Kalkaska County, originally named Wabassee County, was separated from Michilimackinac County in 1840,[5] renamed in 1843.[4][1] In 1851, Kalkaska County was attached to Grand Traverse County for legal purposes.[6] The first settler in Kalkaska County was William Copeland, from England, who purchased land in the northwest corner of the county in 1855. Kalkaska County was organized in its own right on January 27, 1871. Crawford County was then temporarily attached to Kalkaska County for legal purposes.[7]
Etymology
The county's name is a pseudo-Native American word coined by Henry Schoolcraft, a Michigan geographer and ethnologist.[8] The name is thought to be a Chippewa word meaning flat or burned-over country. An alternative theory is that this is a neologism or neonym created by Henry Schoolcraft, originally spelled Calcasca. Some theorists suggest this is word play. Schoolcraft's family name had been Calcraft, and the Ks may have been added to make the name appear more like a Native American word.[9]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 571 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.9%) are covered by water.[10]
Kalkaska County has over 80 lakes and 275 miles (443 km) of streams and rivers. Much of the county is marshland. County elevation ranges from 595 feet (181 m) to about 1,246 feet (380 m). This makes it one of the more uneven counties in the Lower Peninsula.
The Pere Marquette State Forest covers much of the county. Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. A large portion of the area is the Grayling outwash plain, a broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges, jack pine barrens, some white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.[11]
US 131 – runs NE through the western part of the county. Enters at 4 miles (6.4 km) north of SW corner; exits into Antrim County near midpoint of north county line.
M-66 – runs north–south through west-central part of county. Passes Kalkaska.
M-72 – runs east and ESE through middle portion of county. Passes Kalkaska.
US Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-2018[2]
At the 2010 United States census[16] there were 16,571 people, 6,428 households, and 4,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 inhabitants per square mile (12/km2). There were 10,822 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7.3/km2). By the 2020 census, its population was 17,939.
Kalkaska County voters have been reliably Republican from the start. They have selected the Republican Party nominee in 85% of national elections (29 of 35).
United States presidential election results for Kalkaska County, Michigan[17]
The county government operates the 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.
Events
The National Trout Festival is an annual festival since 1936, held in April. It notes the heritage and sportsmanship of Kalkaska.[18]
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United States
Michigan
