Houghton, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Houghton is a city
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country
on the Keweenaw Peninsula
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat
of Houghton County
. It has been listed as one of the "100 Best Small Towns in America."
Houghton is sometimes confused with, or thought to be close to, Houghton Lake
; the latter is actually located in the state's Lower Peninsula
. Due to its location in the northwestern portion of the Upper Peninsula, Houghton is isolated from the state's most populous areas. It is farther to drive from Houghton to Detroit, Michigan
than it is from Detroit to Washington, DC. It takes several fewer hours to travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
or Minneapolis, Minnesota
from Houghton than it does to travel to Detroit.
Houghton was named after Houghton County, which was named after Douglass Houghton
, an American geologist
and physician
, primarily known for his exploration of the Keweenaw Peninsula
of Michigan.
The area lends itself to a wide variety of outdoor sports, both winter (ice hockey
, Nordic
and Alpine skiing
, figure skating
, and snowmobiling) and summer (trail running
, hiking
, camping
, river
and sea kayaking, sailing
, windsurfing
and road and mountain biking
).
Native Americans mined copper in and around what would later be Houghton
thousands of years before European settlement. "French explorers had noted... [its] existence [in the area] as early as the seventeenth century, [and in] 1772 Alexander Henry had prospected for copper on the Ontonagon River
near Victoria." When Horace Greeley
said, "Go West, young man" he was referring to the copper rush in "Michigan's western Upper Peninsula."
Many Cornish
and Finnish immigrants arrived in the Houghton area to work in the copper mines; both groups have had a great influence on the culture and cuisine of the local area. The Finns and others called much of the area Copper Island
. Smaller numbers of French-Canadian immigrants moved to Houghton, while more of them settled elsewhere in Houghton County.
The last nearby mines closed in the late 1960s, but a school founded in 1885 by the Michigan State Legislature to teach metallurgy and mining engineering, the Michigan College of Mines, continues today under the name of Michigan Technological University
and is the primary employer in the city.
The first known European settler of Houghton was named Ransom Sheldon
, who set up a store named Ransom's near Portage Lake, though it is unclear whether this was in the same building as the 1852 Shelden and Shafer drugs, sometimes described as "the first commercial building constructed in Houghton," which Sheldon owned with his son Ransom B. The main street of Houghton, variously called "Sheldon Avenue," Sheldon Street and Shelden Avenue, is named for him. In the 1970s the construction of a parking deck and the connection of downtown stores to create Sheldon Center
significantly changed the downtown.
William W. Henderson was appointed the first postmaster of Houghton in 1852.
Houghton gained in importance as a port with the opening of the Keweenaw Waterway
in 1873; the waterway being the cumulative dredging and extension of the Portage Lake, Portage Shipping Canal and Lily Pond so as to isolate the northern part of the Keweenaw Peninsula into Copper Island.
In 1854, Ernest F. Pletschke
platted Houghton, which was incorporated as a village by Sheldon, C[hristopher] C[olumbus] Douglass and Capt. Richard Edwards three years later. In Houghton's first days it was said that "only thieves, crooks, murderers and Indians
" lived there. The postwar boom and increasing demand for copper wiring fueled the development of Houghton in the 1860s and 1870s.
By 1880 Houghton had become "a burgeoning city" and in 1883, the railroad was extended from Marquette
.
1909 saw the founding of what would later become Portage Lake District Library
.
During the bitter Copper Country Strike of 1913-1914, the Michigan National Guard
was called in after the sheriff petitioned the governor.
Houghton was the birthplace of professional ice hockey in the United States when the Portage Lakers were formed in 1903. Houghton is the home of the Portage Lake Pioneers Senior Hockey Team. The team's home ice is Dee Stadium
, named after James R. Dee. Dee Stadium was originally called the Amphidrome, before it was severely damaged in a 1927 fire. (The stadium
also contains a skatepark
for skateboarding
.)
In the winter of 2001, Houghton was the site of one of the first lumitalos (Finnish temporary snow houses) to be constructed in the United States.
stamps" issued by the United States Postal Service
.
One of the 2006 United States Postal Service snowflake stamps ("photographed in Houghton by Caltech physicist
Kenneth Libbrecht using a digital camera
and special microscope
") was unveiled in Houghton.
A pictorial postmark commemorating Winter Carnival
2007, "Ancient Worlds Come to Play in Snowy Drifts of Modern Day," was applied at the Winter Carnival temporary station in Michigan Technological University's Memorial Union Building, February 10, 2007 (see below).
. The city is bounded on the east by Portage Township
and Pilgrim, on the west by Dakota Heights
and on the south by Hurontown and Isle Royale Location, unincorporated communities that are part of Portage Township; and also on the west by Adams Township
. Houghton is named after Douglass Houghton
, discoverer of copper
nearby. Houghton is also the home of Michigan Technological University
. The city is served by Houghton County Memorial Airport
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), of which, 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (5.48%) is water.
In the West Houghton neighborhood is West Houghton Park, containing an outdoor ice rink and lawn tennis courts. Along Portage Lake is the Raymond Kestner Waterfront Recreation Area, the principal feature of which is a large "Chutes and Ladders" playground
; it also includes Houghton Beach. Along the waterfront, in the area that used to be occupied by the railroad tracks, runs the "flat, paved" Waterfront Trail
for bikers and pedestrians; at one end of this is the Houghton RV Park, at the other end the Nara Nature Park and midway along this corridor is "Mattila Square". Princess Point is also along this trail. Veterans Park is just across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge
from Hancock, and contains the memorial to the Houghton Company, which fought in the Civil War. Houghton is the headquarters for Isle Royale National Park
.
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The Portage Lift Bridge
crosses Portage Lake
, connecting Hancock
and Houghton, Michigan, by crossing over Portage Lake
, which is part of the river and canal system that crosses the entire peninsula. The Portage Lift Bridge is the world's heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge. Its center span "lifts" to provide 100 feet (30.5 m) of clearance for ships. Since rail traffic was discontinued in the Keweenaw, the lower deck is used to accommodate snowmobile
traffic in the winter. This is the only land based link between the north and south section of the Keweenaw peninsula, and is crucial.
but the (typically) long and snowy (due to lake-effect snow, with an average of 208 inches (528 cm) winters make the city feel as though it is in a climate much further north. It is sometimes said that Houghton has "two seasons: winter's here and winter's coming."
While Houghton's winters may be the subject of humor, residents take the subject of snow and winter very seriously. Houghton is one of the premier "Winter Cities" found anywhere. A "Winter City
" is a community that accommodates winter, celebrates it, and whose residents generally enjoy the season by participating in a variety of outdoor activities. Among those activities are cross country skiing, snow-shoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating and outdoor hockey, among other activities. Houghton celebrates winter through the "Winter Carnival" organized by Michigan Tech every year in February.
Houghton's summer climate tends to be especially pleasant, as hot temperatures are often moderated by the cool waters of the nearby Lake Superior.
; this is often held in conjunction with "Seafoodfest." Every fall, the Parade of Nations takes place in downtown Houghton to commemorate the ethnic diversity of Michigan Technological University. "Strawberry Fest" is held every summer, which not only celebrates the fruit
, but also includes an art market with paintings, photos, sculptures, and crafts.
The city houses two museums. The Carnegie Museum
, located in the former Portage Lake District Library building, contains photographs from the Raffaelli Historical Photo Collection. and other artifacts on the history of the local area, as well as a mural depicting the history of Houghton
, Ontonagon
, Baraga
and Keweenaw
Counties and exhibits of artwork
. The AE Seaman Mineral Museum, state mineral museum of Michigan, is located on the campus of Michigan Technological University.
Houghton is often the host of winter sporting events, due to its long winters and many ski hills. The 2006 Cross Country Skiing Junior Olympics took place in Houghton. The US National Championships for Nordic Skiing
took place in Houghton in January 2007. In addition, the International Frisbee
Tournament (IFT) takes place every year in Houghton and the roll-out of the distance events of the Keweenaw Chain Drive bike races of Houghton and Hancock takes place in downtown Houghton.
Other winter events focus around Michigan Technological University
. Michigan Tech hosts a yearly Winter Carnival in which thousands of visitors come to see snow sculptures built by members of fraternities, sororities, other student organizations, as well as a few community groups, and participate in the week-long celebration. Students at the university also receive several days of vacation for Carnival. As part of Winter Carnival 2006, the city of Houghton and the university broke three world records: the largest snowball
, the largest snowball fight
, and the largest number of people making snow angel
s in one place. They currently still hold two of these records: largest snowball and largest snowball fight.
The Daily Mining Gazette
(formerly The Mining Gazette) is a daily newspaper published in Houghton.
The town is sometimes referred to by locals as "Hoton" or "Ho-town." "Hoton" is even stenciled on city property. Since Houghton and Hancock are very near each other, their combined area is often referred to as "Houghton-Hancock," though the towns are often fierce rivals, something particularly manifested by the sports rivalry between Houghton High School
and Hancock Central.
Tourism is a major industry in Houghton. Summer tourism is very popular, especially among those wishing to tour old mines, visit various historical sites, and camp. Winter tourism is also very active from November through April, for snowmobiling, skiing and other winter sports.
of 2000, there were 7,010 people, 2,114 households, and 877 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,625.5 per square mile (628.0/km²). There were 2,222 housing units at an average density of 515.2 per square mile (199.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.24% White
, 1.87% Black or African American
, 0.40% Native American
, 6.79% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.24% from other races
, and 1.44% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.4% were of German
, 12.7% Finnish, 8.2% Irish
, 8.0% English
, 6.0% Polish and 5.1% Italian
ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.8% spoke English
, 1.8% Spanish
and 1.2% Chinese
as their first language.
There were 2,114 households out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.6% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 58.5% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were one-person households and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.94. Note that the United States Census Bureau
does not consider people living in communal arrangements, such as university dormitories, to be part of a household; this is relevant in a community with a large student presence such as Houghton.
The age distribution was 12.0% under the age of 18, 55.2% from 18 to 24, 15.3% from 25 to 44, 10.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 160.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 173.2 males. The unusual age and sex distribution can be explained by the presence of Michigan Tech, a university focused strongly on the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,186, and the median income for a family was $41,779. Males had a median income of $36,161 versus $28,639 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,750. About 20.3% of families and 36.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.
The local school district is Houghton-Portage Township Schools
. Students K-12 are served by Houghton Elementary (K-5), Middle (6-8), and High (9-12) Schools. Houghton is also the home of Michigan Technological University
.
and Copper Harbor
. To the south and east US 41 routes to L'Anse
and Marquette
. connects Houghton southwest to . provides a loop route from US 41 in neighboring Hancock to McLain State Park
. and then back to US 41.
Houghton Motor Transit operates both a demand bus and a route bus throughout Houghton and in nearby parts of Portage Township; there are also night trips to Mont Ripley
in Ripley
.
Houghton is the port of departure for Isle Royale National Park
. Cruise ships on the great lakes formerly (in the 1950s) used to frequently stop in Houghton, but this is now an exceedingly rare occurrence.
Houghton is served by the Houghton County Memorial Airport
, which has limited commercial service.
Houghton was formerly served by airship. A seaplane
departs from Houghton to Isle Royale National Park.
Snowmobiling is a major winter activity in the area, both locally (snowmobiles are often the best available means of transportation after a blizzard) and as a tourist industry. The Bill Nichols Snowmobile Trail has a terminus in Houghton.
Power for Houghton is provided by the Upper Peninsula Power Company
.
) and West Houghton.
See also: Pryor's Location, Michigan
s The Truth About Fire by Elizabeth Hartmann, A Superior Death and Winter Study by Nevada Barr
, and the poem "The Idea of Children at Houghton, Michigan" in Gavin Ewart's Penultimate Poems. Much of Ander Monson
's Other Electricities takes place in Houghton. The song called 'Honesty' by Zerzy's Dreams is about Houghton. Comedian John Oliver also talks about Houghton in a February 2010 comedy show performed at Michigan Tech. It can be found titled 'Exactly Where I Need to Be.'
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
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"....
's Upper Peninsula and largest city in the Copper Country
Copper Country
The Copper Country is an area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States, including all of Keweenaw County, Michigan and most of Houghton, Baraga and Ontonagon counties. The area is so named as copper mining was prevalent there from 1845 until the late 1960s, with one mine ...
on the Keweenaw Peninsula
Keweenaw Peninsula
The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northern-most part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,708. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Houghton County
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
. It has been listed as one of the "100 Best Small Towns in America."
Houghton is sometimes confused with, or thought to be close to, Houghton Lake
Houghton Lake, Michigan
Houghton Lake is an unincorporated community in Roscommon Township, Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place for statistical purposes with the same name. The population was 3,749 at the 2000 census.The community is situated on the...
; the latter is actually located in the state's Lower Peninsula
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
. Due to its location in the northwestern portion of the Upper Peninsula, Houghton is isolated from the state's most populous areas. It is farther to drive from Houghton to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
than it is from Detroit to Washington, DC. It takes several fewer hours to travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
or Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
from Houghton than it does to travel to Detroit.
Houghton was named after Houghton County, which was named after Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton was an American geologist and physician, primarily known for his exploration of the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan.-Early life and education:...
, an American geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, primarily known for his exploration of the Keweenaw Peninsula
Keweenaw Peninsula
The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northern-most part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was roughly 43,200...
of Michigan.
The area lends itself to a wide variety of outdoor sports, both winter (ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, Nordic
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
and Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
, and snowmobiling) and summer (trail running
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, river
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and sea kayaking, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and road and mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
).
History
thousands of years before European settlement. "French explorers had noted... [its] existence [in the area] as early as the seventeenth century, [and in] 1772 Alexander Henry had prospected for copper on the Ontonagon River
Ontonagon River
The Ontonagon River is a river flowing to Lake Superior on the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States. The main stem of the river is 25 mi long and is formed by a confluence of several longer branches, portions of which have been collectively designated as a National Wild...
near Victoria." When Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
said, "Go West, young man" he was referring to the copper rush in "Michigan's western Upper Peninsula."
Many Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
and Finnish immigrants arrived in the Houghton area to work in the copper mines; both groups have had a great influence on the culture and cuisine of the local area. The Finns and others called much of the area Copper Island
Copper Island
Copper Island is a local name given to the northern part of the Keweenaw Peninsula , separated from the rest of the Keweenaw Peninsula by Portage Lake and the Keweenaw Waterway.- Geography :The area was "isolated" by dredging in 1859 and construction in the...
. Smaller numbers of French-Canadian immigrants moved to Houghton, while more of them settled elsewhere in Houghton County.
The last nearby mines closed in the late 1960s, but a school founded in 1885 by the Michigan State Legislature to teach metallurgy and mining engineering, the Michigan College of Mines, continues today under the name of Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
and is the primary employer in the city.
The first known European settler of Houghton was named Ransom Sheldon
Ransom Sheldon
Ransom Bird Sheldon, Sr. was the founder of Houghton, a city in the county of Houghton, Michigan.-Early life:...
, who set up a store named Ransom's near Portage Lake, though it is unclear whether this was in the same building as the 1852 Shelden and Shafer drugs, sometimes described as "the first commercial building constructed in Houghton," which Sheldon owned with his son Ransom B. The main street of Houghton, variously called "Sheldon Avenue," Sheldon Street and Shelden Avenue, is named for him. In the 1970s the construction of a parking deck and the connection of downtown stores to create Sheldon Center
Sheldon Center
Sheldon Center is the connection of a number of restaurants, coffeehouses, stores and other businesses along Sheldon Avenue, some of its sidestreets, and Lake Street in Houghton, Michigan, USA, by means of doors between them so they can be accessed without going outside...
significantly changed the downtown.
William W. Henderson was appointed the first postmaster of Houghton in 1852.
Houghton gained in importance as a port with the opening of the Keweenaw Waterway
Keweenaw Waterway
The Keweenaw Waterway is a partly natural, partly artificial waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan; it separates Copper Island from the mainland. Parts of the waterway are variously known as the Keweenaw Waterway, Portage Canal, Portage Lake Canal, Portage River, Lily Pond,...
in 1873; the waterway being the cumulative dredging and extension of the Portage Lake, Portage Shipping Canal and Lily Pond so as to isolate the northern part of the Keweenaw Peninsula into Copper Island.
In 1854, Ernest F. Pletschke
Ernest F. Pletschke
Ernest F. Pletschke is the name of the surveyor who platted Houghton, Michigan in 1854, prior to its incorporation as a village in 1861. In Houghton's first days it was said that "only thieves, crooks, murderers and Indians" lived there.An Ernest F...
platted Houghton, which was incorporated as a village by Sheldon, C[hristopher] C[olumbus] Douglass and Capt. Richard Edwards three years later. In Houghton's first days it was said that "only thieves, crooks, murderers and Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
" lived there. The postwar boom and increasing demand for copper wiring fueled the development of Houghton in the 1860s and 1870s.
By 1880 Houghton had become "a burgeoning city" and in 1883, the railroad was extended from Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
.
1909 saw the founding of what would later become Portage Lake District Library
Portage Lake District Library
Portage Lake District Library is a public library located in Houghton, Michigan, which serves the city of Houghton and Chassell and Portage Townships...
.
During the bitter Copper Country Strike of 1913-1914, the Michigan National Guard
Michigan National Guard
The Michigan National Guard consists of the Michigan Army National Guard and the Michigan Air National Guard.-Units:Michigan Army National Guard units include:* Joint Forces Headquarters, Lansing, MI* 177th Military Police Brigade, Taylor, MI...
was called in after the sheriff petitioned the governor.
Houghton was the birthplace of professional ice hockey in the United States when the Portage Lakers were formed in 1903. Houghton is the home of the Portage Lake Pioneers Senior Hockey Team. The team's home ice is Dee Stadium
Dee Stadium
Dee Stadium is an arena for the playing of ice hockey, located in Houghton, Michigan; it replaces, and is on the same site as, the Amphidrome, which burned down in 1927. The stadium was the former home of the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team, before the team moved to the John Macinnes Student Ice...
, named after James R. Dee. Dee Stadium was originally called the Amphidrome, before it was severely damaged in a 1927 fire. (The stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
also contains a skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
for skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
.)
In the winter of 2001, Houghton was the site of one of the first lumitalos (Finnish temporary snow houses) to be constructed in the United States.
Philatelic History
On October 28, 2002, the first day of issue ceremony was held in Houghton for the "snowmanSnowman
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture. They are customarily built by children as part of a family project in celebration of winter. In some cases, participants in winter festivals will build large numbers of snowmen...
stamps" issued by the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
.
One of the 2006 United States Postal Service snowflake stamps ("photographed in Houghton by Caltech physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
Kenneth Libbrecht using a digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
and special microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
") was unveiled in Houghton.
A pictorial postmark commemorating Winter Carnival
Winter carnival
A Winter carnival is an outdoor celebration that occurs in wintertime.Winter carnivals, or festivals, are popular in places where winter is particularly long or severe, such as Scandinavia, Canada and the northern United States...
2007, "Ancient Worlds Come to Play in Snowy Drifts of Modern Day," was applied at the Winter Carnival temporary station in Michigan Technological University's Memorial Union Building, February 10, 2007 (see below).
Geography
The city is located on the south shore of Portage Lake, primarily "on rolling wooded hills" "less than a mile" across Portage Lake." from HancockHancock, Michigan
Hancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
. The city is bounded on the east by Portage Township
Portage Township, Houghton County, Michigan
Portage Township is a charter township of Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,156. The city of Houghton is adjacent to the north side of the township...
and Pilgrim, on the west by Dakota Heights
Dakota Heights, Michigan
Dakota Heights is an unincorporated community in Portage Township, Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an enclave surrounded on all four sides by the extreme western part of the city of Houghton Dakota Heights is an unincorporated community in Portage Township, Houghton County in...
and on the south by Hurontown and Isle Royale Location, unincorporated communities that are part of Portage Township; and also on the west by Adams Township
Adams Township, Houghton County, Michigan
Adams Township is a civil township of Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,747.-Communities:...
. Houghton is named after Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton was an American geologist and physician, primarily known for his exploration of the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan.-Early life and education:...
, discoverer of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
nearby. Houghton is also the home of Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
. The city is served by Houghton County Memorial Airport
Houghton County Memorial Airport
Houghton County Memorial Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located in the unincorporated community of Oneco in Franklin Township, Houghton County, Michigan, five nautical miles south west of the central business district of Calumet, a village in Houghton County, Michigan, United...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), of which, 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (5.48%) is water.
In the West Houghton neighborhood is West Houghton Park, containing an outdoor ice rink and lawn tennis courts. Along Portage Lake is the Raymond Kestner Waterfront Recreation Area, the principal feature of which is a large "Chutes and Ladders" playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
; it also includes Houghton Beach. Along the waterfront, in the area that used to be occupied by the railroad tracks, runs the "flat, paved" Waterfront Trail
Waterfront Trail
The Waterfront Trail refers to an interconnected series of trails along the shores of Lake Ontario in Canada, currently beginning in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and extending to Brockville, Ontario, with an extension along Former Highway 2, to the Quebec provincial border...
for bikers and pedestrians; at one end of this is the Houghton RV Park, at the other end the Nara Nature Park and midway along this corridor is "Mattila Square". Princess Point is also along this trail. Veterans Park is just across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge
Portage Lake Lift Bridge
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, USA, across Portage Lake, a portion of the waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula with a canal linking the final several miles to Lake Superior to the northwest...
from Hancock, and contains the memorial to the Houghton Company, which fought in the Civil War. Houghton is the headquarters for Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. Isle Royale, the largest island in Lake Superior, is over 45 miles in length and 9 miles wide at its widest point. The park is made of Isle Royale itself and approximately 400 smaller islands, along with any submerged...
.
Portage Lake Lift Bridge
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, USA, across Portage Lake, a portion of the waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula with a canal linking the final several miles to Lake Superior to the northwest...
crosses Portage Lake
Keweenaw Waterway
The Keweenaw Waterway is a partly natural, partly artificial waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan; it separates Copper Island from the mainland. Parts of the waterway are variously known as the Keweenaw Waterway, Portage Canal, Portage Lake Canal, Portage River, Lily Pond,...
, connecting Hancock
Hancock, Michigan
Hancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
and Houghton, Michigan, by crossing over Portage Lake
Keweenaw Waterway
The Keweenaw Waterway is a partly natural, partly artificial waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan; it separates Copper Island from the mainland. Parts of the waterway are variously known as the Keweenaw Waterway, Portage Canal, Portage Lake Canal, Portage River, Lily Pond,...
, which is part of the river and canal system that crosses the entire peninsula. The Portage Lift Bridge is the world's heaviest and widest double-decked vertical lift bridge. Its center span "lifts" to provide 100 feet (30.5 m) of clearance for ships. Since rail traffic was discontinued in the Keweenaw, the lower deck is used to accommodate snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
traffic in the winter. This is the only land based link between the north and south section of the Keweenaw peninsula, and is crucial.
Climate
Houghton has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
but the (typically) long and snowy (due to lake-effect snow, with an average of 208 inches (528 cm) winters make the city feel as though it is in a climate much further north. It is sometimes said that Houghton has "two seasons: winter's here and winter's coming."
Winter City
Winter City or Winter Cities is a concept for communities in northern latitudes that encourages them to plan their transportation systems, buildings, and recreation project around the idea of using their infrastructure during all four seasons, rather than just two seasons .-Background:The Livable...
" is a community that accommodates winter, celebrates it, and whose residents generally enjoy the season by participating in a variety of outdoor activities. Among those activities are cross country skiing, snow-shoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating and outdoor hockey, among other activities. Houghton celebrates winter through the "Winter Carnival" organized by Michigan Tech every year in February.
Houghton's summer climate tends to be especially pleasant, as hot temperatures are often moderated by the cool waters of the nearby Lake Superior.
People and Culture
Every summer, the city of Houghton hosts a festival known as "Bridgefest," to commemorate the building of the Portage Lake Lift BridgePortage Lake Lift Bridge
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, USA, across Portage Lake, a portion of the waterway which cuts across the Keweenaw Peninsula with a canal linking the final several miles to Lake Superior to the northwest...
; this is often held in conjunction with "Seafoodfest." Every fall, the Parade of Nations takes place in downtown Houghton to commemorate the ethnic diversity of Michigan Technological University. "Strawberry Fest" is held every summer, which not only celebrates the fruit
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, but also includes an art market with paintings, photos, sculptures, and crafts.
The city houses two museums. The Carnegie Museum
Carnegie Museum of Houghton
The Carnegie Museum in Houghton, Michigan is a museum that houses rotating exhibits on science and local history and culture. The building is so named as it was a Carnegie library, and is the former building of the Portage Lake District Library...
, located in the former Portage Lake District Library building, contains photographs from the Raffaelli Historical Photo Collection. and other artifacts on the history of the local area, as well as a mural depicting the history of Houghton
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
, Ontonagon
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
, Baraga
Baraga County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 8,746 people, 3,353 households, and 2,223 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,631 housing units...
and Keweenaw
Keweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
Counties and exhibits of artwork
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
. The AE Seaman Mineral Museum, state mineral museum of Michigan, is located on the campus of Michigan Technological University.
Houghton is often the host of winter sporting events, due to its long winters and many ski hills. The 2006 Cross Country Skiing Junior Olympics took place in Houghton. The US National Championships for Nordic Skiing
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
took place in Houghton in January 2007. In addition, the International Frisbee
Frisbee
A flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
Tournament (IFT) takes place every year in Houghton and the roll-out of the distance events of the Keweenaw Chain Drive bike races of Houghton and Hancock takes place in downtown Houghton.
Other winter events focus around Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
. Michigan Tech hosts a yearly Winter Carnival in which thousands of visitors come to see snow sculptures built by members of fraternities, sororities, other student organizations, as well as a few community groups, and participate in the week-long celebration. Students at the university also receive several days of vacation for Carnival. As part of Winter Carnival 2006, the city of Houghton and the university broke three world records: the largest snowball
Snowball
A snowball is a spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands, and compacting it into a roughly fist-sized ball. The snowball is often used to engage in games, such as snowball fights. Snowball fights are usually light-hearted and involve throwing snowballs at...
, the largest snowball fight
Snowball fight
A snowball fight is a physical game in which balls of snow are thrown with the intention of hitting somebody else. The game is similar to dodgeball in its major factors, though typically less organized. This activity is primarily played during months when there is sufficient snowfall.Today, the...
, and the largest number of people making snow angel
Snow angel
A snow angel is a human-made depression formed in an area of snow in the shape of an angel. Making snow angels is a common childhood game.-Technique:...
s in one place. They currently still hold two of these records: largest snowball and largest snowball fight.
The Daily Mining Gazette
The Daily Mining Gazette
The Daily Mining Gazette is a newspaper published in Houghton, Michigan. The paper is also distributed over most of the Upper Peninsula and some northern parts of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It is a daily Monday through Friday, with an expanded, combined Saturday-Sunday edition.The Gazette...
(formerly The Mining Gazette) is a daily newspaper published in Houghton.
The town is sometimes referred to by locals as "Hoton" or "Ho-town." "Hoton" is even stenciled on city property. Since Houghton and Hancock are very near each other, their combined area is often referred to as "Houghton-Hancock," though the towns are often fierce rivals, something particularly manifested by the sports rivalry between Houghton High School
Houghton High School
Houghton High School is a high school located in Houghton, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula. It shares the same building as Houghton Middle School. Enrollment is around 390 students in Grades 9 through 12, with a 17/1 student to teacher ratio. In 2002, it was the 12th best public high school in...
and Hancock Central.
Tourism is a major industry in Houghton. Summer tourism is very popular, especially among those wishing to tour old mines, visit various historical sites, and camp. Winter tourism is also very active from November through April, for snowmobiling, skiing and other winter sports.
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 7,010 people, 2,114 households, and 877 families residing in the city. 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 1,625.5 per square mile (628.0/km²). There were 2,222 housing units at an average density of 515.2 per square mile (199.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.24% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 1.87% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.40% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 6.79% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.24% 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 1.44% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.4% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 12.7% Finnish, 8.2% Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, 8.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 6.0% Polish and 5.1% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.8% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 1.8% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and 1.2% Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
as their first language.
There were 2,114 households out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.6% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 58.5% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were one-person households and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.94. Note that the United States Census Bureau
United 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...
does not consider people living in communal arrangements, such as university dormitories, to be part of a household; this is relevant in a community with a large student presence such as Houghton.
The age distribution was 12.0% under the age of 18, 55.2% from 18 to 24, 15.3% from 25 to 44, 10.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 160.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 173.2 males. The unusual age and sex distribution can be explained by the presence of Michigan Tech, a university focused strongly on the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,186, and the median income for a family was $41,779. Males had a median income of $36,161 versus $28,639 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 city was $11,750. About 20.3% of families and 36.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Houghton-Portage Township Schools
Houghton-Portage Township Schools is a school district that covers the city of Houghton, Michigan and Portage Township. It includes three schools: Houghton High School, Houghton Middle School, and Houghton Elementary School....
. Students K-12 are served by Houghton Elementary (K-5), Middle (6-8), and High (9-12) Schools. Houghton is also the home of Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University is a public research university located in Houghton, Michigan, United States. Its main campus sits on on a bluff overlooking Portage Lake...
.
Transportation
courses north to HancockHancock, Michigan
Hancock is a city in Houghton County; the northernmost in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on the Keweenaw Peninsula, or, depending on terminology, Copper Island. The population was 4,634 at the 2010 census...
and Copper Harbor
Copper Harbor, Michigan
Copper Harbor is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Keweenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is within Grant Township on the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Superior.-History:...
. To the south and east US 41 routes to L'Anse
L'Anse, Michigan
L'Anse is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Baraga County. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census. The village is located within L'Anse Township....
and Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
. connects Houghton southwest to . provides a loop route from US 41 in neighboring Hancock to McLain State Park
McLain State Park
McLain State Park is a state park in Houghton County, Michigan on the Keweenaw Peninsula, in Copper Country. It is located on M-203 halfway between Hancock and Calumet.-Description:...
. and then back to US 41.
Houghton Motor Transit operates both a demand bus and a route bus throughout Houghton and in nearby parts of Portage Township; there are also night trips to Mont Ripley
Mont Ripley
Mont Ripley is a ski hill in located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is owned by Michigan Technological University. It was founded in the early 1900s and has since grown to one of the premier ski hills in the American Midwest...
in Ripley
Ripley, Michigan
Ripley is a small, unincorporated community in Franklin Township situated upon a slope, just east of Hancock on M-26 and across the Portage Lake Canal from Houghton....
.
Houghton is the port of departure for Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. Isle Royale, the largest island in Lake Superior, is over 45 miles in length and 9 miles wide at its widest point. The park is made of Isle Royale itself and approximately 400 smaller islands, along with any submerged...
. Cruise ships on the great lakes formerly (in the 1950s) used to frequently stop in Houghton, but this is now an exceedingly rare occurrence.
Houghton is served by the Houghton County Memorial Airport
Houghton County Memorial Airport
Houghton County Memorial Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located in the unincorporated community of Oneco in Franklin Township, Houghton County, Michigan, five nautical miles south west of the central business district of Calumet, a village in Houghton County, Michigan, United...
, which has limited commercial service.
Houghton was formerly served by airship. A seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
departs from Houghton to Isle Royale National Park.
Snowmobiling is a major winter activity in the area, both locally (snowmobiles are often the best available means of transportation after a blizzard) and as a tourist industry. The Bill Nichols Snowmobile Trail has a terminus in Houghton.
Power for Houghton is provided by the Upper Peninsula Power Company
Upper peninsula Power Company
Upper Peninsula Power Company , a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, is a utility company serving most of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. UPPCO provides electric power to consumers....
.
Neighborhoods
Houghton is generally said to be divided into East Houghton, the Central Houghton area (which includes the downtownDowntown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
) and West Houghton.
- East Houghton runs from Franklin Square to the eastern city limits. A principal street is College Avenue, characterized by Colonial Revival homes, which formerly ran from urbanized Houghton "farms, villas and mining operations... and the Michigan School of Mines, now Michigan Technological University;" today the main campus of MTU has taken over much of the College Avenue area and some of East Houghton generally, though it remains a primarily residential neighborhood. (However, this has changed somewhat with construction of the Pearl Street Mall. The Chassell Sands, which are usually considered apart from it, are partially zoned "Industrial.") It is home to East Houghton Park. The park was established in 1974 and contains tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts and playgroundPlaygroundA playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
equipment. The Chassell sands may be technically said to be part of this neighborhood, but are usually considered as apart from it, as is Minoru YamasakiMinoru Yamasakiwas a Japanese-American architect, best known for his design of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, buildings 1 and 2. Yamasaki was one of the most prominent architects of the 20th century...
-designed Daniell Heights, married-student housing at Tech.
- Central Houghton is a relatively urbanized area of the town, generally considered as being roughly between Franklin Square and the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. The "heart of Houghton's commercial district" is characterized by sandstoneJacobsville SandstoneJacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone common to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Commonly used as an architectural building stone, it is found in the Keweenaw Peninsula and north shore of the Upper Peninsula. Its name is due to the sandstone being quarried largely in Jacobsville, Michigan....
(frequently mined from Jacobsville or Portage Entry) buildings with the frequent "classical detail"; it is centered on Shelden Avenue, the downtown lying in Central Houghton between Montezuma Avenue and Lake Street/Brew Alley/Lakeshore Drive, which are generally considered one continuous street. South of this area are a series of streets with small wooden houses, primarily from mining days, rising over the arc of the hills that the city is built upon. Northward is the waterfrontDock (maritime)A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
, which has several dockyards, and older buildings alongside it. While Corktown is the area around St. Ignatius Catholic Church, this neighborhood is rarely spoken of today.
- West Houghton is the site of more recent construction compared to the other two neighborhoods. Therefore the area has a more modern, suburban feel to it than the other areas. This includes larger middle class houses built with large wooded lots between them. Most prominent in this area, however, are the retail stores which are becoming the new commercial heart of the city. These include Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, ShopKo, and several recent strip malls, with numerous small stores housed under a single roof. Several prominent beach areas are located on this side of the city. It is often referred to by locals as "ShopKo Heights," the "neighborhood behind ShopKo," or "ShopKoville."
Micropolitan area
The Houghton, Michigan micropolitan area is a statistical aggregation of the United States census bureau.See also: Pryor's Location, Michigan
Pryor's Location, Michigan
Pryor's Location is located along the Portage Lake Shipping Canal in Michigan, USA. Very little remains of this small settlement but a sign at the intersection of Lake Avenue and Lakeshore Drive in Houghton, Michigan, into which it has been incorporated. It is named after James Pryor, owner of...
Houghton in Popular Culture
Houghton figures in the novelNovel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s The Truth About Fire by Elizabeth Hartmann, A Superior Death and Winter Study by Nevada Barr
Nevada Barr
Nevada Barr is an American author best known for her Anna Pigeon series of mystery novels set in national parks in the United States. Barr won an Agatha Award and Anthony Award for best first novel for Track of the Cat...
, and the poem "The Idea of Children at Houghton, Michigan" in Gavin Ewart's Penultimate Poems. Much of Ander Monson
Ander Monson
-Life:He was raised in Houghton, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. His mother's death when he was seven years old is reflected in the themes of his later fiction. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois...
's Other Electricities takes place in Houghton. The song called 'Honesty' by Zerzy's Dreams is about Houghton. Comedian John Oliver also talks about Houghton in a February 2010 comedy show performed at Michigan Tech. It can be found titled 'Exactly Where I Need to Be.'
External links
- The Daily Mining Gazette Web site
- City of Houghton
- Portage Lake District Library
- Houghton Portage Township Schools
- Historic Houghton Virtual Tour
- Hunts' Guide to the Upper Peninsula: Houghton
- National Geographic website on Houghton
- Houghton Downtown Blueprint 2005
- Picture of F.M. Kirby Woolworth's store in Houghton
- Carnegie Cultural Museum
- outagraph of the old Houghton, Michigan fire station (original site of the Michigan College of Mines)
- Webcam for Delta Sigma Phi statue site on US Hwy 41
- Picture of the Houghton (Portage Lake) Lift Bridge
- Picture of Rosza Center, Walker Center and Wadsworth Hall at Michigan Technological University
- Picture of Sheldon Avenue and Huron Square including Lode Theatre, Bookworld, Douglass House &c.
- Picture of Hunan Garden Chinese Restaurant with fading "Bosch Beer" sign on adjacent building
