Cheboygan River
Encyclopedia
The Cheboygan River is a short but significant river in the Lake Huron
drainage basin of the U.S. state of Michigan
.
7 miles (11.3 km) in length, the Cheboygan River flows from the north end of Mullett Lake
at 45°34′37"N 84°29′16"W to the Straits of Mackinac
at 45°39′22"N 84°27′55"W. The river forms the boundary between Benton Township
and Inverness Township
before flowing into the city of Cheboygan
. The largest tributary is the Black River
. The Cheboygan River is entirely contained within Michigan's Cheboygan County
, and the county seat of Cheboygan is located at the river's mouth. The river forms the port of Cheboygan and serves as a dock for the ferry boat to Bois Blanc Island
and the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw
.
Cheboygan was founded as a lumber
ing town to cut timbers harvested from the Cheboygan River's drainage and floated down to mills (now mostly vanished) at the mouth of the river. Today, one of the biggest industries of the town and river of Cheboygan is pleasure boating
up and down the river. The river is a key artery of the Inland Waterway
, a pleasure-boat necklace of waterways in the northern section of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
.
The mouth of the Black River, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Cheboygan, is a noted spot to look for bald eagle
s and other fish-eating raptor
s.
In Cheboygan itself, U.S. Highway 23 is carried across the Cheboygan River by the Cheboygan Bascule Bridge, a Scherzer rolling lift bridge built in 1940 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
in December 1999. In 2009, Cheboygan city authorities built an elevated pedestrian bridge across the Cheboygan near its mouth.
The mouth of the Cheboygan River into Lake Huron is marked by the Cheboygan Crib Light.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
drainage basin of the U.S. state 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"....
.
7 miles (11.3 km) in length, the Cheboygan River flows from the north end of Mullett Lake
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...
at 45°34′37"N 84°29′16"W to the Straits of Mackinac
Straits of Mackinac
The Straits of Mackinac is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a shipping lane providing passage for raw materials and finished goods, connecting, for...
at 45°39′22"N 84°27′55"W. The river forms the boundary between Benton Township
Benton Township, Cheboygan County, Michigan
Benton Township is a civil township of Cheboygan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,080.-Geography:...
and Inverness Township
Inverness Township, Michigan
Inverness Township is a civil township of Cheboygan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,278 at the 2000 census.-Communities:...
before flowing into the city of Cheboygan
Cheboygan, Michigan
Cheboygan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,295. It is the county seat of Cheboygan County....
. The largest tributary is the Black River
Black River (Cheboygan County)
Black River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan, flowing mostly northward through four Northern Michigan counties: Otsego, Montmorency, Presque Isle, and Cheboygan. The Black River flows into the Cheboygan River at , just south of the city of Cheboygan...
. The Cheboygan River is entirely contained within Michigan's Cheboygan County
Cheboygan County, Michigan
-Commercial Airline:There are no commercial airline airports in Cheboygan County but the nearest ones are Alpena County Regional Airport, Chippewa County International Airport , and Cherry Capital Airport...
, and the county seat of Cheboygan is located at the river's mouth. The river forms the port of Cheboygan and serves as a dock for the ferry boat to Bois Blanc Island
Bois Blanc Island (Michigan)
Bois Blanc Island is coterminous with Bois Blanc Township, Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The island covers about and is about 12 miles long, 6 miles wide and has 6 lakes. Bois Blanc is located in Lake Huron southeast of Mackinac Island and almost due north of the city of...
and the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw
USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30)
USCGC Mackinaw is a vessel built as a heavy icebreaker for operations on the North American Great Lakes for the United States Coast Guard. IMO number: 9271054...
.
Cheboygan was founded as a lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
ing town to cut timbers harvested from the Cheboygan River's drainage and floated down to mills (now mostly vanished) at the mouth of the river. Today, one of the biggest industries of the town and river of Cheboygan is pleasure boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
up and down the river. The river is a key artery of the Inland Waterway
Inland Waterway (Michigan)
The Inland Waterway or Inland Water Route is a series of rivers and lakes in the U.S. state of Michigan. With only a short portage, it forms a navigable route for small craft connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan across the Northern Michigan region....
, a pleasure-boat necklace of waterways in the northern section of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
Description
The Cheboygan River descends 13 feet (4 m) in its 6 miles (9.7 km) length, from 594 feet (181.1 m) above sea level, the level of Mullett Lake, to Lake Huron at 581 feet (177.1 m) above sea level. The river and other sections of the Inland Waterway are made accessible by locksLock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
.
The mouth of the Black River, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Cheboygan, is a noted spot to look for bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s and other fish-eating raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
s.
In Cheboygan itself, U.S. Highway 23 is carried across the Cheboygan River by the Cheboygan Bascule Bridge, a Scherzer rolling lift bridge built in 1940 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in December 1999. In 2009, Cheboygan city authorities built an elevated pedestrian bridge across the Cheboygan near its mouth.
The mouth of the Cheboygan River into Lake Huron is marked by the Cheboygan Crib Light.