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102-544: St. Ignace ( / ˈ ɪ ɡ n ə s / IG -nəss ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Mackinac County . The city had a population of 2,306 at the 2020 census . St. Ignace Township is located just to the north of the city; the two are administered separately. St. Ignace is located along Lake Huron in the Upper Peninsula on the northern side of the Straits of Mackinac . The city serves as

204-677: A fur trading post. It was later directed by Antoine Cadillac . It was closed by the French in 1697. The Jesuits abandoned their mission in 1705. The Ojibwe, who came to dominate most of the Native American territory of present-day Michigan in the 18th century, were allies of the French in the Seven Years' War against the British. After the British victory in the Seven Years' War, in 1763 they took over

306-490: A 4.2-magnitude earthquake occurred on Saturday, May 2, 2015, shortly after noon, about five miles south of Galesburg, Michigan (9 miles southeast of Kalamazoo ) in central Michigan, about 140 miles west of Detroit, according to the Colorado-based U.S. Geological Survey 's National Earthquake Information Center . No major damage or injuries were reported, according to then-Governor Rick Snyder 's office. State government

408-503: A crushing victory and dashed the Seneca hopes for victory against the French. Four years later, Kondiaronk took a leading role in forging the Great Peace of Montreal, which would conclude the war. Relations between the fort and the adjacent Jesuit mission were not good during Cadillac's tenure. La Durantaye had ruled Michilimackinac with a firm hand. He controlled the trade in brandy, policed

510-555: A distribution point for arms and munitions for the war against the Iroquois. In 1694 Governor Louis de Buade de Frontenac sent an aggressive young protégé, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac , to run the post. Cadillac made a small fortune as the post commander, possibly by collecting bribes . In 1697, the Huron chief Kondiaronk from Michilimackinac led an attack on the Seneca at Lake Erie. He gained

612-529: A few hundred feet tall. It is divided by a low water divide running north and south. The larger portion of the state is on the west of this and gradually slopes toward Lake Michigan. The highest point in the Lower Peninsula is either Briar Hill at 1,705 feet (520 m), or one of several points nearby in the vicinity of Cadillac . The lowest point is the surface of Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m). The geographic orientation of Michigan's peninsulas makes for

714-574: A gateway to the state's Upper Peninsula for travelers coming from the Lower Peninsula , as the city is at the north end of the Mackinac Bridge , opposite Mackinaw City . It has one of two ports which provide ferry service to nearby Mackinac Island . St. Ignace's history dates back to 1671 when French Jesuit priests founded the St. Ignace Mission , which makes it one of the oldest European settlements in

816-555: A high population of Native Americans. St. Ignace is the second-oldest city founded by Europeans in Michigan. Various cultures of Native Americans had inhabited the area for thousands of years before the first exploration here by French colonists. Early historic peoples of the area in the 17th century were predominantly the Iroquoian -speaking Wendat , whom the French called the Huron . By

918-635: A landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes (see: lighthouses in the United States ). The state's rivers are generally small, short and shallow, and few are navigable. The principal ones include the Detroit River, St. Marys River, and St. Clair River which connect the Great Lakes; the Au Sable , Cheboygan , and Saginaw , which flow into Lake Huron;

1020-567: A larger trading center at Sault Ste. Marie , which developed on both sides of the Canadian-US border, until the decline of the fur trade in the 1830s. The fur trade also suffered before and during the hostilities of the War of 1812 , as the United States first imposed a boycott on all trade with England, including traders in Canada. Many local people kept businesses going by smuggling, but postwar prohibitions on

1122-556: A long distance between the ends of the state. Ironwood , in the far western Upper Peninsula, lies 630 miles (1,010 kilometers) by highway from Lambertville in the Lower Peninsula's southeastern corner. The geographic isolation of the Upper Peninsula from Michigan's political and population centers makes the region culturally and economically distinct. Frequent attempts to establish the Upper Peninsula as its own state have failed to gain traction. A feature of Michigan that gives it

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1224-510: A male householder with no wife present, and 40.5% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in the city was 44.5 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.6% were from 25 to 44; 31.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of

1326-607: A nearly bloodless siege in 1812. A U.S. attempt to retake Detroit resulted in a severe American defeat in the River Raisin Massacre . This battle, still ranked as the bloodiest ever fought in the state, had the highest number of American casualties of any battle of the war. Michigan was recaptured by the Americans in 1813 after the Battle of Lake Erie . They used Michigan as a base to launch an invasion of Canada, which culminated in

1428-430: A permanent community there would strengthen French control over the upper Great Lakes and discourage British aspirations. The hundred soldiers and workers who accompanied Cadillac built a fort enclosing one arpent (about 0.85 acres (3,400 m ), the equivalent of just under 200 feet (61 m) per side) and named it Fort Pontchartrain . Cadillac's wife, Marie Thérèse Guyon, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of

1530-527: A relief expedition from Saint Ignace to Fort Saint Louis des Illinois, which had been besieged by the Seneca as part of the Beaver Wars as they sought to gain more hunting ground to control the lucrative fur trade. That summer, and again in 1687, La Durantaye led coureurs de bois and Indians from the Straits against the Seneca homeland in upstate New York. During these years, English traders from New York entered

1632-578: A rural destination for heritage tourism and is part of a regional area popular for summer tourism. A variety of water sports and activities are available. The Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians , a state-recognized tribe, is based in St. Ignace. It also has bands in several other counties in the region. With an enrolled membership of 4,000 in this area and state recognition, it has been seeking federal recognition since 1998. The larger federally recognized Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians , based in

1734-577: A significant amount of population due to global competition and the dramatic unavailability of manufacturing jobs. Meanwhile, Michigan had increased use of technology, specifically when the IBM Personal Computer started selling in the state, in which became mostly used at work. Michigan became the leading auto-producing state in the U.S., with the industry primarily located throughout the Midwestern United States ; Ontario, Canada; and

1836-851: A similar but taller stack for which admission is charged, is located three miles (4.8 km) north overlooking Lake Huron . Rabbit's Back , a prominent promontory that also overlooks Lake Huron, is four miles (6.4 km) north. Chain Lake , one mile (1.6 km) inland, features inland fishing opportunities. Two ferry companies ( Shepler's Ferry and Mackinac Island Ferry Company ) operate out of Saint Ignace, connecting tourists and commuters to Mackinac Island . The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are in Chippewa County International Airport in Kinross (northeast of St. Ignace, adjacent to I-75) and Pellston Regional Airport in

1938-427: A warmer climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) with hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of the Lower Peninsula and the entire Upper Peninsula has a more severe climate (Köppen Dfb ), with warm, but shorter summers and longer, cold to very cold winters. Some parts of the state average high temperatures below freezing from December through February, and into early March in the far northern parts. During

2040-421: Is a significant tourist attraction and local employer. Straits State Park is located at the south end of the city. Wawatam Lighthouse is located in the city's harbor. The harbor also is a port for Coast Guard ice breakers , e.g. , the tug Katmai Bay and heavy duty breaker Mackinaw . St. Anthony's Rock , a free-access geological limestone stack , is located in the center of the town. Castle Rock ,

2142-622: Is bounded on the south by the states of Ohio and Indiana , sharing land and water boundaries with both. Michigan's western boundaries are almost entirely water boundaries, from south to north, with Illinois and Wisconsin in Lake Michigan; then a land boundary with Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, that is principally demarcated by the Menominee and Montreal Rivers ; then water boundaries again, in Lake Superior, with Wisconsin and Minnesota to

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2244-436: Is decentralized among three tiers—statewide, county and township . Counties are administrative divisions of the state, and townships are administrative divisions of a county. Both of them exercise state government authority, localized to meet the particular needs of their jurisdictions, as provided by state law. There are 83 counties in Michigan . Fort de Buade The French-Canadian settlement at St. Ignace began with

2346-482: Is home to the country's three major automobile companies (whose headquarters are all in Metro Detroit). Once exploited for logging and mining, today the sparsely populated Upper Peninsula is important for tourism because of its abundance of natural resources. The Lower Peninsula is a center of manufacturing , forestry , agriculture , services , and high-tech industry. When the first European explorers arrived,

2448-519: Is rugged. The state's highest point, in the Huron Mountains northwest of Marquette, is Mount Arvon at 1,979 feet (603 m). The peninsula is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined but has fewer than 330,000 inhabitants. The people are sometimes called "Yoopers" (from "U.P.'ers"), and their speech (the " Yooper dialect ") has been heavily influenced by the numerous Scandinavian and Canadian immigrants who settled

2550-459: Is the state's largest metropolitan area (roughly 50% of the population resides there) and the eleventh largest in the United States. The Grand Rapids metropolitan area in Western Michigan is the state's fastest-growing metro area, with more than 1.3 million residents as of 2006 . Michigan consists of two peninsulas separated by the Straits of Mackinac . The 45th parallel north runs through

2652-511: The 11th-largest by area, and the largest by area east of the Mississippi River . Its capital is Lansing , and its largest city is Detroit . Metro Detroit is among the nation's most populous and largest metropolitan economies. The name derives from a gallicized variant of the original Ojibwe word ᒥᓯᑲᒥ ( mishigami ), meaning "large water" or "large lake". Michigan consists of two peninsulas . The Lower Peninsula resembles

2754-547: The American Revolution . When Quebec split into Lower and Upper Canada in 1791, Michigan was part of Kent County , Upper Canada. It held its first democratic elections in August 1792 to send delegates to the new provincial parliament at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake ). Under terms negotiated in the 1794 Jay Treaty , Britain withdrew from Detroit and Michilimackinac in 1796. It retained control of territory east and south of

2856-581: The Battle of the Thames . But the more northern areas of Michigan were held by the British until the peace treaty restored the old boundaries. A number of forts, including Fort Wayne , were built by the United States in Michigan during the 19th century out of fears of renewed fighting with Britain. Michigan Territory governor and judges established the University of Michigan in 1817, as the Catholepistemiad, or

2958-536: The Guardian Building , each of which has been designated as a National Historic Landmark (NHL). In 1927 a school bombing took place in Clinton County . The Bath School disaster resulted in the deaths of 38 schoolchildren and constitutes the deadliest mass murder in a school in U.S. history. Michigan converted much of its manufacturing to satisfy defense needs during World War II ; it manufactured 10.9% of

3060-600: The Lower Peninsula . Indian Trails provides daily intercity bus service between St. Ignace and East Lansing, Michigan , between St. Ignace and Bay City, Michigan , and between St. Ignace and Ironwood, Michigan . Michigan Michigan ( / ˈ m ɪ ʃ ɪ ɡ ən / MISH -ig-ən ) is a state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest region of the United States . It borders Wisconsin to

3162-567: The Netherlands were especially numerous. Migration from Appalachia and of Black Southerners as part of the Great Migration increased in the 1930s, with many settling in Metro Detroit. Although Michigan has developed a diverse economy, in the early 20th century it became widely known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry , which developed as a major national economic force. It

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3264-540: The North Country National Scenic Trail passes through Michigan. With 78 state parks , 19 state recreation areas, and six state forests , Michigan has the largest state park and state forest system of any state. Michigan has a continental climate with two distinct regions. The southern and central parts of the Lower Peninsula (south of Saginaw Bay and from the Grand Rapids area southward) have

3366-529: The Ontonagon , and Tahquamenon , which flow into Lake Superior; and the St. Joseph , Kalamazoo , Grand , Muskegon , Manistee , and Escanaba , which flow into Lake Michigan. The state has 11,037 inland lakes—totaling 1,305 square miles (3,380 km ) of inland water—in addition to 38,575 square miles (99,910 km ) of Great Lakes waters. No point in Michigan is more than six miles (9.7 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of

3468-519: The St. Ignace Mission on this site in 1671 and was buried here after his death. He named it for St. Ignatius of Loyola , founder of the Jesuit religious order, whose priests were active as missionaries across North America. ( Ignace is the French version of Ignatius.) Jesuits served at missions to convert First Nations / Native Americans to Catholicism and to share French culture. In 1673, Marquette joined

3570-552: The Straits of Mackinac from Lake Huron , occupies the southern half of the city. The city is laid out along the west shore of Lake Huron, with the southern edge of the city facing the Straits. Straits State Park is in the southern part of the city. As of the census of 2010, there were 2,452 people, 1,064 households, and 633 families residing in the city. The population density was 914.9 inhabitants per square mile (353.2/km). There were 1,299 housing units at an average density of 484.7 per square mile (187.1/km). The racial makeup of

3672-441: The War of 1812 , based on their long trading and a hope they would expel American colonists. The fur trade declined at St. Ignace largely because the United States prohibited British Canadian traders from operating across the border after the end of the war. At the same time European demand for North American furs was declining as tastes changed, and other parts of the economy grew. Both British-Canadians and later Americans operated

3774-480: The automotive industry . Ford's development of the moving assembly line in Highland Park marked a new era in transportation. Like the steamship and railroad, mass production of automobiles was a far-reaching development. More than the forms of public transportation, the affordable automobile transformed private life. Automobile production became the major industry of Detroit and Michigan, and permanently altered

3876-437: The 1830s, Michigan had 30,000 residents, more than enough to apply and qualify for statehood. On November 1, 1935, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative 3-cent stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of Michigan statehood. Michigan's statehood, however, wasn't officially established until January 26, 1837, but since the campaign for statehood actually began in 1835, Michigan chose to hold its centennial celebration in 1935,

3978-707: The British forces, ending the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of the Seven Years' War in Europe. Under the 1763 Treaty of Paris , Michigan and the rest of New France east of the Mississippi River were ceded by defeated France to Great Britain. After the Quebec Act was passed in 1774, Michigan became part of the British Province of Quebec . By 1778, Detroit's population reached 2,144 and it

4080-468: The Detroit River, which are now included in Ontario, Canada. Questions remained over the boundary for many years, and the United States did not have uncontested control of the Upper Peninsula and Drummond Island until 1818 and 1847, respectively. During the War of 1812 , the United States forces at Fort Detroit surrendered Michigan Territory (effectively consisting of Detroit and the surrounding area) after

4182-511: The English traders. In any case, he used it as a tactic in his own financial plans. Despite Cadillac's liquor trade, Anglo-French commercial competition continued. Cadillac was replaced as commandant by Alphonse Tonti , brother of the explorer Henri de Tonti . In 1701, Cadillac asked permission from Paris to found a new post on the Detroit River , to interdict the flow of British trade goods into

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4284-466: The French established a trading post and Fort St. Joseph along the St. Joseph River at the present-day city of Niles . In 1701, French explorer and army officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or "Fort Pontchartrain on-the-Strait" on the strait, known as the Detroit River , between lakes Saint Clair and Erie . Cadillac had convinced King Louis XIV's chief minister, Louis Phélypeaux, Comte de Pontchartrain , that

4386-405: The Great Lakes and traded at Michilimackinac . This, and the outbreak of war between England and France in 1689, led to the construction of Fort de Buade in 1690 by the new commandant Louis de La Porte de Louvigné . During the 1690s, the fort became a staging area for French and Indian attacks against the Seneca, who were then allied to the English. It remained an important fur trading center and

4488-622: The Great Lakes. The state is home to several areas maintained by the National Park Service including: Isle Royale National Park , in Lake Superior, about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Other national protected areas in the state include: Keweenaw National Historical Park , Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore , Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , Huron National Forest , Manistee National Forest , Hiawatha National Forest , Ottawa National Forest and Father Marquette National Memorial . The largest section of

4590-461: The Great Lakes. They fortified the Jesuit mission and La Durantaye settled in as overall commander of the French forts in the northwest: Fort Saint Louis des Illinois ( Utica, Illinois ); Fort Kaministigoya ( Thunder Bay, Ontario ); and Fort la Tourette ( Lake Nipigon, Ontario ). He was also responsible for the region around Green Bay in present-day Wisconsin. In the spring of 1684, La Durantaye led

4692-578: The Lake Huron area. In that sense, the Fort de Buade garrison was related to development of the future city of Detroit . The final fate of Fort de Buade is unclear. After the withdrawal of the garrison, coureurs de bois continued to frequent Michilimackinac. Governor Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil used these traders to smuggle goods to the northern nations during the War of the Spanish Succession , despite

4794-497: The Lower Peninsula, Michigan is drained by the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence watershed and is the only state with the majority of its land thus drained. No point in the state is more than six miles (9.7 km) from a natural water source or more than 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lakes shoreline. The Great Lakes that border Michigan from east to west are Lake Erie , Lake Huron , Lake Michigan and Lake Superior . The state

4896-547: The Mission of Saint Ignace, founded by Father Jacques Marquette , S.J. in 1671. By 1680 it had become a considerable community consisting of the mission, a French village of a dozen cabins, a Wyandot (Huron) Indian village surrounded by a wooden palisade and an adjacent Odawa (Ottawa) village, also behind a palisade. In 1681, the Huron and Illiniwek at St. Ignace killed the Seneca chief Annanhac, who had been leading his forces against

4998-530: The Southern United States. With almost ten million residents in 2010, Michigan is a large and influential state, ranking tenth in population among the fifty states. Detroit is the centrally located metropolitan area of the Great Lakes megalopolis and the second-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. (after Chicago ) linking the Great Lakes system. The Metro Detroit area in Southeast Michigan

5100-639: The U.S.), an Anishinaabe tribe, were established in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern and central Michigan . Bands also inhabited Ontario and southern Manitoba , Canada; and northern Wisconsin , and northern and north-central Minnesota . The Ottawa Indians lived primarily south of the Straits of Mackinac in northern, western , and southern Michigan , but also in southern Ontario, northern Ohio, and eastern Wisconsin. The Potawatomi were in southern and western Michigan, in addition to northern and central Indiana, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and southern Ontario. Other Algonquian tribes in Michigan, in

5202-513: The United States military armaments produced during the war, ranking second (behind New York ) among the 48 states. Detroit continued to expand through the 1950s, at one point doubling its population in a decade. After World War II, housing was developed in suburban areas outside city cores to meet demand for residences. The federal government subsidized the construction of interstate highways , which were intended to strengthen military access, but also allowed commuters and business traffic to travel

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5304-667: The University of Michigania. The population grew slowly until the opening in 1825 of the Erie Canal through the Mohawk Valley in New York, connecting the Great Lakes to the Hudson River and New York City. The new route attracted a large influx of settlers to the Michigan territory. They worked as farmers, lumbermen, shipbuilders, and merchants and shipped out grain, lumber, and iron ore. By

5406-463: The area during the lumbering and mining boom of the late 19th century. The Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten and many residents hold up a hand to depict where they are from. It is 277 miles (446 km) long from north to south and 195 miles (314 km) from east to west and occupies nearly two-thirds of the state's land area. The surface of the peninsula is generally level, broken by conical hills and glacial moraines usually not more than

5508-541: The area, settling largely along the waterways. After France's defeat in the French and Indian War in 1762, the region came under British rule. Britain ceded the territory to the newly independent United States after its defeat in the American Revolutionary War . The area was part of the larger Northwest Territory until 1800, when western Michigan became part of the Indiana Territory . Michigan Territory

5610-405: The average family size was 2.96. In the city, 23.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.6% was from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 34,447, and

5712-475: The city of that name and the region of northern Michigan, owns and operates a gaming casino in St. Ignace on land it controls in the city, in addition to land and casinos in four other cities in the state. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 2.65 square miles (6.86 km), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km) are water. Point St. Ignace, which separates

5814-576: The city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,678 people, 1,085 households, and 675 families residing in the city. The population density was 990.7 inhabitants per square mile (382.5/km). There were 1,232 housing units at an average density of 455.8 per square mile (176.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 71.81% White , 19.42% Native American , 0.56% Asian , 0.30% African American , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 0.19% from other races , and 7.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 0.90% of

5916-431: The city was 63.4% White , 1.0% African American , 27.8% Native American , 0.3% Asian , 0.2% from other races , and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 1.1% of the population. There were 1,064 households, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had

6018-472: The coast is much indented. Keweenaw Bay, Whitefish Bay , and the Big and Little Bays De Noc are the principal indentations on the Upper Peninsula. The Grand and Little Traverse , Thunder , and Saginaw bays indent the Lower Peninsula. Michigan has the second longest shoreline of any state—3,288 miles (5,292 km), including 1,056 miles (1,699 km) of island shoreline. The state has numerous large islands ,

6120-552: The coldest recorded temperature is −51 °F (−46 °C) at Vanderbilt on February 9, 1934. The state averages 30 days of thunderstorm activity per year. These can be severe, especially in the southern part of the state. The state averages 17 tornadoes per year, which are more common in the state's extreme southern section. Portions of the southern border have been almost as vulnerable historically as states further west and in Tornado Alley . For this reason, many communities in

6222-651: The distinct shape of a mitten is the Thumb , which projects into Lake Huron, forming Saginaw Bay . Other notable peninsulas of Michigan include the Keweenaw Peninsula , which projects northeasterly into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula and largely comprising Michigan's Copper Country region, and the Leelanau Peninsula , projecting from the Lower Peninsula into Lake Michigan, forming Michigan's "little finger". Numerous lakes and marshes mark both peninsulas, and

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6324-760: The early 18th century, the Anishinaabe Ojibwe , who spoke one of the Algonquian languages , became prominent in the region. Another related Anishinaabe people were the Ottawa or Odawa in their language. The third member of the Council of Three Fires , a loose confederacy of these tribes, was the Potawatomi people. All three peoples have descendants who are members of various federally recognized tribes in northern Michigan. French explorer and priest Jacques Marquette founded

6426-573: The entire Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula exhibits Lower Silurian sandstones, limestones, copper and iron bearing rocks, corresponding to the Huronian system of Canada . The central portion of the Lower Peninsula contains coal measures and rocks of the Pennsylvanian period. Devonian and sub-Carboniferous deposits are scattered over the entire state. Michigan rarely experiences earthquakes , and those that it does experience are generally smaller ones that do not cause significant damage. A 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck in August 1947. More recently,

6528-525: The expedition of Louis Jolliet , a French-Canadian explorer, and departed from St. Ignace on May 17, with two canoes and five voyageurs of French-Indian ancestry ( Métis ) on a voyage to find the Mississippi River . They were successful and descended downriver as far as Arkansas. While separately exploring the Great Lakes region on the ship Le Griffon with Louis Hennepin , Sieur de La Salle reached St. Ignace on August 27, 1679. Louis de La Porte , Sieur de Louvigny founded Fort de Buade here in 1681 as

6630-439: The first European women to settle in what was considered the wilderness of Michigan. The town quickly became a major fur-trading and shipping post. The Église de Saint-Anne (Catholic Church of Saint Anne) was founded the same year. While the original building does not survive, the congregation remains active. Cadillac later departed to serve as the French governor of Louisiana from 1710 to 1716. French attempts to consolidate

6732-477: The five Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair . It also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds . Michigan has the second-most water area of any state, behind only Alaska. The area was first occupied by a succession of Native American tribes over thousands of years. In the 17th century, French explorers claimed it as part of the New France colony, when it was largely inhabited by Indigenous peoples. French and Canadian traders and settlers, Métis , and others migrated to

6834-399: The fur trade led to the Fox Wars , in which the Meskwaki (Fox) and their allies fought the French and their Native allies. At the same time, the French strengthened Fort Michilimackinac at the Straits of Mackinac to better control their lucrative fur-trading empire. By the mid-18th century, the French also occupied forts at present-day Niles and Sault Ste. Marie, though most of the rest of

6936-407: The fur trade were more difficult to avoid. prohibited British traders from operating across the border, as had been their earlier practice. The Ojibwe had allied with the British, their longtime trading partners, during the War of 1812, In 1882, construction of the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad , which connected the straits area to the major city of Detroit , provided an economic boost to

7038-423: The fur trade, and kept the traders in line. An honest man, he would spend the last years of his life in relative poverty. Cadillac did not hold to these standards. He brought in for sale much of the alcohol at the post. The missionaries, led by Etienne de Carheil , accused Cadillac of encouraging the sale and trading of brandy to the Native Americans . Cadillac may have seen this move as a necessary tactic to check

7140-409: The late 19th to early 20th century, working in lumbering areas in counties on the Lake Huron side of the Lower Peninsula, such as the Saginaw Valley, Alpena, and Cheboygan counties, as well as throughout the Upper Peninsula, with large concentrations in Escanaba and the Keweenaw Peninsula . The first statewide meeting of the Republican Party took place on July 6, 1854, in Jackson, Michigan , where

7242-403: The median income for a family was $ 45,893. Males had a median income of $ 29,813 versus $ 23,017 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,340. About 6.0% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. St. Ignace Area Schools is the local school district. Kewadin Casino of St. Ignace ,

7344-545: The most populous tribes were the Algonquian peoples , which include the Anishinaabe groups of Ojibwe , Odaawaa/Odawa (Ottawa) , and the Boodewaadamii/Bodéwadmi (Potawatomi) . The three nations coexisted peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires . The Ojibwe, whose numbers are estimated to have been at least 35,000, were the largest. The Ojibwe Indians (also known as Chippewa in

7446-456: The nation. Many private colleges were founded as well, and the smaller cities established high schools late in the century. Michigan's economy underwent a transformation at the turn of the 20th century. Many individuals, including Ransom E. Olds , John and Horace Dodge , Henry Leland , David Dunbar Buick , Henry Joy , Charles King , and Henry Ford , provided the concentration of engineering know-how and technological enthusiasm to develop

7548-454: The objections of Jérôme Phélypeaux , comte de Pontchartrain. Among his agents was the voyageur Daniel Amiot de Villeneuve. Unless the fort was destroyed when the garrison was evacuated, Vaudreuil's men likely used it to store goods intended for the Indians, until the new fort was completed on the south side of the Straits (1715). After this date few French remained at East Moran Bay . The fort

7650-663: The party adopted its platform. The state was predominantly Republican until the 1930s, reflecting the political continuity of migrants from across the Northern Tier of New England and New York. Michigan made a significant contribution to the Union in the American Civil War and sent more than forty regiments of volunteers to the federal armies. Michigan modernized and expanded its system of education in this period. The Michigan State Normal School, now Eastern Michigan University ,

7752-441: The population boom. By the 1930s, so many immigrants had arrived that more than 30 languages were spoken in the public schools, and ethnic communities celebrated in annual heritage festivals. Over the years immigrants and migrants contributed greatly to Detroit's diverse urban culture, including popular music trends. The influential Motown Sound of the 1960s was led by a variety of individual singers and groups. Grand Rapids ,

7854-409: The population. There were 1,085 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and

7956-539: The principal ones being the North Manitou and South Manitou , Beaver , and Fox groups in Lake Michigan; Isle Royale and Grande Isle in Lake Superior; Marquette, Bois Blanc , and Mackinac islands in Lake Huron; and Neebish , Sugar , and Drummond islands in St. Mary's River . Michigan has about 150 lighthouses , the most of any U.S. state. The first lighthouses in Michigan were built between 1818 and 1822. They were built to project light at night and to serve as

8058-571: The region more easily. Since 1960, modern advances in the auto industry have led to increased automation, high-tech industry, and increased suburban growth. Longstanding tensions in Detroit culminated in the Twelfth Street riot in July 1967. During the late 1970s and the early 1980s, increasing fuel costs and other factors made significantly more global competition and recession among families. Michigan lost

8160-510: The region remained unsettled by Europeans. France offered free land to attract families to Detroit, which grew to 800 people in 1765. It was the largest city between Montreal and New Orleans. French settlers also established small farms south of the Detroit River opposite the fort, near a Jesuit mission and Huron village. From 1660 until the end of French rule, Michigan was part of the Royal Province of New France . In 1760, Montreal fell to

8262-528: The second-largest city in Michigan also became an important center of manufacturing. Since 1838, the city has been noted for its furniture industry. In the 21st century, it is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies. Grand Rapids is home to a number of major companies including Steelcase , Amway , and Meijer . Grand Rapids is also an important center for GE Aviation Systems . Michigan held its first United States presidential primary election in 1910. With its rapid growth in industry, it

8364-435: The shape of a mitten , and comprises a majority of the state's land area. The Upper Peninsula (often called "the U.P.") is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac , a five-mile (8 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge connects the peninsulas. Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the United States, being bordered by four of

8466-418: The socioeconomic life of the United States and much of the world. With the growth, the auto industry created jobs in Detroit that attracted immigrants from Europe and migrants from across the United States, including both blacks and whites from the rural South . By 1920, Detroit was the fourth-largest city in the U.S.. Residential housing was in short supply, and it took years for the market to catch up with

8568-809: The south and east, were the Mascouten , the Menominee , the Miami , the Sac (or Sauk), and the Meskwaki (Fox) . The Wyandot were an Iroquoian-speaking people in this area; they were historically known as the Huron by the French, and were the historical adversaries of the Iroquois Confederation . French voyageurs and coureurs des bois explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what became Michigan were those of Étienne Brûlé 's expedition in 1622. The first permanent European settlement

8670-452: The southwest in the Upper Peninsula , and Indiana and Ohio to the south in the Lower Peninsula ; it is also connected by Lakes Superior , Michigan , Huron , and Erie to Minnesota and Illinois , and the Canadian province of Ontario . With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of 96,716 sq mi (250,490 km ), Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population,

8772-500: The state after Sault Ste. Marie . The area was previously inhabited by the Wyandot people , as well as the Ojibwe and Ottawa tribes of Native Americans. St. Ignace soon became the center of fur trading with the French. It was incorporated as a village in 1882 and a city in 1883. The Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians is headquartered at St. Ignace, and the city continues to have

8874-575: The state, marked by highway signs and the Polar-Equator Trail— along a line including Mission Point Light near Traverse City , the towns of Gaylord and Alpena in the Lower Peninsula and Menominee in the Upper Peninsula. With the exception of two tiny areas drained by the Mississippi River by way of the Wisconsin River in the Upper Peninsula and by way of the Kankakee - Illinois River in

8976-520: The territory of France in North America, including this part of the former New France . After the victory of rebellious colonists in the American Revolutionary War , in 1783 the village was included within the new United States, as part of what became called its Northwest Territory . An important fur trading site for both the French and the British, St. Ignace declined in importance by the early 19th century. The Ojibwe had allied with Great Britain in

9078-583: The very southern portions of the state have tornado sirens to warn residents of approaching tornadoes. Farther north, in Central Michigan, Northern Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula, tornadoes are rare. The geological formation of the state is greatly varied, with the Michigan Basin being the most major formation. Primary boulders are found over the entire surface of the Upper Peninsula (being principally of primitive origin), while Secondary deposits cover

9180-402: The village. Farmers and the lumber industry could more easily get products to a major market. St. Ignace was incorporated as a village on February 23, 1882, and as a city in 1883. In the late 19th century, a new sector of its economy developed, as it began to attract tourists as a popular summer resort and for its connection to Mackinac Island . Since the late 20th century, the city has become

9282-507: The west, capped around by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east. The heavily forested Upper Peninsula is relatively mountainous in the west. The Porcupine Mountains , which are part of one of the oldest mountain chains in the world, rise to an altitude of almost 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level and form the watershed between the streams flowing into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The surface on either side of this range

9384-493: The western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession and formally entered the Union as a free state on January 26, 1837. The Upper Peninsula proved to be a rich source of lumber, iron, and copper. Michigan led the nation in lumber production from the 1850s to the 1880s. Railroads became a major engine of growth from the 1850s onward, with Detroit the chief hub . A second wave of French-Canadian immigrants settled in Michigan during

9486-484: The western peoples. The Seneca were part of the Iroquois Confederacy based in present-day New York state. Sharp practice by the fur traders also caused tensions. In 1683, Governor Joseph-Antoine de La Barre ordered Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut and Olivier Morel de La Durantaye to establish a strategic presence on the north shore of the Straits of Mackinac , connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron of

9588-432: The winter through the middle of February, the state is frequently subjected to heavy lake-effect snow . The state averages from 30 to 40 inches (76 to 102 cm) of precipitation annually; however, some areas in the northern lower peninsula and the upper peninsula average almost 160 inches (4,100 mm) of snowfall per year. Michigan's highest recorded temperature is 112 °F (44 °C) at Mio on July 13, 1936, and

9690-456: The year the stamp was first issued. A constitutional convention of assent was held to lead the territory to statehood. In October 1835 the people approved the constitution of 1835, thereby forming a state government. Congressional recognition was delayed pending resolution of a boundary dispute with Ohio known as the Toledo War . Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio. Michigan received

9792-533: Was an important center of industry-wide union organizing, such as the rise of the United Auto Workers . In 1920 WWJ (AM) in Detroit became the first radio station in the United States to regularly broadcast commercial programs. Throughout that decade, some of the country's largest and most ornate skyscrapers were built in the city. Particularly noteworthy are the Fisher Building , Cadillac Place , and

9894-463: Was either destroyed or fell into disrepair and eventually disappeared. The 1690-1701 Fort de Buade was probably built as a wooden stockade . It is believed to have been located on a site within the current municipality of St. Ignace, possibly on a hill above East Moran Bay locally called "Fort Hill." The fort could also have been located on the bay's waterfront. As of October 2022 the fort's remains had not yet been found. Between 1701 and 1715 there

9996-418: Was formed in 1805, but some of the northern border with Canada was not agreed upon until after the War of 1812 . Michigan was admitted into the Union in 1837 as the 26th state, a free one . It soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region, attracting immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from many European countries . Immigrants from Finland , Macedonia , and

10098-438: Was founded in 1668 on the site where Père Jacques Marquette established Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan , as a base for Catholic missions. Missionaries in 1671–75 founded outlying stations at Saint Ignace and Marquette . Jesuit missionaries were well received by the area's Indian populations, with few difficulties or hostilities. In 1679, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle built Fort Miami at present-day St. Joseph . In 1691,

10200-559: Was founded in 1849, for the training of teachers. It was the fourth oldest normal school in the United States and the first U.S. normal school outside New England . In 1899, the Michigan State Normal School became the first normal school in the nation to offer a four-year curriculum. Michigan Agricultural College (1855), now Michigan State University in East Lansing , was founded as the first agricultural college in

10302-501: Was no official French-Canadian presence at the Straits of Mackinac. Unlicensed fur trading by coureurs des bois no doubt continued during this period. In 1715 a French detachment under Constant le Marchand de Lignery re-established a presence at the Straits of Mackinac to prepare for war against the Fox nation in Wisconsin ( Fox Wars ). The new post, called Fort Michilimackinac , was built on

10404-497: Was the third-largest city in Quebec province. During the American Revolutionary War , Detroit was an important British supply center. Most of the inhabitants were French-Canadians or American Indians, many of whom had been allied with the French because of long trading ties. Because of imprecise cartography and unclear language defining the boundaries in the 1783 Treaty of Paris , the British retained control of Detroit and Michigan after

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