Alanson, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Alanson is a village in Emmet County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census
, the village population was 785.
Alanson is in Littlefield Township
on U.S. Highway 31 at the junction with M-68
. Petoskey
is about 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest on US 31 and Mackinaw City
and the Mackinac Bridge
are about 25 miles (40.2 km) north. Interstate 75
is about 11 miles (17.7 km) to the east on M-68 at Indian River
.
Alanson was first settled in 1875. The Alanson post office opened with the name Hinman on January 17, 1877 and changed to Alanson on June 22, 1882.
, Alanson is part of the Inland Water Route, which includes: Crooked, Burt
, and Mullett
Lakes, and the Crooked, Indian
, and Cheboygan
Rivers. The Inland Water Route Historical Society Museum is located in Alanson.
Alanson also has a hillside garden located adjacent to the former Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
depot.
Both the town and the Crooked River are mentioned in a song title on the Sufjan Stevens
album, Michigan
.
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (3.96%) is water.
of 2000, there were 785 people, 323 households, and 207 families residing in the village. The population density
was 807.8 per square mile (312.5/km²). There were 407 housing units at an average density of 418.8 per square mile (162.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 89.55% White, 0.89% African American, 5.61% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.51% from other races
, and 3.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 323 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $33,125, and the median income for a family was $38,333. Males had a median income of $23,929 versus $20,568 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $20,703. About 4.0% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
Emmet County, Michigan
Emmet County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 31,437. The county seat is Petoskey.The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the village population was 785.
Alanson is in Littlefield Township
Littlefield Township, Michigan
Littlefield Township is a civil township of Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,783 at the 2000 census.-Communities:* Alanson is a village on the Crooked River at the junction of US 31 and M-68....
on U.S. Highway 31 at the junction with M-68
M-68 (Michigan highway)
M-68 is an east–west state trunkline highway located in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The western terminus of the highway begins four miles east of the Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan and ends a few blocks from Lake Huron in Rogers City...
. Petoskey
Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County....
is about 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest on US 31 and Mackinaw City
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Mackinaw City is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census the population was 859. The name "Mackinaw City" is a bit of a misnomer as it is actually a village...
and the Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
are about 25 miles (40.2 km) north. Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
is about 11 miles (17.7 km) to the east on M-68 at Indian River
Indian River, Michigan
Indian River is an unincorporated community in Cheboygan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and is not legally recognized as a municipality. The population was 2,008 at the 2000 census....
.
Alanson was first settled in 1875. The Alanson post office opened with the name Hinman on January 17, 1877 and changed to Alanson on June 22, 1882.
Attractions
Located on the Crooked RiverCrooked River (Michigan)
The Crooked River is a river in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is short stream, less than long, flowing northeast from Crooked Lake at near Alanson into Burt Lake at . It forms part of the Inland Waterway of Michigan....
, Alanson is part of the Inland Water Route, which includes: Crooked, Burt
Burt Lake
Burt Lake is a 17,120 acre lake in Cheboygan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The western shore of the lake is on the boundary with Emmet County...
, and Mullett
Mullett Lake
Mullett Lake is a lake in Cheboygan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lake is named after John Mullett, who, together with William A. Burt, made a federal survey of the area from 1840 to 1843. A neighboring lake was named after Burt. Historically, Mullett Lake has been recorded as Mullet...
Lakes, and the Crooked, Indian
Indian River (Mullett Lake)
Indian River in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan is a short waterway in Cheboygan County that flows from Burt Lake at to Mullett Lake at...
, and Cheboygan
Cheboygan River
The Cheboygan River is a short but significant river in the Lake Huron drainage basin of the U.S. state of Michigan. in length, the Cheboygan River flows from the north end of Mullett Lake at to the Straits of Mackinac at . The river forms the boundary between Benton Township and Inverness...
Rivers. The Inland Water Route Historical Society Museum is located in Alanson.
Alanson also has a hillside garden located adjacent to the former Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA...
depot.
Both the town and the Crooked River are mentioned in a song title on the Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
album, Michigan
Michigan (album)
Bonus tracks included on the double-disc vinyl release:#"Marching Band" – 3:41#"Niagara Falls" – 2:22#"Pickerel Lake" – 3:11#"Presidents and Magistrates" – 4:16#"Vito's Ordination Song" – 5:25#"Wolverine" – 2:10...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), of which, 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (3.96%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 785 people, 323 households, and 207 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 807.8 per square mile (312.5/km²). There were 407 housing units at an average density of 418.8 per square mile (162.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 89.55% White, 0.89% African American, 5.61% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.51% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 323 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $33,125, and the median income for a family was $38,333. Males had a median income of $23,929 versus $20,568 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $20,703. About 4.0% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.