Official seal of Montmorency County
Seal
Map of Michigan highlighting Montmorency County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°02′N 84°08′W / 45.03°N 84.13°W / 45.03; -84.13
Country United States
State Michigan
Founded1840 (created)
1881 (organized)[1]
Named forHouse of Montmorency
SeatAtlanta
Largest settlementLewiston
Hillman (incorporated)
Area
 • Total
563 sq mi (1,460 km2)
 • Land547 sq mi (1,420 km2)
 • Water16 sq mi (40 km2)  2.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
9,153
 • Density18/sq mi (7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitemontcounty.org
1842 map, showing Montmorency County as Cheonoquet, the county's name from 1840 to 1843.[2]

Montmorency County is part of Northern Michigan, and is part of the Lake Huron watershed. The Thunder Bay River, which drains much of the county, flows to Lake Huron's Thunder Bay at Alpena.

History

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See also: Northern Michigan § History

The county was created by the Michigan Legislature in 1840 as Cheonoquet County,[2][5] after a well-known Chippewa (also known as Ojibwa) Chief, whose name meant Big Cloud.[6] Cheonoquet took part in Indian treaties in 1807, 1815, 1825 and 1837.[7][8] Renamed Montmorency County on March 8, 1843,[2] it was originally spelled Montmorenci, and historians conjecture this reflects the area's French-Canadian influence: the French Duke of Montmorency purchased a lieutenant governorship in Canada and the first archbishop of Canada—Montmorency-Laval—both could be influences on the county's name. (There was no "Count Morenci" aiding the American Revolution). The county was organized in 1881.[1] The reason for the change in spelling is subject to some dispute.[8] See List of Michigan county name etymologies. The name Montmorency probably means Mountain Moor. Montmorency is a boggy land or moor that is at the top of a broad mount or highland. When the county was organized in 1881, some land area was taken from Cheboygan and Alpena counties. Three townships were divided: Briley, Montmorency and Rust. By 1901 Albert, Hillman Township and Wheatfield were added. Brush Creek, now known as Hillman, was the first county seat. In 1891 the county seat was moved to Atlanta.[7]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 563 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 547 square miles (1,420 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (2.8%) is water.[9] Although it lies on Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Montmorency County is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Most of the county is covered by state forest land. There is an abundance of lakes, such as Long Lake. Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the Grayling outwash plain, a broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges, jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.[10]

Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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There are no traffic lights in Montmorency County, although a few blinking lights exist at highway junctions.

Communities

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Village

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Census-designated places

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Townships

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Other unincorporated communities

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18901,487—
19003,234117.5%
19103,75516.1%
19204,0898.9%
19302,814−31.2%
19403,84036.5%
19504,1257.4%
19604,4247.2%
19705,24718.6%
19807,49242.8%
19908,93619.3%
200010,31515.4%
20109,765−5.3%
20209,153−6.3%
2023 (est.)9,678[11]5.7%
US Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2018[3]

As of the 2000 United States census,[16] there were 10,315 people, 4,455 households, and 3,047 families residing in the county. In 2020, its population declined to 9,153.

Economy

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Dairy products and dry beans are an important part of the county's agricultural production. Service industry and retail trade relating to tourism make up most of the economic base in this rural area.[17] Boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities are offered in abundance.[18]

Government

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Voters in Montmorency County favored Democratic Party nominees at the start, but since 1896 have usually voted for the Republican Party. Republican Party nominees have garnered the Montmorency County vote 76% of the time (26 of 34 elections).

United States presidential election results for Montmorency County, Michigan[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 4,599 71.49% 1,702 26.46% 132 2.05%
2020 4,171 71.14% 1,628 27.77% 64 1.09%
2016 3,498 69.52% 1,287 25.58% 247 4.91%
2012 2,928 57.97% 2,049 40.57% 74 1.47%
2008 2,841 53.00% 2,403 44.83% 116 2.16%
2004 3,300 59.32% 2,196 39.48% 67 1.20%
2000 2,750 54.90% 2,139 42.70% 120 2.40%
1996 1,760 38.33% 2,120 46.17% 712 15.51%
1992 1,794 37.45% 1,903 39.72% 1,094 22.83%
1988 2,514 61.32% 1,563 38.12% 23 0.56%
1984 2,913 67.54% 1,387 32.16% 13 0.30%
1980 2,400 55.71% 1,654 38.39% 254 5.90%
1976 1,882 52.03% 1,684 46.56% 51 1.41%
1972 1,798 64.49% 914 32.78% 76 2.73%
1968 1,279 54.40% 810 34.45% 262 11.14%
1964 863 38.60% 1,369 61.23% 4 0.18%
1960 1,565 64.32% 866 35.59% 2 0.08%
1956 1,385 69.39% 608 30.46% 3 0.15%
1952 1,449 71.91% 544 27.00% 22 1.09%
1948 1,054 64.11% 553 33.64% 37 2.25%
1944 1,034 65.20% 541 34.11% 11 0.69%
1940 1,189 60.48% 768 39.06% 9 0.46%
1936 792 44.05% 958 53.28% 48 2.67%
1932 595 38.04% 903 57.74% 66 4.22%
1928 787 73.97% 270 25.38% 7 0.66%
1924 748 63.93% 140 11.97% 282 24.10%
1920 832 75.57% 199 18.07% 70 6.36%
1916 396 54.25% 272 37.26% 62 8.49%
1912 325 43.62% 163 21.88% 257 34.50%
1908 580 75.23% 179 23.22% 12 1.56%
1904 654 80.54% 146 17.98% 12 1.48%
1900 543 69.17% 233 29.68% 9 1.15%
1896 481 58.73% 330 40.29% 8 0.98%
1892 246 47.67% 255 49.42% 15 2.91%
1888 235 48.86% 237 49.27% 9 1.87%
1884 93 38.91% 137 57.32% 9 3.77%

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

Elected officials

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(information as of August 2018)

Recreation

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  • Atlanta is the "Elk Capital of Michigan".[20] Every year during opening day of Elk hunting season the largest bagged are displayed at the "buck pole" on the town's central square. During the off season, driving around in the wilderness surrounding Atlanta looking for these graceful creatures becomes a pastime of locals, cottagers, and tourists.[21]
  • Rainbow trout, brook trout, steelhead, perch, bass and other pan fish abound. The county is a hotbed of fly fishing and angling on the edge of some world-class streams and rivers.
  • White tail deer hunting is a popular local activity and the firearms deer season opening (November 15) being noted as a holiday to some residents, with schools being closed on opening day.[22] Most of the land in Montmorency County is controlled by state or federal government, making the county a popular hunting area.[23]
  • Snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and snow mobile riding are popular outdoor activities. The Sno*Drift rallying race is held on snowy surfaces in February.
  • Morel mushroom hunting is a local pastime and attracts many tourists.
  • There are many recurring events throughout the area,[24][25] such as the annual sled dog races held near the end of January on Clear Lake State Park.[26]

ORV/ATV and snowmobile trails are some of the state's best. Many areas are designated as "trail mazes" on some maps.[27] Montmorency County is one of the few counties that allow ATVs on public county roads, thus creating access for fuel, food and various hotels to Hillman, Atlanta, and Lewiston.[28] The main trail system incorporates a scenic Elk tour and various levels of ATV trails.

Media

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The newspaper of record for Montmorency County is the Montmorency County Tribune.[29]

Endangered species

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Montmorency County is home to Michigan's most endangered species and one of the most endangered species in the world: the Hungerford's crawling water beetle. The species lives in only five locations in the world, two of which are in Montmorency County, both inside the Mackinaw State Forest. The first site is along the East Branch of the Black River where two adult beetles were found in surveys in 1989 and two more again in 1996. In July 1999, six additional adult beetles were identified in the county living in Van Hetton Creek. This latter find was significant as it represented a new location beyond those originally identified when the Hungerford's crawling water beetle was categorized as endangered on March 7, 1994, under the provisions of the US Endangered Species Act. The Van Hetton Creek sighting therefore provides the possibility that more of these very rare beetles might be found elsewhere in Montmorency County.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Bibliography on Montmorency County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Newberry Library. "Michigan: Individual County Chronologies". Atlas of County Historical Boundaries. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2016.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ George Dawson (1840). Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840. Detroit. pp. 196–200.
  6. ^ Powers, Perry F. (1912). "A History of Northern Michigan and Its People". google.com.
  7. ^ a b "Montmorency County genealogical page". Archived from the original on December 14, 2007.
  8. ^ a b Montmorency County home page.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  10. ^ "NPWRC :: Regional Landscape". usgs.gov. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013.
  11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  17. ^ "Montmorency County economic profile". Archived from the original on July 15, 2007.
  18. ^ "Montmorency County tourism profile" (PDF). Michigan State University extension service. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 10, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2007.
  19. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  20. ^ "About us". AtlantaMichiganChamber.com. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  21. ^ "Pigeon River Country Elk Range". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  22. ^ "J-L School Calendar". jlas.org. Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  23. ^ "Economic profiler, Montmorency County". michigan.org. July 15, 2007. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007.
  24. ^ "List and calendar of events". NEMichigan.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2001.
  25. ^ "Calendar of events". hillmanchamber.org. Hillman MI: Hillman Area Chamber of Commerce. 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  26. ^ "MUSH Clear Lake State Park Sled Dog Race". sleddogcentral.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  27. ^ "Montmorency Township". Michigan County Atlas. Sections 3 & 4 (2nd ed.). Kappa Publications: 127. ISBN 978-0-7625-6505-4.
  28. ^ "Off Road Vehicle Road Map" (PDF). Montmorency County Tribune. 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2018 – via montmorencytribune.com.
  29. ^ "The Montmorency County Tribune - News, Sports, Weather and Entertainment". www.montmorencytribune.com.
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