Ludington, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Ludington is a city in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census
, the city population was 8,357. It is the county seat
of Mason County
.
Ludington is a harbor
town located on Lake Michigan
at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River
. Many people come to Ludington year round for recreation, including boating and swimming on Lake Michigan, Hamlin Lake, and other smaller inland lakes, as well as hunting, fishing, and camping. Nearby are Ludington State Park
(which includes the Big Sable Point Light
), Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
, and Manistee National Forest. Ludington is also the home port of the SS Badger, with daily service in the summer across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc
, Wisconsin
. Watching the Badger come into port in the evening from the end of the north breakwall by the Ludington lighthouse
is a favorite local pastime. In summer, the city hosts quite a few large events. Examples are one of the largest Gus Macker basketball tournaments (with 35,500 spectators), the Ludington Area Jaycees Freedom Festival (July 4), the Lakestride Half Marathon in June, and the West Shore Art League's Art Fair. As a result of its many attractions (based on AAA
's 2005 TripTik requests), Ludington is the fifth-most-popular tourist city in Michigan, behind Mackinaw City
, Traverse City
, Muskegon
, and Sault Ste. Marie
.
In 1675, Jacques Marquette
, French
missionary
and explorer, died and was laid to rest here. A memorial and large iron cross mark the location.
In 1845, Burr Caswell
moved to the area near the mouth of the Pere Marquette River as a location for trapping and fishing. In July 1847 when he brought his family to live there he became the first permanent resident of European ancestry. Two years later they built a two-story wood-framed house on their farm. After the organization of Mason County in 1855, the first floor of this building was converted into the county's first courthouse
. Restored in 1976 by the Mason County Historical Society
, the structure stands today as a part of White Pine Village
, a museum
consisting of several restored and replica Mason County buildings (see external links).
The town was originally named Pere Marquette, then later named after the industrialist James Ludington
, whose logging operations the village built up around. Ludington was incorporated as a City in 1873, the same year that the County seat was moved from the Village of Lincoln to the City of Ludington. The area boom in the late 19th century was due to these sawmill
s and also the discovery of salt deposits.
By 1892, 162 million board feet
(382,000 m³) of lumber and 52 million wood shingles had been produced by the Ludington sawmills. With all of this commerce occurring, Ludington became a major Great Lakes shipping port.
In 1875, the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad
began cross lake shipping operations with the sidewheel steamer John Sherman. It became apparent quite early that the John Sherman was not large enough to handle the volume of freight and the F&PM Railroad contracted with the Goodrich Line of Steamers to handle the break bulk freight out of the Port of Ludington.
In 1897 the F&PM railroad constructed the first steel car ferry, the Pere Marquette. This was the beginning of the creation of a fleet of ferries to continue the rail cargo across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc
, Wisconsin
. The fleet was also expanded to carry cars and passengers across the lake. By the mid-1950s, Ludington had become the largest car ferry port in the world. Unfortunately, due to disuse and declining industry, this fleet eventually dwindled. Currently only one carferry, the SS Badger, makes regular trips across the lake from Ludington, one of only two lake-crossing car ferries on Lake Michigan.
During the late 1910s and early 1920s, Ludington was the home of the Ludington Mariners
minor league baseball
team. A team of the same name currently plays "old time base ball" in historical reenactments of the original version of the game.
In addition, U.S. Bicycle Route 20
is planned to run through Ludington.
of 2000, there were 8,357 people, 3,690 households, and 2,166 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,482.2 per square mile (957.5/km²). There were 4,227 housing units at an average density of 1,255.5 per square mile (484.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.02% White, 0.97% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 1.06% from other races
, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.15% of the population.
There were 3,690 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples
living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,089, and the median income for a family was $36,333. Males had a median income of $31,970 versus $22,809 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,215. About 12.9% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
, which generates pumped storage hydroelectricity. In town, there are Whitehall Industries, A Division of SRS Industries LLC (aluminum extrusion
and aluminum fabrication
), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (manufacturer of calcium chloride
products), Great Lakes Castings Corporation, Amptech, Inc., and Carrom Company
. Ludington has had a construction boom in luxury condominiums since about 2000, especially around the marina, although few condo units have actually been sold and the condo projects overall have been viewed as a bust.
The Four Drive Tractor Company
was founded in Ludington.
, which continues today with a talk radio
format at 1450 AM. In the 1970s, WKLA-FM (Adult Contemporary) and WKZC
-FM (Country
, licensed to nearby Scottville
) were added. In 1999, WMOM-FM (Top 40, licensed to Pentwater
) signed on the air. The Ludington Daily News has been serving the Ludington area from its location on N. Rath Avenue since the 1880s. The Daily News website records over 4,000 visitors each day.
Junior/Senior high
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the city population was 8,357. 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 Mason County
Mason County, Michigan
Mason County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,705. The county seat is Ludington.-History:...
.
Ludington is a harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
town located on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River
Pere Marquette River
The Pere Marquette River is a river in the State of Michigan. The main stream of this river is about long, running from Lake County, Michigan just west of Reed City into the Pere Marquette Lake, and from there into Lake Michigan....
. Many people come to Ludington year round for recreation, including boating and swimming on Lake Michigan, Hamlin Lake, and other smaller inland lakes, as well as hunting, fishing, and camping. Nearby are Ludington State Park
Ludington State Park
Ludington State Park is a state park located just north of Ludington, Michigan between the shores of Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake. The park encompasses nearly and contains several ecosystems, including: forests, sand dunes, a dam, a Great Lake, and a river.-Big Sable Point Lighthouse:Ludington...
(which includes the Big Sable Point Light
Big Sable Point Light
The Big Sable Point Light is a lighthouse on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan near Ludington in Mason County, Michigan, at the Ludington State Park. It is an active aid to navigation.-History:...
), Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness is a listed wilderness area within the Manistee National Forest. It is located north of Ludington, Michigan, and is best known for its 4 miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline.-Geology:...
, and Manistee National Forest. Ludington is also the home port of the SS Badger, with daily service in the summer across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Watching the Badger come into port in the evening from the end of the north breakwall by the Ludington lighthouse
Ludington Lighthouse
The Ludington Light is a tall steel-plated lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, which lies along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, at the end of the breakwater on the Pere Marquette Harbor. Given its location on the northern breakwater where the Pere Marquette River meets Lake Michigan, it is...
is a favorite local pastime. In summer, the city hosts quite a few large events. Examples are one of the largest Gus Macker basketball tournaments (with 35,500 spectators), the Ludington Area Jaycees Freedom Festival (July 4), the Lakestride Half Marathon in June, and the West Shore Art League's Art Fair. As a result of its many attractions (based on AAA
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
's 2005 TripTik requests), Ludington is the fifth-most-popular tourist city in Michigan, behind Mackinaw City
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Mackinaw City is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census the population was 859. The name "Mackinaw City" is a bit of a misnomer as it is actually a village...
, Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
, Muskegon
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
, and 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...
.
History
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
, 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...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and explorer, died and was laid to rest here. A memorial and large iron cross mark the location.
In 1845, Burr Caswell
Burr Caswell
-Early life:Caswell was born at Glens Falls, New York, in 1807 with the given name of Aaron Burr although he always went by just the name "Burr." As a young man Caswell learned cabinet trade skills. He practiced this business for several years in Glens Falls....
moved to the area near the mouth of the Pere Marquette River as a location for trapping and fishing. In July 1847 when he brought his family to live there he became the first permanent resident of European ancestry. Two years later they built a two-story wood-framed house on their farm. After the organization of Mason County in 1855, the first floor of this building was converted into the county's first courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
. Restored in 1976 by the Mason County Historical Society
Mason County Historical Society
Mason County Historical Society, located in Ludington, Michigan, is a private, non-profit, educational organization. It is a museum dedicated to preserving the local history of Mason County, Michigan....
, the structure stands today as a part of White Pine Village
White Pine Village
White Pine Village opened in 1976. It is an outdoor museum containing nineteenth century buildings and related artifacts. The centerpiece is Burr Caswell's 1849 farmhouse...
, a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
consisting of several restored and replica Mason County buildings (see external links).
The town was originally named Pere Marquette, then later named after the industrialist James Ludington
James Ludington
James Ludington was an American entrepreneur.-Biography:When Ludington was sixteen in 1843, the family moved from New York to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With his father, Lewis Ludington, they founded Columbus, Wisconsin in 1845.On October 11, 1854 Ludington loaned funds to George W...
, whose logging operations the village built up around. Ludington was incorporated as a City in 1873, the same year that the County seat was moved from the Village of Lincoln to the City of Ludington. The area boom in the late 19th century was due to these sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s and also the discovery of salt deposits.
By 1892, 162 million board feet
Board foot
The board-foot is a specialized unit of measure for the volume of lumber in the United States and Canada. It is the volume of a one-foot length of a board one foot wide and one inch thick....
(382,000 m³) of lumber and 52 million wood shingles had been produced by the Ludington sawmills. With all of this commerce occurring, Ludington became a major Great Lakes shipping port.
In 1875, the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad
Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad
The Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in the U.S. state of Michigan between 1857 and 1899. It was one of the three companies which merged to become the Pere Marquette Railway.-Early history:...
began cross lake shipping operations with the sidewheel steamer John Sherman. It became apparent quite early that the John Sherman was not large enough to handle the volume of freight and the F&PM Railroad contracted with the Goodrich Line of Steamers to handle the break bulk freight out of the Port of Ludington.
In 1897 the F&PM railroad constructed the first steel car ferry, the Pere Marquette. This was the beginning of the creation of a fleet of ferries to continue the rail cargo across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The fleet was also expanded to carry cars and passengers across the lake. By the mid-1950s, Ludington had become the largest car ferry port in the world. Unfortunately, due to disuse and declining industry, this fleet eventually dwindled. Currently only one carferry, the SS Badger, makes regular trips across the lake from Ludington, one of only two lake-crossing car ferries on Lake Michigan.
During the late 1910s and early 1920s, Ludington was the home of the Ludington Mariners
Ludington Mariners
The Ludington Mariners were a professional Class D minor league baseball team from Ludington, Michigan. Their home field was located in Culver Park....
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team. A team of the same name currently plays "old time base ball" in historical reenactments of the original version of the game.
Geography
- According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census BureauThe 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 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²). Of that, 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²) is land; 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (8.94%) is water. - The Ludington North Breakwall LightLudington LighthouseThe Ludington Light is a tall steel-plated lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, which lies along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, at the end of the breakwater on the Pere Marquette Harbor. Given its location on the northern breakwater where the Pere Marquette River meets Lake Michigan, it is...
is at the end of the north pierhead on Lake Michigan. - Ludington is part of Northern MichiganNorthern MichiganNorthern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
.
Transportation
Two major routes serve the area along with a state trunkline highway and a minor business route.  |
US-10 U.S. Route 10 U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S... enters the city from the east, connecting with Clare Clare, Michigan Clare is a city in Clare and Isabella counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located primarily in Clare County, the city had a population of 3,173 at the 2000 census.... , Midland Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area.... and Bay City Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North... . It continues across Lake Michigan into Wisconsin via the SS Badger, providing carferry service to Manitowoc Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities... . |
 |
US-31 U.S. Route 31 U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama... is a freeway to the south of a junction with US-10 east of Ludington. US-31 and US-10 run concurrently for about 5 miles (8 km) east of Ludington before US-31 turns northerly again at Scottville Scottville, Michigan Scottville is a city located in the north west of the U.S. state of Michigan in rural Mason County.On July 23, 2007 Governor Jennifer Granholm announced Scottville as the community chosen by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to take part in the Cool Cities Michigan Main Street program... . |
 |
BUS US-31 is a section of the former US-31 along Pere Marquette Highway east of the city. |
 |
M-116 M-116 (Michigan highway) M-116 is a long state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that begins in Ludington at an intersection with US Highway 10 at James Street and Ludington Avenue. The road travels northward, much of it along the shore of Lake Michigan before reaching its terminus at the entrance to... is a spur route providing access to Ludington State Park Ludington State Park Ludington State Park is a state park located just north of Ludington, Michigan between the shores of Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake. The park encompasses nearly and contains several ecosystems, including: forests, sand dunes, a dam, a Great Lake, and a river.-Big Sable Point Lighthouse:Ludington... , to the north of the city, from US-10 downtown. |
In addition, U.S. Bicycle Route 20
U.S. Bicycle Route 20
U.S. Bicycle Route 20 is a U.S. Numbered Bicycle Route that runs between Marine City, Michigan and the Oregon Coast. On May 4, 2011, AASHTO voted to approve the Michigan Department of Transportation's application for designation of the Michigan segment of the route. The route connects with...
is planned to run through Ludington.
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 8,357 people, 3,690 households, and 2,166 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 2,482.2 per square mile (957.5/km²). There were 4,227 housing units at an average density of 1,255.5 per square mile (484.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.02% White, 0.97% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 1.06% 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 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.15% of the population.
There were 3,690 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% 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, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,089, and the median income for a family was $36,333. Males had a median income of $31,970 versus $22,809 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 $17,215. About 12.9% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
Just south of Ludington is the Ludington Pumped Storage Power PlantLudington Pumped Storage Power Plant
The Ludington Pumped Storage Plant is a hydroelectric plant and reservoir in Ludington, Michigan. It was built between 1969 and 1973 at a cost of $315 million and is owned jointly by Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison and operated by Consumers Energy...
, which generates pumped storage hydroelectricity. In town, there are Whitehall Industries, A Division of SRS Industries LLC (aluminum extrusion
Extrusion
Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section...
and aluminum fabrication
Fabrication (metal)
Fabrication as an industrial term refers to building metal structures by cutting, bending, and assembling. The cutting part of fabrication is via sawing, shearing, or chiseling ; torching with handheld torches ; and via CNC cutters...
), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (manufacturer of calcium chloride
Calcium chloride
Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a salt of calcium and chlorine. It behaves as a typical ionic halide, and is solid at room temperature. Common applications include brine for refrigeration plants, ice and dust control on roads, and desiccation...
products), Great Lakes Castings Corporation, Amptech, Inc., and Carrom Company
Carrom
Carrom is a family of tabletop games with gameplay that lies somewhere between billiards and table shuffleboard. Carrom is known by many names around the world, including carrum, couronne, carum, karam, karom, karum, fatta and finger billiards...
. Ludington has had a construction boom in luxury condominiums since about 2000, especially around the marina, although few condo units have actually been sold and the condo projects overall have been viewed as a bust.
The Four Drive Tractor Company
Fitch Four Drive
The Four Drive Tractor Company - also known as Fitch Four Drive Tractor Company - was an agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Big Rapids, Michigan. The company was formed in 1915 in Ludington, Michigan and produced tractors until 1930....
was founded in Ludington.
Media
Ludington is home to four radio stations and one newspaper. The original radio station was WKLAWKLA
WKLA-FM is an FM radio station owned by Lake Michigan Broadcasting. It broadcasts from Ludington, Michigan. It plays Adult Contemporary music & can be heard from Kaleva, Michigan in the north to Hart, Michigan in the south.-History:...
, which continues today with a talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format at 1450 AM. In the 1970s, WKLA-FM (Adult Contemporary) and WKZC
WKZC
WKZC is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Scottville, Michigan, the Federal Communications Commission assigned the call letters of WKZC on June 21, 1982. WKZC took to the air February 16, 1983, as a 3,000-watt station at 95.9 MHz owned by West Shore Broadcasting...
-FM (Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, licensed to nearby Scottville
Scottville, Michigan
Scottville is a city located in the north west of the U.S. state of Michigan in rural Mason County.On July 23, 2007 Governor Jennifer Granholm announced Scottville as the community chosen by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to take part in the Cool Cities Michigan Main Street program...
) were added. In 1999, WMOM-FM (Top 40, licensed to Pentwater
Pentwater, Michigan
Pentwater is a village in Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 958 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Pentwater Township. Pentwater is home to Mears State Park. The name Pentwater comes from Pent or Penned up waters...
) signed on the air. The Ludington Daily News has been serving the Ludington area from its location on N. Rath Avenue since the 1880s. The Daily News website records over 4,000 visitors each day.
Retail
Ludington's downtown retail is focused on the city's tourism and includes clothing stores, art galleries, and jewelry stores.Education
Elementary- Franklin Elementary (Grades K-2)
- Pere Marquette Elementary (Preschool)
- Foster Elementary (Grades 3-5)
- Lakeview Elementary (Grades K-2)
- Ludington Area Catholic-LAC (Private, Grades K-8)
Junior/Senior high
- OJ DeJonge Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- Ludington High School (Grades 9-12, The Orioles)
Notable residents
- Burr CaswellBurr Caswell-Early life:Caswell was born at Glens Falls, New York, in 1807 with the given name of Aaron Burr although he always went by just the name "Burr." As a young man Caswell learned cabinet trade skills. He practiced this business for several years in Glens Falls....
- early settler and developer of Ludington area and Mason County - Justus Smith StearnsJustus Smith StearnsJustus Smith Stearns was an American lumber baron and businessman. He was Michigan's secretary of state in 1899 and 1900.- Biography :...
- an American baron of industry, politician, and businessman. - Antoine Ephrem CartierAntoine Ephrem CartierAntoine Ephrem Cartier was a businessman famous for helping develop the beginnings of Ludington, Michigan, in the nineteenth century.- Biography :...
- early settler and developer of Ludington - Warren Antoine CartierWarren Antoine CartierWarren Antoine Cartier was a northern Michigan businessman famous for helping to develop the beginnings of Ludington, Michigan, in the nineteenth century.- Biography :...
- early settler and developer of Ludington - Jacques MarquetteJacques MarquetteFather Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
- 17th century French missionary who, on his way to St. Ignace, he was brought ashore near the present site of Ludington. A shrine in Ludington in the form of a cross marks that very spot where Father Marquette died.
See also
- Epworth HeightsEpworth HeightsEpworth Heights is a summer resort located in Ludington, Michigan, in the United States.- Founding :Epworth Heights was founded in 1894 by Justus Smith Stearns and others. It began as a Methodist Chautauqua-style family camping experience on the shores of Lake Michigan...
- Justus Smith StearnsJustus Smith StearnsJustus Smith Stearns was an American lumber baron and businessman. He was Michigan's secretary of state in 1899 and 1900.- Biography :...
- Ludington Public LibraryLudington Public LibraryThe Ludington Public Library is one of the two 'branches' of the Mason County District Library administrative system. It is located in downtown Ludington, in Mason County in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The other 'branch' is the Scottville Public Library....
- Ludington State ParkLudington State ParkLudington State Park is a state park located just north of Ludington, Michigan between the shores of Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake. The park encompasses nearly and contains several ecosystems, including: forests, sand dunes, a dam, a Great Lake, and a river.-Big Sable Point Lighthouse:Ludington...
- Mason County CourthouseMason County Courthouse (Michigan)The Mason County Courthouse is in Mason County, Michigan. It is in the town of Ludington in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.- History :The area early in its history attracted several lumbermen because of the abundance of white pine timber. Among these early settlers in the area were Burr Caswell,...
- Mason County District LibraryMason County District LibraryThe Mason County District Library is located in Mason County in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It is the district umbrella administration board under which the Ludington Public Library and the Scottville Public Library function. It consists of a seven-member board of trustees.The Ludington...
- Star Watch Case CompanyStar Watch Case CompanyThe Star Watch Case Company was a company in Ludington, Michigan, that operated from approximately 1905 to 1982. It designed and manufactured watch cases.-Product:The Star Watch Case Company manufactured watch cases...
External links
- City of Ludington
- Ludington Daily News
- Ludington Mural Society
- Ludington Area School District
- SS Badger site - The ferry to Wisconsin
- Slide show pictures of Ludington, Michigan
- Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Mason County and Ludington Michigan Area History and Genealogy
- The Official Ludington and Scottville Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau