26-452: Allegan State Game Area is a 50,000-acre (200 km) forest attracting campers, hikers, bikers snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, horse trail riders and hunters. It is located in west-central Allegan County, Michigan , with one gateway just west of the city of Allegan . It is more commonly referred to as Allegan Forest. It has two primitive campgrounds, one owned by the state of Michigan but operated by Allegan County. Ely Lake Campground
52-436: A household in the county was $ 45,813, and the median income for a family was $ 51,908. Males had a median income of $ 38,681 versus $ 26,887 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,918. About 5.00% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over. The county government operates the jail , maintains rural roads, operates
78-481: A pavilion for day use with picnic tables and fire pits. Silver Creek Campground is in a good location for road biking as all the roads leading to Silver Creek are paved country roads, even though within the campground the roads are dirt. The forest is a mixture, but largely hardwood. The Kalamazoo River flows through the northern portion. It is popular with canoeists and fisherman. Behind the Calkins Bridge Dam
104-426: A popular place for vacation homes, and that development continues, especially around Saugatuck and Douglas . Another draw is Allegan State Game Area , a 45,000 acres (180 km ) forest attracting campers, snowmobilers, cross-country skiers and hunters. Allegan County contains Saugatuck Dunes State Park with trails through scenic dunes and a swimming beach on Lake Michigan. The county also contains Pier Cove Park,
130-564: A public beach with Lake Michigan access. Lake Allegan is a popular destination. The Michigan peninsula was long occupied by bands of the Pottawatomi and Ojibwe of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Indians . The United States government forced the tribes to cede their extensive territories to the federal government, in exchange for annuities and small reservations. The federally recognized Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi has
156-572: A reservation here. The boundaries of Allegan County were laid out by the Territorial legislature in 1831. The county was organized in 1835. At that time there were only about four European-American families in the area. Among the first settlers of Allegan County were Giles Scott and Turner Aldrich. According to the US Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,833 sq mi (4,750 km ), of which 825 sq mi (2,140 km )
182-623: Is included in the Grand Rapids – Kentwood – Muskegon Combined Statistical Area . It is primarily an agricultural area that is rapidly becoming urbanized as the population centers of Grand Rapids on the northeast and Kalamazoo to the southeast expand into Allegan County. The county has long been a regional tourist draw, particularly the Tulip Time Festival in Holland and the area along Lake Michigan . The Lake Michigan shoreline has long been
208-483: Is land and 1,008 sq mi (2,610 km ) (55%) is water. By land By water As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 111,408 people living in the county. 92.9% were White , 1.2% Black or African American , 0.6% Asian , 0.6% Native American , 2.8% of some other race and 1.9% of two or more races . 6.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 23.0% were of Dutch , 17.5% German , 8.3% English , 7.1% Irish and 7.1% American ancestry. As of
234-568: Is on Ely Lake, a small inland lake while the Silver Creek Campground is owned and operated by Allegan County. They both have picnic tables and fire pits at each campsite and vault toilets and water pump stations. Ely Lake, a non-motorized boat lake has a swimming beach and Silver Creek has a shallow spring-fed creek. They both welcome tent and hammock camping, as they are located in a heavily forested area. There are camping fees and reservations can be made. Silver Creek Campground also has
260-500: The 2000 United States Census , there were 105,665 people, 38,165 households, and 28,394 families living in the county. The population density was 128 inhabitants per square mile (49/km ). There were 43,292 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 93.47% White , 1.31% Black or African American , 0.55% Native American , 0.55% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 2.77% from other races , and 1.32% from two or more races. 5.72% of
286-749: The Missouri and White Earth Rivers. At the time of formation there were an estimated 5,000 settlers living in the Territory. There were no roads from adjoining Wisconsin or Iowa . The easiest access to the region was via waterway , of which the Mississippi River was primary. The primary mode of transport was the riverboat . Minnesota Territory had three significant pioneer settlements: St. Paul , St. Anthony/ Minneapolis , and Stillwater , plus two military reservations: Fort Snelling and Fort Ripley . All of these were located on waterways. A reservation for
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#1732858144027312-542: The Winnebago people had been created at Long Prairie in 1848. The Chippewa Agency, at Crow Wing , was founded in 1852. The Upper and Lower Sioux Agencies were created in 1853. All of these were also located adjacent to waterways. The primary territorial institutions were in the three main settlements. St. Paul was made the territorial capital , Minneapolis was selected as the site of the University of Minnesota , and Stillwater
338-630: The GOP was mortally divided and Theodore Roosevelt carried it on the Bull Moose ticket. Allegan County is part of the annual Arts and Eats tour, which highlights local art, food, and farms. 42°35′N 85°54′W / 42.59°N 85.90°W / 42.59; -85.90 Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when
364-472: The Kalamazoo becomes the large, but shallow, Lake Allegan. During hunting season, many come to hunt whitetail deer , Canada geese and wild turkeys . Trails are laid out for hikers and horse riders in the summer and snowmobilers and cross-country skiers in the winter. The forest is broken up by private ownership with sections of woods and sections of homes. The state occasionally buys private land to add to
390-757: The Point Douglas–Fort Ripley Military Road being the first. Additional funds were later appropriated for a survey of the route to the Big Sioux/Missouri, the Fort Ridgely and South Pass Wagon Road and the Wagon Road from Fort Ripley to Fort Abercrombie . Private trails were cut as well, the most well known of which was Dodd Road from 1853. It was named after its builder, Captain William B. Dodd, and significant portions of it still exist. When
416-470: The county in his 46-state landslide of 1936 than he did in 1932. Lyndon Johnson is the only Democrat to have carried the county since 1884, and even then only by 701 votes; it was the last time a Democrat has managed even 40 percent of the county's vote until Barack Obama received 43.63 percent of its vote in 2008. The only other time that the Republicans lost the county in the 20th century was in 1912, when
442-567: The eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and the western portion became unorganized territory and shortly after was reorganized as part of the Dakota Territory . The Minnesota Territory was formed on March 3, 1849, encompassing the entirety of the present-day state of Minnesota and the majority portions of modern-day North and South Dakota east of
468-506: The forest and fill in the gaps. Allegan County, Michigan Allegan County ( / ˈ æ l ə ɡ ən / AL -ə-gən ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of the 2020 United States Census , the population was 120,502. The county seat is Allegan . The name was coined by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to sound like a Native American word. Allegan County comprises the Holland, Michigan Micropolitan Statistical Area , which
494-418: 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
520-540: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.6% were of Dutch , 17.8% German , 9.6% American , 8.4% English and 7.2% Irish ancestry, 93.6% spoke only English ; 5.2% spoke Spanish at home. There were 38,165 households, out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 20.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who
546-880: The region was still part of the Wisconsin Territory , the Red River Trails were further developed by Joe Rolette . There were three main trails, now identified as the West Plains Trail, East Plains Trail, and Woods Trails. They connected Fort Garry and the Selkirk Settlement in British North America with Fort Snelling and the American Fur Trading Company at Mendota . Later, the Oxcarts became synonymous with St. Paul's Kellogg Street and
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#1732858144027572-561: The responsibility of individual cities and townships. (Information as of September 2022) Allegan County has been strongly Republican from its start, and is very Republican even by the standards of West Michigan. Since 1884, the Republican nominee has carried the county in every presidential election except 1964. It was one of the few counties in the nation where Franklin D. Roosevelt was completely shut out in all four of his successful runs for president. FDR actually garnered fewer votes in
598-678: The riverboat landing on the Mississippi River. Fort Ripley lay along the East Plains Trail. In 1850, 10 years after the end of the Second Great Awakening (1790–1840), of the three churches with regular services in the Minnesota Territory, 1 was Methodist , 1 was Presbyterian , and 1 was Catholic . The Roman Catholic diocese of Saint Paul of Minnesota was established by Pope Pius IX on July 19, 1850, and consisted of
624-439: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.15. The county population contained 28.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.60 males. The median income for
650-613: Was built in 1840. The first territorial governor, Alexander Ramsey , requested that Congress approve funds for five military roads in the Territory: Mendota/Fort Snelling to the confluence of the Big Sioux River with the Missouri River ; Point Douglas to Fort Ripley; Fort Ripley Road/Swan River to Long Prairie Indian Agency; and Point Douglas to Superior. A budget was approved in 1850 for four of these roads, with
676-699: Was chosen for the Territorial Prison . The military reservations were federal land, of which the Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory still exists. Fort Ripley is now the Minnesota National Guard 's Camp Ripley . The first school in the Territory was located at Fort Snelling, as was the first Post Office. The first justice of the peace in Minnesota was at Mendota , as was the first church, St. Peter's Catholic Church , which
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