Chippewa County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

Upper Peninsula The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by ...

of the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 36,785. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Sault Ste. Marie. The county is named for the Ojibwe (Chippewa) people, and was set off and organized in 1826. Chippewa County comprises the Sault Ste. Marie, MI micropolitan statistical area.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (42%) is water. It is the second-largest county in Michigan by land area and fifth-largest by total area. The

Michigan Meridian The Michigan meridian is the principal meridian (or north-south line) used as a reference in the Michigan Survey, the survey of the U.S. state of Michigan in the early 19th century. It is located at 84 degrees, 21 minutes and 53 seconds west lo ...

runs through the eastern portion of the county. South of Nine Mile Road, M-129 (Meridian Road) overlays the meridian. In Sault Ste. Marie, Meridian Street north of 12th Avenue overlays the meridian.

Adjacent counties & districts

Algoma District, Ontario Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The name was created by an American ethnologist, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (1793-1864), who was appointed Indian agent to the Ojibwe ...

, Canada (northeast) * Manitoulin District, Ontario, Canada (east) * Presque Isle County (southeast) *

Mackinac County Mackinac County ( ) is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 10,834. The county seat is St. Ignace. Formerly known as Michilimackinac County, in 1818 it was one of the firs ...

(south) * Luce County (west)

National protected areas

Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge The Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge is a horseshoe-shaped island and National Wildlife Refuge in Potagannissing Bay north of Drummond Island in the U.S. state of Michigan. The island was acquired in 1983 by the United States Fish and Wi ...

* Hiawatha National Forest (part) * Whitefish Point Unit of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge

Game areas

The Munuscong Bay is open for hunting, boating and bird watching. The area is known for its duck hunting, including mallards, divers and

green-winged teal The green-winged teal (''Anas carolinensis'') is a common and widespread duck that breeds in the northern areas of North America except on the Aleutian Islands. It was considered conspecific with the Eurasian teal (''A. crecca'') for some tim ...

ducks. The Bay is most known for its icefishing and duck hunting. During opening weekend of duck season (late September), hundreds of hunters come from all over the state to begin their season on the Bay. This area has many types of waterfowl pass through it on their annual migrations.

Transportation

Major highways

All Interstate and US Highways in Michigan are all state-maintained highways and part of the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System. * is Michigan's longest state highway overall; it ends on the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge at the

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

border. * travels from I-75 into downtown Sault Ste. Marie, and ends at the ferry to Sugar Island. * is Michigan's longest state highway; it ends at M-129 south of Sault Ste. Marie. * is a highway that goes through Pickford and Rudyard, and ends at exit 373 on I-75. * is a highway that begins at exit 378 on I-75, goes through the former base in Kincheloe, and terminates at M-129. * is a highway that is the main connector from Tahquamenon Falls to M-28. * (also known as Meridian Road) runs through the eastern part of the county, and ends at BS I-75 just south of Sault Ste. Marie. * is a highway that goes to and terminates on Drummond Island. * is the shortest highway in Chippewa County, just going through Brimley and ending at M-28.

County-designated highways

The following highways are maintained by the Chippewa County Road Commission as part of the county road system. They are assigned numbers by the

Michigan Department of Transportation The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstat ...

as part of the County-Designated Highway System. * * runs via Mackinac Trail, the former route of US 2 before it was replaced by I-75 in 1962. * (Whitefish Bay National Forest Scenic Byway), is a

National Forest Scenic Byway The National Forest Scenic Byways are roads that have been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as scenic byways. Many are also National Scenic Byways (NSB). The program was initiated in 1987. __TOC__ List The following roadways were listed by t ...

with the

US Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...

the Chippewa County Road Commission jointly maintains.

Airports

* Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) serves Chippewa county and the surrounding communities, providing commercial connection to hub airports. * Drummond Island Airport (DRM) is a public-owned, public-use general-aviation airport with 2 runways (1 hard-surfaced). The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association announced that Chippewa County will house its new command and control center. In last year, this is the third major announcement from the organization guiding Michigan's aerospace and defense manufacturing community within the global industry. Previously, MAMA announced plans for a

Oscoda, Michigan Oscoda ( ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The CDP had a population of 916 at the 2020 census. The community is located within Au Sable Township and Oscoda Town ...

Wurtsmith Airport horizontal launch site at and a

Marquette, Michigan Marquette ( ) is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,629 at the 2020 United States Census, which makes it the largest city in the Upper Peninsula. Marquette serves as the seat of government of Marque ...

vertical launch site.

Demographics

The

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

indicates Chippewa County had a population of 38,520. This decrease of 23 people from the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, 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 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 c ...

represents a -0.1% change in population. In 2010 there were 14,329 households and 9,106 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 24.7 per square mile (9.5 square kilometers). There were 21,253 housing units at an average density of 13.6 per square mile (5.3 square kilometers). 72.3% of the population were

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 15.8% Native American, 6.5% Black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.2% of some other race and 4.6% of two or more races. 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 17.0% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 11.8%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, 12.2% Irish, 8.8%

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, 6.4% Polish ancestry. There were 14,329 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were husband and wife families, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.5% were non-families, and 29.5% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.88. The county population contained 20.1% under age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. The population was 55.1% male and 44.9% female. The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicates the median income for a household in the county was $39,351 and the median income for a family was $54,625. Males had a median income of $25,760 versus $16,782 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $19,334. About 2.3% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 26.0% of those under the age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Chippewa County voters have been reliably Republican from the start. Since 1876, they have selected the Republican Party nominee in 86% of national elections (31 of 36). The county government operates the

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, English language in England, standard English, Australian English, Australian, and Huron Historic Gaol, historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention cen ...

, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and

vital records Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some ...

, administers

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

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 A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal trial ...

: Robert L. Stratton *

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

: Michael Bitnar *

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

: Cathy Maleport *

County Treasurer A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

: Carmen Fazzari *

Register of Deeds Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over ...

: Sharon H. Kennedy * Drain Commissioner: James Zimmerman *

County Surveyor A county surveyor is a public official in the United Kingdom and the United States. United Kingdom Webb & Webb describe the increasing chaos that began to prevail within this same period in field of county surveying in England and Wales, with c ...

: Robert Laitinen (Current as of October 2018)Chippewa County website
/ref>

Communities

City

* Sault Ste. Marie (county seat)

Village

* DeTour Village

Charter township

* Kinross Charter Township

Civil townships

* Bay Mills Township * Bruce Township * Chippewa Township * Dafter Township * Detour Township * Drummond Township * Hulbert Township * Pickford Township * Raber Township * Rudyard Township * Soo Township * Sugar Island Township * Superior Township * Trout Lake Township * Whitefish Township

Unincorporated communities

* Barbeau * Bay Mills * Bay Mills Indian Community (Indian Reservation) * Brimley (named ''Superior'' until 1896) * Dafter (named ''Stevensburg'' until 1893) * Drummond * Eckerman * Emerson * Goetzville (named ''Gatesville'' until 1917) * Homestead * Johnswood * Hulbert * Kelden (also spelled ''Keldon'') * Kincheloe *

Kinross Kinross (, gd, Ceann Rois) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, around south of Perth and around northwest of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the historic county of Kinross-shire. History Kinross's origins are c ...

* Mission * Neebish Island *

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in para ...

* Pickford * Raber * Raco * Rudyard (named ''Pine River'' until 1890) * Shelldrake (Ghost town) * Stalwart * Stirlingville (named ''Jolly's Landing'' until 1888) * Strongs * Trout Lake * Whitefish Point *

Vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its corresponding color. It i ...

Indian reservations

* The Bay Mills Indian Community occupies a portion of land within Bay Mills Township and Superior Township, within another smaller portion within Sugar Island Township. * The

Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (pronounced "Soo Saint Marie", oj, Baawiting Anishinaabeg), commonly shortened to Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians or the more colloquial Soo Tribe, is a federally recognized Native American tribe in ...

occupies scattered pieces of land within Kinross Charter Township, Sugar Island Township, and in the city limits of Sault Ste. Marie.

References

External links

Chippewa County Government

Chippewa County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D.
* {{Coord, 46.32, -84.52, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MI_source:UScensus1990 Michigan counties 1826 establishments in Michigan Territory Populated places established in 1826