Mackinac Island, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Mackinac Island is a city in Mackinac County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. In the 2010 census, the city had a permanent population of 492, although there are thousands more seasonal workers and tourists during the summer months. From 1818–1882, the city was the county seat
of the former Michilimackinac County, which was later organized into Mackinac County with St. Ignace
as the county seat. The city includes all of Mackinac Island
and the unpopulated Round Island
, which is federally owned and part of Hiawatha National Forest. The city also includes all of Mackinac Island State Park
, which includes 80% of Mackinac Island and is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission
. The city is served by the Mackinac Island Public School
.
A unique local ordinance
prohibits the use of any motor vehicle
s on the island. The most common means of travel are foot, bicycle
, or horseback. Certain enumerated exceptions include emergency vehicles, electric wheelchairs for those with disabilities, snowmobile
s in winter, and golf carts for on-course use only. Mackinac Island is home to the famed Grand Hotel
, where the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time
was filmed. That film presents a rare exception in which motorized vehicles were allowed on the island.
Mackinac Island is also famous for the many fudge
shops on the island. The island has a very large industry making fudge in a traditional manner, creating them on cold marble slabs. The many varieties are a delicious tourist draw and common gift throughout Michigan.*
, run by the Chicago Yacht Club
, and the annual Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race
, sponsored by the Bayview Yacht Club
of Detroit, Michigan
.
, the city has a total area of 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²), of which, 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it (21.86%) is water. Interestingly, the City of Mackinac Island not only exists on the island of the same name, but also takes in the entirety of nearby Round Island
, situated in the Straits of Mackinac
immediately to the south. Round Island is currently uninhabited and is owned by the U.S. Forest Service
in its entirety, and is managed as part of the Hiawatha National Forest
.
The Michigan Legislature
created the City of Mackinac Island in 1899 via L.A. 437 of 1899 as a "special charter city." At that time, all of nearby Round Island was included in the corporate limits, although for reasons not currently clear. While all of Mackinac Island, the landform, is located within the corporate limits of the City of Mackinac Island, 82 percent of the island's landmass is owned by the State of Michigan
and managed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission
(MISPC), so that the City itself has direct jurisdiction over only 18 percent of the island, the remainder being under direct control of the Commission. The City and the Commission do, however, work together on the many issues affecting both the City and the State Park, such as the longtime ban on most motorized vehicles on the island.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 523 people, 252 households, and 143 families residing in the city. The population density
was 119.8 people per square mile (46.2/km²). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 129.4 per square mile (49.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.72% White, 18.36% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.19% from other races
, and 5.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 252 households out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.69.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,964, and the median income for a family was $50,536. Males had a median income of $39,219 versus $25,313 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $27,965. About 1.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Mackinac County, Michigan
-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
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"....
. In the 2010 census, the city had a permanent population of 492, although there are thousands more seasonal workers and tourists during the summer months. From 1818–1882, the city was 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 the former Michilimackinac County, which was later organized into Mackinac County with St. Ignace
St. Ignace, Michigan
Saint Ignace, usually written as St. Ignace, is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,678. It is the county seat of Mackinac County. From the Lower Peninsula, St. Ignace is the gateway to the Upper Peninsula.St...
as the county seat. The city includes all of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
and the unpopulated Round Island
Round Island (Michigan)
Round Island is an uninhabited island in Mackinac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The Native Americans called the island "Nissawinagong."...
, which is federally owned and part of Hiawatha National Forest. The city also includes all of Mackinac Island State Park
Mackinac Island State Park
Mackinac Island State Park is a state park located on Mackinac Island in the U.S. state of Michigan. The island park encompasses 2.81 mi² , which is approximately 74% of the island's total area of 3.78 mi² . The park is also within the boundaries of the city of Mackinac Island and has permanent...
, which includes 80% of Mackinac Island and is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission
Mackinac Island State Park Commission
The Mackinac Island State Park Commission is an appointed board of the State of Michigan that administers state parklands in the Straits of Mackinac area. It performs public activities under the name Mackinac State Historic Parks...
. The city is served by the Mackinac Island Public School
Mackinac Island Public School
Mackinac Island Public School is the public school district serving Mackinac Island, Michigan. The school district is coterminous with the city and with the island. It is governed by a school board of 5 elected members. One school building, on Lake Shore Drive, is sufficient to serve the entire...
.
A unique local ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
prohibits the use of any motor vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
s on the island. The most common means of travel are foot, bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
, or horseback. Certain enumerated exceptions include emergency vehicles, electric wheelchairs for those with disabilities, 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...
s in winter, and golf carts for on-course use only. Mackinac Island is home to the famed Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island)
The Grand Hotel is a historic hotel and coastal resort located on Mackinac Island, Michigan, a small island located at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac within Lake Huron between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Constructed in the late 19th century, the facility advertises itself as...
, where the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time
Somewhere in Time (film)
Somewhere in Time is a 1980 romantic science fiction film directed by Jeannot Szwarc. It is a film adaptation of the 1975 novel Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson, who also wrote the screenplay...
was filmed. That film presents a rare exception in which motorized vehicles were allowed on the island.
Mackinac Island is also famous for the many fudge
Fudge
Fudge is a type of Western confectionery which is usually very sweet, and extremely rich. It is made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk and heating it to the soft-ball stage at , and then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency...
shops on the island. The island has a very large industry making fudge in a traditional manner, creating them on cold marble slabs. The many varieties are a delicious tourist draw and common gift throughout Michigan.*
Boating
Mackinac Island is the destination of both the annual Chicago to Mackinac Sailboat RaceChicago to Mackinac Boat Race
The Chicago to Mackinac Sailboat Race is run by the Chicago Yacht Club. It is one of the longest fresh-water races in the world, with hundreds of boats entering the race each year. It starts off the mouth of the Chicago River in Chicago, crosses Lake Michigan, barely enters Lake Huron, and finishes...
, run by the Chicago Yacht Club
Chicago Yacht Club
The Chicago Yacht Club is located in Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Yacht Club is best known for organizing the Chicago to Mackinac Race each July. It also hosts dozens of other races and regattas throughout the season.- History :...
, and the annual Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race
Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race
The Bayview Mackinac Boat Race is run by the Bayview Yacht Club of Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the longest fresh-water races in the world with over two hundred boats entering the race each year....
, sponsored by the Bayview Yacht Club
Bayview Yacht Club
Bayview Yacht Club is private, sailing-focused yacht club located in Detroit, Michigan. Bayview is famous for hosting the Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race as well as a number of other regional and local regattas....
of 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...
.
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 city has a total area of 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²), of which, 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it (21.86%) is water. Interestingly, the City of Mackinac Island not only exists on the island of the same name, but also takes in the entirety of nearby Round Island
Round Island (Michigan)
Round Island is an uninhabited island in Mackinac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The Native Americans called the island "Nissawinagong."...
, situated in the Straits of Mackinac
Straits of Mackinac
The Straits of Mackinac is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a shipping lane providing passage for raw materials and finished goods, connecting, for...
immediately to the south. Round Island is currently uninhabited and is owned by the U.S. Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
in its entirety, and is managed as part of the Hiawatha National Forest
Hiawatha National Forest
Hiawatha National Forest is a National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan in the United States. Commercial logging is conducted in some areas. The United States Forest Service administers this National Forest; it is physically divided into two subunits, commonly called the...
.
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
created the City of Mackinac Island in 1899 via L.A. 437 of 1899 as a "special charter city." At that time, all of nearby Round Island was included in the corporate limits, although for reasons not currently clear. While all of Mackinac Island, the landform, is located within the corporate limits of the City of Mackinac Island, 82 percent of the island's landmass is owned by the State of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and managed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission
Mackinac Island State Park Commission
The Mackinac Island State Park Commission is an appointed board of the State of Michigan that administers state parklands in the Straits of Mackinac area. It performs public activities under the name Mackinac State Historic Parks...
(MISPC), so that the City itself has direct jurisdiction over only 18 percent of the island, the remainder being under direct control of the Commission. The City and the Commission do, however, work together on the many issues affecting both the City and the State Park, such as the longtime ban on most motorized vehicles on the island.
Demographics
Census
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 523 people, 252 households, and 143 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 119.8 people per square mile (46.2/km²). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 129.4 per square mile (49.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.72% White, 18.36% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.19% 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 5.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 252 households out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.69.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,964, and the median income for a family was $50,536. Males had a median income of $39,219 versus $25,313 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 $27,965. About 1.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.