Elberta ( ) is a village in

Benzie County, Michigan Benzie County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,970. The county seat is Beulah. The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.

, United States. The population was 329 at the 2020 census. Located in Gilmore Township, Elberta overlooks

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

and lies across Betsie Lake from Frankfort. Elberta is part of

Northern Michigan Northern Michigan (also known as Northern Lower Michigan and colloquially within Michigan as "Up North") is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan. The region, which is distinct from the more northerly Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsul ...

History

Elberta was first settled in 1855 and incorporated as South Frankfort in 1894. It was renamed Elberta in 1911 for the local Elberta

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

. The village's founder is said to be George M. Cartwright. M-168, previously one of the shortest state highways in Michigan, extended from a junction with M-22 in downtown Elberta to the former Ann Arbor Railroad ferry docks in Elberta. This highway was decommissioned in 2012.

Geography

*According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The downtown is at . *Elberta is part of

Major highways

* is a north–south highway that runs through the village, paralleling the coast of

for its length. M-22 can be used to access Frankfort. * is a former highway that ran through the village, connecting M-22 to the former Ann Arbor Railroad ferry docks. This highway was decommissioned in 2012.

Ferry and rail transport

From the 1890s to July 1950, the Ann Arbor Railroad operated launched ferries from docks at Elberta. The ferries crossed Lake Michigan to two points in Wisconsin, and a fourth ferry line went north to

Gladstone, Michigan Gladstone is a city in Delta County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. First settled in 1877, Gladstone's original name was Minnewasca. The population was 5,257 according to the 2020 census, The U.S. Highways 2 and 41 run ...

in the Michigan Upper Peninsula.''Official Guide of the Railways,'' January 1950, Ann Arbor section In the same period, the Ann Arbor Railroad operated a train a day south to and from Cadillac, Owosso, Durand, Ann Arbor, and then to its southern terminus in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the western end of Lake Erie along the Maumee River. Toledo is the List of cities in Ohio, fourth-most populous city in Ohio and List of United Sta ...

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 372 people, 173 households, and 101 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 229 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 95.2%

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

, 0.8%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population. There were 173 households, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.6% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.71. The median age in the village was 47.8 years. 18.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.2% were from 25 to 44; 33.1% were from 45 to 64; and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 51.9% male and 48.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 457 people, 190 households, and 124 families living in the village. The population density was . There were 237 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 95.62%

, 0.66%

, 1.31% Native American, 0.22% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population. There were 190 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were

living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.90. In the village, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males. The median income for a household in the village was $28,403, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $27,159 versus $21,806 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the village was $13,594. About 9.0% of families and 10.7% 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 13.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notes

External links

Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography for Benzie CountyFrankfort-Elberta Area Chamber of CommerceVillage of Elberta home page
{{authority control Villages in Benzie County, Michigan Villages in Michigan Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan 1894 establishments in Michigan Populated places established in 1894 Traverse City metropolitan area