L'Anse Township, Michigan
Encyclopedia
L'Anse Township is a civil township
of Baraga County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,926. Mount Arvon
and Mount Curwood
, the highest and second highest points in Michigan are located in the township.
. Menard spent the winter in what is presently known as Pequaming
on Keweenaw Bay
, and left the area for Fond du Lac
the following spring, never to be heard from again. He was followed by Father Claude in 1666.
Over the next 200 years, the Chippewa
tribe populated the area, and attracted the attention of trappers and traders throughout the Great Lakes. The American Fur Company
established a trading post at Assinins by a man known only as Dubay. The Hudson's Bay Company
had established a post near Zeba in 1836, which operated for about 15 years. Other early settlers included trappers and missionaries.
The first mission in the area was established in 1833 by a Chippewa who converted to Methodism and taken the name of John Sunday. The first mission was located on the east side of the bay north of L'Anse at Zeba, with a second opened at Ottawa Lake in 1835. In 1834, Daniel Meeker Chandler left Sault Ste. Marie
and headed west on Lake Superior by canoe. He arrived at his destination, called "KE-WA-WE-NON", on September 3, and began mission work for the Methodist Church
on the east side of Keweenaw Bay. The following summer, Chandler began cutting timber for a proposed Native American village known today as Zeba.
In 1836, a Canadian named Peter (Pierre) Crebassa was appointed as representative trader by the American Fur Company, and moved the post from its original location on the west side of the bay to a site north of L'Anse at the present day Township Park. Crebassa married a Chippewa girl, Nancy, and they were instrumental in convincing Father Frederic Baraga
to establish a Catholic mission, which he founded at Assinins on the west side of Keweenaw Bay in 1843.
When Michigan became the 26th state in 1837, the western two-thirds of the Upper Peninsula was included as a compromise (Ohio received the "Toledo Strip"). In March 1843, the legislature divided the Upper Peninsula into several counties. Three years later, in 1846, the act was amended to make all that part of the state "embraced between the north boundary of township 49, the line between ranges 37 and 38 west and Lake Superior, together with islands in said lake west of the county of Schoolcraft, shall be laid off as a separate county, to be known and designated as the County of Houghton." The new county included the present-day counties of Keweenaw and Baraga
, and was organized into three election precincts (townships) at Eagle Harbor, Houghton, and L'Anse. The following year, the area was reorganized into the townships of Copper Harbor, Eagle Harbor, Houghton, Portage, Algonquin, and L'Anse , and the first election took place in July 1848.
The coming of the railroad spurred growth of the village of L'Anse
in 1871, which prospered for a couple of years until the Panic of 1873
.
Algonquin and L'Anse townships combined in 1875 to form Baraga County
, and created the townships of Arvon, Baraga, Covington, Spurr and L'Anse.
In 1896, the village of L'Anse burned to the ground, but gradually rebuilt itself into a lumber town with the arrival of Henry Ford's
Ford Motor Company
in the early 1900s.
is the only incorporated municipality in the township. There are some unincorporated communities and historic locales:
, the township has a total area of 269 square miles (696.7 km²), of which, 248.7 square miles (644.1 km²) of it is land and 20.3 square miles (52.6 km²) of it (7.54%) is water.
of 2000, there were 3,926 people, 1,610 households, and 1,059 families residing in the township. The population density
was 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km²). There were 1,918 housing units at an average density of 7.7 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 82.86% White, 0.18% African American, 13.68% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
, and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population. 25.8% were of Finnish, 9.6% German, 9.3% French
and 5.2% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,610 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $43,776. Males had a median income of $32,321 versus $21,231 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,455. About 7.2% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Baraga County
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...
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, the township population was 3,926. Mount Arvon
Mount Arvon
Mount Arvon, elevation 1,979 feet , located in L'Anse Township, Baraga County, is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of Michigan. Like nearby Arvon Township, Michigan, Mt. Arvon takes its name from the deposits of slate in the area which were reminiscent of those around Caernarfon in...
and Mount Curwood
Mount Curwood
Mount Curwood, elevation 1,978 feet , in L'Anse Township, Baraga County is the second highest point in the U.S. state of Michigan. Mt...
, the highest and second highest points in Michigan are located in the township.
History
The township has a rich and varied history as far back as October 15, 1660, with the arrival of the first white man on record, French Jesuit priest Father René MenardRené Menard
René Menard was a French Jesuit missionary explorer who traveled to Canada in 1641, learned the language of the Wyandot, and was soon in charge of many of the satellite missions around Sainte-Marie among the Hurons...
. Menard spent the winter in what is presently known as Pequaming
Pequaming, Michigan
Pequaming is an unincorporated community in L'Anse Township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The geographic coordinates are .Originally home to Chippewa tribes, the site was named for "Pequa quaming," a narrow neck of land almost surrounded by water...
on Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay
Keweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
, and left the area for Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Fond du Lac is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The name is French for bottom of the lake, for it is located at the bottom of Lake Winnebago. The population was 42,203 at the 2000 census...
the following spring, never to be heard from again. He was followed by Father Claude in 1666.
Over the next 200 years, the Chippewa
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
tribe populated the area, and attracted the attention of trappers and traders throughout the Great Lakes. The American Fur Company
American Fur Company
The American Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808. The company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest businesses in the country. The company was one the first great trusts in American business...
established a trading post at Assinins by a man known only as Dubay. The Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
had established a post near Zeba in 1836, which operated for about 15 years. Other early settlers included trappers and missionaries.
The first mission in the area was established in 1833 by a Chippewa who converted to Methodism and taken the name of John Sunday. The first mission was located on the east side of the bay north of L'Anse at Zeba, with a second opened at Ottawa Lake in 1835. In 1834, Daniel Meeker Chandler left Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
and headed west on Lake Superior by canoe. He arrived at his destination, called "KE-WA-WE-NON", on September 3, and began mission work for the Methodist Church
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
on the east side of Keweenaw Bay. The following summer, Chandler began cutting timber for a proposed Native American village known today as Zeba.
In 1836, a Canadian named Peter (Pierre) Crebassa was appointed as representative trader by the American Fur Company, and moved the post from its original location on the west side of the bay to a site north of L'Anse at the present day Township Park. Crebassa married a Chippewa girl, Nancy, and they were instrumental in convincing Father Frederic Baraga
Frederic Baraga
Frederic Baraga, Servant of God was a Slovene American Roman Catholic missionary, bishop, and grammarian.-Early life:Frederic Baraga was born as Friderik Irenej Baraga in the manor house at Mala Vas no...
to establish a Catholic mission, which he founded at Assinins on the west side of Keweenaw Bay in 1843.
When Michigan became the 26th state in 1837, the western two-thirds of the Upper Peninsula was included as a compromise (Ohio received the "Toledo Strip"). In March 1843, the legislature divided the Upper Peninsula into several counties. Three years later, in 1846, the act was amended to make all that part of the state "embraced between the north boundary of township 49, the line between ranges 37 and 38 west and Lake Superior, together with islands in said lake west of the county of Schoolcraft, shall be laid off as a separate county, to be known and designated as the County of Houghton." The new county included the present-day counties of Keweenaw and 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 was organized into three election precincts (townships) at Eagle Harbor, Houghton, and L'Anse. The following year, the area was reorganized into the townships of Copper Harbor, Eagle Harbor, Houghton, Portage, Algonquin, and L'Anse , and the first election took place in July 1848.
The coming of the railroad spurred growth of the village of 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....
in 1871, which prospered for a couple of years until the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
.
Algonquin and L'Anse townships combined in 1875 to form Baraga County
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 created the townships of Arvon, Baraga, Covington, Spurr and L'Anse.
In 1896, the village of L'Anse burned to the ground, but gradually rebuilt itself into a lumber town with the arrival of Henry Ford's
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in the early 1900s.
Communities
The Village of L'AnseL'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....
is the only incorporated municipality in the township. There are some unincorporated communities and historic locales:
- AlbertaAlberta, MichiganAlberta is an unincorporated community in L'Anse Township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on U.S. Route 41 about eight miles south of the village of L'Anse at...
is on U.S. Highway 41 about eight miles south of the village of L'Anse. - HermanHerman, MichiganHerman is an unincorporated farming district in L'Anse Township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was established in 1901 along a branch of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway approximately midway between Nestoria and L'Anse at...
is a farming district near L'AnseL'Anse, MichiganL'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....
. - Laughs Lake is an unincorporated communtiy in the township located on Lost Lake.
- PequamingPequaming, MichiganPequaming is an unincorporated community in L'Anse Township of Baraga County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The geographic coordinates are .Originally home to Chippewa tribes, the site was named for "Pequa quaming," a narrow neck of land almost surrounded by water...
is on a bear-shaped point projecting into Keweenaw BayKeweenaw BayKeweenaw Bay is an arm of Lake Superior in North America. It is located adjacent to the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, to the southeast of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is also the name of a small community near the bay....
. - Summit is a locale just south of Herman. It was a station on the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic RailwayDuluth, South Shore and Atlantic RailwayThe Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway was an American railroad serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lake Superior shoreline of Wisconsin. It provided service from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and St. Ignace, Michigan, westward through Marquette, Michigan to Superior, Wisconsin,...
that opened circa 1880, ten miles southeast of L'AnseL'Anse, MichiganL'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....
. It is named for its location near Mount CurwoodMount CurwoodMount Curwood, elevation 1,978 feet , in L'Anse Township, Baraga County is the second highest point in the U.S. state of Michigan. Mt...
, which until 1982 was thought to be the highest point in Michigan.
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 township has a total area of 269 square miles (696.7 km²), of which, 248.7 square miles (644.1 km²) of it is land and 20.3 square miles (52.6 km²) of it (7.54%) 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 3,926 people, 1,610 households, and 1,059 families residing in the township. 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 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km²). There were 1,918 housing units at an average density of 7.7 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 82.86% White, 0.18% African American, 13.68% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.08% 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 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population. 25.8% were of Finnish, 9.6% German, 9.3% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and 5.2% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,610 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% 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, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $43,776. Males had a median income of $32,321 versus $21,231 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 township was $16,455. About 7.2% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.