Ontonagon County, Michigan

Ontonagon County, Michigan
Ontonagon County is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,816, making it Michigan's third-least populous county. The county seat is Ontonagon. The county was set off in 1843, and organized in 1848. Its territory had been organized as part of Chippewa and Mackinac counties. With increasing population in the area, more counties were organized. After Ontonagon was organized, it was split to create Gogebic County. It is also the westernmost county in United States that lies within the Eastern Time Zone.
History
In 1843, Michigan's Upper Peninsula was divided into Mackinac, Chippewa, Marquette, Schoolcraft, Delta, and Ontonagon Counties. In 1845, a portion of Ontonagon County was partitioned to be part of Houghton County. In 1846, the village of Ontonagon was named as the county seat of Ontonagon County.
Ontonagon County is part of Copper Country, a region of the Upper Peninsula with prevalent copper mining from 1845 until the late 1960s. Prehistoric mining was conducted by local Native American populations. The first attempts by Europeans to mine copper in the area came in 1771 in the Ontonagon River. The last copper mine in Copper Country was the White Pine mine, which closed in 1995.
Etymology
The county is named after the Ontonagon River. The name is said to be loosely derived from an Ojibwe language word noojitoon ziibi, meaning "hunting river." A French transliteration, Nantounagon, identified the river on a 1670 French map. Alternatively, and perhaps more accurately, it is said to be derived from the Ojibwa onagon, which means "dish" or "bowl." See List of Michigan county name etymologies.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (65%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Michigan by area.
Ontonagon County is located in the western Upper Peninsula, along the shore of Lake Superior. At a longitude of 89.5°W, it is the westernmost county in the United States contained entirely within the Eastern Time Zone.
Geographic features
Porcupine Mountains
Lake of the Clouds
Lake Superior
Lake Gogebic is the largest lake in the Upper Peninsula.
Corpse Pond
Ontonagon River
Firesteel River
Flintsteel River
Halfway Creek
Townline Creek
Maple Leaf Creek
Adjacent counties
By land
Houghton County (east)
Iron County (southeast; CST border)
Gogebic County (south, southwest; CST border)
By water
Ashland County, Wisconsin (west; CST border)
Cook County, Minnesota (northwest; CST border)
Keweenaw County (northeast)
National protected areas
Keweenaw National Historical Park (part)
Ottawa National Forest (part)
Transportation
Major highways
– runs north–south through east-central part of county. Enters south line from Watersmeet, passes Paulding, Bruce Crossing, and Rockland, ending at Ontonagon.
– enters east line of county at south of NE county corner. Runs SW, passing Mass City and Lake Mine, to intersection with M-38 east of Rockland.
– runs east–west thru southern part of county. Enters north of SE county corner. Runs westerly into Gogebic County.
– enters east line of county at a point east of Mass City. Runs west to Lake Mine, then WNW to terminus at Ontonagon.
– runs north–south through center part of county. Enters south line on west side of Lake Gogebic; runs north to Lake Superior shoreline. Runs NE along shoreline to terminus at Ontonagon.
Airport
Ontonagon County Airport (KOGM) serves the county and surrounding communities.
Demographics
The 2010 United States census indicated Ontonagon County had a population of 6,780. In 2010 there were 3,258 households and 1,954 families in the county. The population density was . There were 5,672 housing units at an average density of . At the 2010 census, 97.3% of the population were White, 1.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.1% of some other race and 1.3% of two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). By the publication of the 2020 census, its population declined to 5,816.
In 2010, there were 3,258 households, out of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.61. The county population contained 15.8% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 16.7% from 25 to 44, 37.0% from 45 to 64, and 26.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.7 years. The population is 51.6% male and 48.4% female.
In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $34,786, and the median income for a family was $46,845. The per capita income for the county was $22,195. About 9.0% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over. At the 2021 census estimates, its median household income grew to $44,605.
Communities
Village
Ontonagon (county seat)
Civil townships
Bergland Township
Bohemia Township
Carp Lake Township
Greenland Township
Haight Township
Interior Township
Matchwood Township
McMillan Township
Ontonagon Township
Rockland Township
Stannard Township
Census-designated places
Bergland
Bruce Crossing
Ewen
Greenland
Lake Gogebic
Mass City
Rockland
White Pine
Unincorporated communities
Agate
Algonquin
Calderwood
Carp Lake
Craigsmere
Maple Grove
Matchwood
Paulding
Paynesville
Robbins
Trout Creek
Victoria
Ghost town
Adventure
Indian reservation
The Ontonagon Indian Reservation, a branch of the Lake Superior Chippewa, has a reservation in the northeastern section of Ontonagon Township on the shores of Lake Superior. The reservation occupies of land but recorded no permanent population at the 2010 census.
Government
Ontonagon County is fairly balanced to Republican-leaning. Since 1876 its voters have selected the Republican Party nominee in 62% (23 of 37) of the national elections through 2020.
Ontonagon County operates the County jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county 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.
Elected officials
Prosecuting Attorney: Michael D. Findlay
Sheriff: Dale Rantala
County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Stacy C. Preiss
County Treasurer: Jeanne M. Pollard
Mine Inspector: Douglas Roberts
As of September 2018
See also
List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Ontonagon County, Michigan
National Register of Historic Places listings in Ontonagon County, Michigan
Copper Country
Copper mining in Michigan
References
External links
Ontonagon Chamber Of Commerce
Ontonagon County Website
Michigan counties
Michigan placenames of Native American origin
1848 establishments in Michigan
Populated places established in 1848