Montmorency County, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 Montmorency County Courthouse inAtlanta | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
| Coordinates:45°02′N84°08′W / 45.03°N 84.13°W /45.03; -84.13 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | 1840 (created) 1881 (organized)[1] |
| Named after | House of Montmorency |
| Seat | Atlanta |
| Largest settlement | Lewiston Hillman (incorporated) |
| Area | |
• Total | 563 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| • Land | 547 sq mi (1,420 km2) |
| • Water | 16 sq mi (41 km2) 2.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 9,153 |
• Estimate (2024) | 9,828 |
| • Density | 18/sq mi (6.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | montcounty |
Montmorency County (/ˌmɒntməˈrɛnsi/MONT-mə-REN-see) is acounty located in theU.S. state ofMichigan. As of the2020 census, the population was 9,153,[2] making it the second-least populous county in Michigan'sLower Peninsula, behind its southern neighbor,Oscoda County. Thecounty seat isAtlanta.[3]
Montmorency County is part ofNorthern Michigan, and is part of theLake Huron watershed. TheThunder Bay River, which drains much of the county, flows to Lake Huron'sThunder Bay atAlpena.
The county was created by the Michigan Legislature in 1840 asCheonoquet County,[4][5] after a well-knownChippewa (also known asOjibwa) Chief, whose name (Gichi-aanakwad) meant Big Cloud.[6] Cheonoquet took part in Indian treaties in 1807, 1815, 1825 and 1837.[7][8] Renamed Montmorency County on March 8, 1843,[4] it was originally spelled Montmorenci, and historians conjecture this reflects the area's French-Canadian influence: the French Duke of Montmorency purchased a lieutenant governorship in Canada and the firstarchbishop of Canada—Montmorency-Laval—both could be influences on the county's name. (There was no "Count Morenci" aiding the American Revolution). The county was organized in 1881.[1] The reason for the change in spelling is subject to some dispute.[8]SeeList of Michigan county name etymologies. The name Montmorency probably means Mountain Moor. Montmorency is a boggy land or moor that is at the top of a broad mount or highland. When the county was organized in 1881, some land area was taken fromCheboygan andAlpena counties. Three townships were divided:Briley,Montmorency andRust. By 1901Albert,Hillman Township andWheatfield were added. Brush Creek, now known asHillman, was the first county seat. In 1891 the county seat was moved to Atlanta.[7]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 563 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 547 square miles (1,420 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (2.8%) is water.[9] Although it lies on Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Montmorency County is considered to be part ofNorthern Michigan.
Most of the county is covered by state forest land. There is an abundance of lakes, such asLong Lake. Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the Grayling outwash plain, a broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges, jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.[10]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 1,487 | — | |
| 1900 | 3,234 | 117.5% | |
| 1910 | 3,755 | 16.1% | |
| 1920 | 4,089 | 8.9% | |
| 1930 | 2,814 | −31.2% | |
| 1940 | 3,840 | 36.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,125 | 7.4% | |
| 1960 | 4,424 | 7.2% | |
| 1970 | 5,247 | 18.6% | |
| 1980 | 7,492 | 42.8% | |
| 1990 | 8,936 | 19.3% | |
| 2000 | 10,315 | 15.4% | |
| 2010 | 9,765 | −5.3% | |
| 2020 | 9,153 | −6.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 9,828 | [11] | 7.4% |
| US Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-2018[2] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 9,153. The median age was 56.6 years. 15.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 33.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 106.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 105.3 males age 18 and over.[16][17]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.2%White, 0.2%Black or African American, 0.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.[17]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[18]
There were 4,325 households in the county, of which 18.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.7% were married-couple households, 23.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]
There were 8,930 housing units, of which 51.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 86.1% were owner-occupied and 13.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.8%.[16]
As of the2000 United States census,[19] there were 10,315 people, 4,455 households, and 3,047 families residing in the county.
Dairy products and dry beans are an important part of the county's agricultural production. Service industry and retail trade relating to tourism make up most of the economic base in this rural area.[20] Boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities are offered in abundance.[21]
Voters in Montmorency County favored Democratic Party nominees at the start, but since 1896 have usually voted for the Republican Party. Republican Party nominees have garnered the Montmorency County vote 76% of the time (26 of 34 elections).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1884 | 93 | 38.91% | 137 | 57.32% | 9 | 3.77% |
| 1888 | 235 | 48.86% | 237 | 49.27% | 9 | 1.87% |
| 1892 | 246 | 47.67% | 255 | 49.42% | 15 | 2.91% |
| 1896 | 481 | 58.73% | 330 | 40.29% | 8 | 0.98% |
| 1900 | 543 | 69.17% | 233 | 29.68% | 9 | 1.15% |
| 1904 | 654 | 80.54% | 146 | 17.98% | 12 | 1.48% |
| 1908 | 580 | 75.23% | 179 | 23.22% | 12 | 1.56% |
| 1912 | 325 | 43.62% | 163 | 21.88% | 257 | 34.50% |
| 1916 | 396 | 54.25% | 272 | 37.26% | 62 | 8.49% |
| 1920 | 832 | 75.57% | 199 | 18.07% | 70 | 6.36% |
| 1924 | 748 | 63.93% | 140 | 11.97% | 282 | 24.10% |
| 1928 | 787 | 73.97% | 270 | 25.38% | 7 | 0.66% |
| 1932 | 595 | 38.04% | 903 | 57.74% | 66 | 4.22% |
| 1936 | 792 | 44.05% | 958 | 53.28% | 48 | 2.67% |
| 1940 | 1,189 | 60.48% | 768 | 39.06% | 9 | 0.46% |
| 1944 | 1,034 | 65.20% | 541 | 34.11% | 11 | 0.69% |
| 1948 | 1,054 | 64.11% | 553 | 33.64% | 37 | 2.25% |
| 1952 | 1,449 | 71.91% | 544 | 27.00% | 22 | 1.09% |
| 1956 | 1,385 | 69.39% | 608 | 30.46% | 3 | 0.15% |
| 1960 | 1,565 | 64.32% | 866 | 35.59% | 2 | 0.08% |
| 1964 | 863 | 38.60% | 1,369 | 61.23% | 4 | 0.18% |
| 1968 | 1,279 | 54.40% | 810 | 34.45% | 262 | 11.14% |
| 1972 | 1,798 | 64.49% | 914 | 32.78% | 76 | 2.73% |
| 1976 | 1,882 | 52.03% | 1,684 | 46.56% | 51 | 1.41% |
| 1980 | 2,400 | 55.71% | 1,654 | 38.39% | 254 | 5.90% |
| 1984 | 2,913 | 67.54% | 1,387 | 32.16% | 13 | 0.30% |
| 1988 | 2,514 | 61.32% | 1,563 | 38.12% | 23 | 0.56% |
| 1992 | 1,794 | 37.45% | 1,903 | 39.72% | 1,094 | 22.83% |
| 1996 | 1,760 | 38.33% | 2,120 | 46.17% | 712 | 15.51% |
| 2000 | 2,750 | 54.90% | 2,139 | 42.70% | 120 | 2.40% |
| 2004 | 3,300 | 59.32% | 2,196 | 39.48% | 67 | 1.20% |
| 2008 | 2,841 | 53.00% | 2,403 | 44.83% | 116 | 2.16% |
| 2012 | 2,928 | 57.97% | 2,049 | 40.57% | 74 | 1.47% |
| 2016 | 3,498 | 69.52% | 1,287 | 25.58% | 247 | 4.91% |
| 2020 | 4,171 | 71.14% | 1,628 | 27.77% | 64 | 1.09% |
| 2024 | 4,599 | 71.85% | 1,702 | 26.59% | 100 | 1.56% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 4,455 | 71.04% | 1,654 | 26.38% | 162 | 2.58% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 3,301 | 64.49% | 1,701 | 33.23% | 117 | 2.29% |
0pThe county government operates thejail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, andvital records, administerspublic health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. Thecounty board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
(information as of August 2018)
ORV/ATV and snowmobile trails are some of the state's best. Many areas are designated as "trail mazes" on some maps.[31] Montmorency County is one of the few counties that allow ATVs on public county roads, thus creating access for fuel, food and various hotels to Hillman, Atlanta, and Lewiston.[32] The main trail system incorporates a scenic Elk tour and various levels of ATV trails.
The newspaper of record for Montmorency County is theMontmorency County Tribune.[33]
Montmorency County is home to Michigan's most endangered species and one of the most endangered species in the world: theHungerford's crawling water beetle. The species lives in only five locations in the world, two of which are in Montmorency County, both inside theMackinaw State Forest. The first site is along the East Branch of theBlack River where two adult beetles were found in surveys in 1989 and two more again in 1996. In July 1999, six additional adult beetles were identified in the county living in Van Hetton Creek. This latter find was significant as it represented a new location beyond those originally identified when the Hungerford's crawling water beetle was categorized as endangered on March 7, 1994, under the provisions of the USEndangered Species Act. The Van Hetton Creek sighting therefore provides the possibility that more of these very rare beetles might be found elsewhere in Montmorency County.
Places adjacent to Montmorency County, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofMontmorency County, Michigan,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Village |  | |
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Central cities | |
|---|---|
| Counties | |
| Geography | |
| Transportation | |
| Economy | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
