Munising, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Munising is a city on the southern shore of Lake Superior
on the Upper Peninsula
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,539. It is the county seat
of Alger County
. The city is at the northwest corner of Munising Township
, but is administratively autonomous.
. It is the primary embarkation point for cruises to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
and Grand Island National Recreation Area
.
The name Munising is derived from the Ojibway language. 'Munissi' means island. 'Munising' means near the island. Grand Island is located one half mile north in Munising Bay.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.1 square miles (23.6 km²), of which, 5.4 square miles (14 km²) of it is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it (41.40%) is water.
The Munising area has many waterfalls including Alger Falls
, Horseshoe Falls, Memorial Falls
, Munising Falls
, Miners Falls
, Scott Falls
, Tannery Falls
and Wagner Falls
.
of 2000, there were 2,539 people, 1,115 households, and 654 families residing in the city. The population density
was 474.0 per square mile (182.9/km²). There were 1,249 housing units at an average density of 233.2 per square mile (90.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.74% White, 0.16% African American, 3.51% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population. 13.3% were of French
, 12.4% German
, 11.0% Finnish, 9.9% Polish, 8.8% Swedish, 7.3% French Canadian
and 6.8% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.8% spoke English
and 1.6% Spanish
as their first language.
There were 1,115 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples
living together, 10.2% 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 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,899, and the median income for a family was $46,133. Males had a median income of $41,333 versus $24,444 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,779. About 7.4% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
on the Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
of 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 city population was 2,539. 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 Alger County
Alger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
. The city is at the northwest corner of Munising Township
Munising Township, Michigan
Munising Township is a civil township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,125.-Communities:...
, but is administratively autonomous.
Geography
Munising is located on the southern edge of Munising Bay at 46°24′40"N 86°38′52"W, also known as the South Bay of Grand Island Harbor, across from Grand Island around the mouth of the Anna RiverAnna River (Michigan)
The Anna is a small river in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The mouth of the river is at in the city of Munising on the South Bay of the Grand Island Harbor on Lake Superior....
. It is the primary embarkation point for cruises to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore on the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. It extends for 42 miles along the shore and covers...
and Grand Island National Recreation Area
Grand Island National Recreation Area
The Grand Island National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. It is part of the Hiawatha National Forest. Located on Grand Island, Michigan offshore from Munising, Michigan, the Grand Island National Recreation Area covers approximately ...
.
The name Munising is derived from the Ojibway language. 'Munissi' means island. 'Munising' means near the island. Grand Island is located one half mile north in Munising Bay.
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 9.1 square miles (23.6 km²), of which, 5.4 square miles (14 km²) of it is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it (41.40%) is water.
The Munising area has many waterfalls including Alger Falls
Alger Falls
Alger Falls is a waterfall located along highway M-28 in Alger County, Michigan near Munising at the junction with M-94. The falls consist of a series of drops, the highest of which is about . The falls can be seen from the highway. The level of water coming over the falls can vary greatly...
, Horseshoe Falls, Memorial Falls
Memorial Falls
Memorial Falls are actually two similar waterfalls in adjacent gorges on small streams near the city of Munising Michigan. The larger falls drop approximately 40 feet. There is a cave behind both falls. There is a small natural arch in the sandstone between the two gorges near the top of the falls...
, Munising Falls
Munising Falls
Munising Falls is a waterfall located in Munising in the western-most portion of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Alger County. The falls drops about over a sandstone cliff. With the exception of the spring thaw, the amount of water falling is relatively small...
, Miners Falls
Miners Falls
Miners Falls is a waterfall located on Miners River in the western portion of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Alger County, Michigan. The falls drops about over a sandstone outcrop with a crest. The falls can be accessed by trail, with stairs leading to a lookout.-References:**...
, Scott Falls
Scott Falls
Scott Falls is a waterfall located along highway M-28 in Alger County, Michigan near the town of Au Train. The falls drops about over a sandstone cliff into a small pool. The falls can be seen from the highway; they are across the road from the H.J. Rathfoot State Roadside Park.-References:**...
, Tannery Falls
Tannery Falls
Tannery Falls is a waterfall on Tannery Creek located near the city of Munising, Michigan. The falls drop into an impressive sandstone canyon. There is a cave behind the falls. The level of water coming over the falls can vary greatly depending on snow melt or rainfall. Tannery Falls is one of the...
and Wagner Falls
Wagner Falls
Wagner Falls is a waterfall on Wagner Creek near Munising Michigan. It is in the Wagner Falls Scenic Site belonging to the Michigan State Park System. The falls are located near the junction of M-28 and M-94 and can be reached by a short trail and boardwalk. Water flowing over the falls joins the...
.
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 2,539 people, 1,115 households, and 654 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 474.0 per square mile (182.9/km²). There were 1,249 housing units at an average density of 233.2 per square mile (90.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.74% White, 0.16% African American, 3.51% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.12% 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 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population. 13.3% were of 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...
, 12.4% 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....
, 11.0% Finnish, 9.9% Polish, 8.8% Swedish, 7.3% French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
and 6.8% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.8% 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...
and 1.6% 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...
as their first language.
There were 1,115 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% 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, 10.2% 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 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,899, and the median income for a family was $46,133. Males had a median income of $41,333 versus $24,444 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 $19,779. About 7.4% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
M-28M-28 (Michigan highway)M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
travels west to MarquetteMarquette, MichiganMarquette 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...
and east to Sault Ste. MarieSault Ste. Marie, MichiganSault 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...
.
M-94M-94 (Michigan highway)M-94 is a state trunkline in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for from K. I. Sawyer to Manistique. The highway is part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour during a concurrency with M-28. M-94 crosses the Siphon Bridge in Manistique, unique for the fact that the bridge roadway...
travels westerly through ChathamChatham, MichiganChatham is a village in Rock River Township of Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 231...
toward Sawyer International AirportSawyer International AirportSawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
south of Marquette, and southerly to ManistiqueManistique, MichiganManistique is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,583. It is the county seat of Schoolcraft County and the only incorporated community in the county. The city lies on the north shore of Lake Michigan, at the southwest corner...
.
H-11 runs from H-58 just east of the city to Miner's Castle within Pictured Rocks National LakeshorePictured Rocks National LakeshorePictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore on the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. It extends for 42 miles along the shore and covers...
.
H-13, a north-south route, terminates at H-58 in the eastern part of the city.
H-58H-58 (Michigan county highway)County Designated Highway H-58 is a road that runs east–west in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. H-58 is routed through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Along H-58, there are the towns of Melstrand, Van Meer, and Myren. The length is .The western terminus is at M-28 in downtown Munising,...
begins in downtown Munising and continues northeasterly through Pictured Rocks National LakeshorePictured Rocks National LakeshorePictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore on the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. It extends for 42 miles along the shore and covers...
.
Sources
- Romig, Walter. Michigan Place Names. Wayne State University Press: Detroit, 1986.