Northern Michigan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Northern Michigan - or more properly Northern Lower Michigan - is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan, popular as a tourist destination, resort area, and vacation area. It is home to several small- to medium-sized cities; extensive state and national forests; lakes and rivers; and the Great Lakes shoreline. The region has a significant seasonal population much like other regions that depend on tourism as their main industry.
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[edit] Geography
The region is not precisely defined, with residents in the far southern part of the state tending to include areas just north of Flint and Grand Rapids, but more northern residents restricting it to the area north of Mount Pleasant: the "fingers" of the mitten-like shape of the Lower Peninsula. People from Northern Michigan generally use the term "downstate" to refer to people and places south of the region.
Across the Straits of Mackinac, to the north and west, lies the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (the "U.P."). Despite its geographic location as the most northerly part of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula is not usually included in the definition of Northern Michigan (although Northern Michigan University is located in the U.P. city of Marquette), and is instead regarded by Michigan residents as a distinct region of the state. The two regions are connected by the Mackinac Bridge.
[edit] Summer destinations
Many city dwellers from "downstate" and nearby areas (notably Chicago) have summer vacation homes in Northern Michigan. The largest resort cities in Northern Michigan are in the west on Lake Michigan, with its sandy beaches and warm bays. Popular tourist towns in Northern Michigan include Traverse City, Charlevoix, Petoskey, Frankfort, Harbor Springs, Leland, Mackinaw City, and Mackinac Island (which lies between the Lower and Upper Peninsulas in the Straits of Mackinac). Boating, golf, and camping are leading activities.
[edit] Non-summer destinations
Some of the ski resorts located on the western side include Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, Crystal Mountain Resort, Nubs Nob and Schuss Mountain. Some of these also serve as summer golf resorts.
Fall activities include harvest festivals, and driving around in the woods to watch the colorful fall leaves. Hunting in Northern Michigan is a popular fall pastime. There are seasons for bow hunting as well as for using guns. The opening day of deer season is often an unofficial local holiday, so important that a number of area high schools close on that day.
In winter, a variety of sports are enjoyed by the locals which also draw visitors to Northern Michigan. Snowmobiling, also called sledding, is popular, and with hundreds of miles of interconnected groomed trails cross the region. Icefishing is also popular. Tip-up Town on Houghton Lake is a major ice-fishing, snowmobiling and winter sports festival, and is unique in that it is a village that assembles out on the frozen lake surface.
[edit] History and local culture
Northern Michigan was inhabited by Native American tribes, most recently Ojibwa, well before English settlers founded a fort on Mackinac Island. Later, industry depended on natural resources such as lumber and fur trading which contributed to the rise of Traverse City. When the railroads connected Northern Michigan to the large cities through Kalamazoo, some wealthy urbanites established summer home associations in Charlevoix and Bay Shore. As passenger railroad usage ended in the 1960s because of increased automobile travel, aggressive promotion of Northern Michigan by local chambers of commerce led to many of the festivals and attractions that bring visitors north even today.
The area was populated by a many different ethnicities, including groups from New England, Germany, and Poland. Native American reservations exist at Mount Pleasant and on the Leelanau Peninsula.
[edit] Education
Interlochen Center for the Arts is a notable arts center that offers a high-school-level academy and summer camp near Traverse City. There are also several institutions of higher education in Northern Michigan. Community colleges include North Central Michigan College (NCMC, pronounced "nuck-muck" by locals), Alpena Community College, Huron Shores Campus-Alpena Community College, Kirtland Community College, and Northwestern Michigan College including the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, the only U.S. maritime academy on freshwater. The sole four year university in Northern Michigan is Northwood University located in Midland, Michigan. Other nearby universities are in the Upper Peninsula (Northern Michigan University and Lake Superior State University), as well as Central Michigan University in the more southern reaches of the state. The University of Michigan runs the University of Michigan Biological Station out of Pellston, MI.
[edit] Economy
Historically, lumbering and commercial fishing were among the most important industries. Logging is still important but at a mere fraction of its heyday output. Commercial fishing is a minor activity.
A major draw to Northern Michigan is tourism. Real Estate, especially condominiums and summer homes, is another significant source of income. Because money spent in the real estate and tourism market in Northern Michigan is dependent upon visitors from southern Michigan and the Chicago area, the Northern Michigan economy is sensitive to swings in the automobile industry and other industries. See Also: Economy of Detroit and Economy of Chicago
Agriculture is limited by the climate and soil conditions compared to southern regions of the state. However, there are significant potato and dry bean farms in the east. wine grapes, vegetables and cherries are produced in the west in the protected microclimates around Grand Traverse Bay. The Grand Traverse Bay area is listed as one of the most endangered agricultural regions in the U.S. as its scenic land is highly sought after for vacation homes.
Large industries are sparse; cement-making and the mining of limestone and gypsum on the Lake Huron shore are the major exports of the area. Much of Michigan's natural gas extraction is from wells in Northern Michigan. A small number of men work on the Great Lakes freighters.
The only military presence in Northern Michigan is Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Michigan and Camp Grayling near Grayling, Michigan. Camp Grayling is the largest military installation east of the Mississippi River, and the nation's largest National Guard training site. Year around training is conducted on its 147,000 acres by the National Guard, as well as active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center is run by the Air National Guard and is co-located with the Alpena County Regional Airport.
[edit] Transportation
The primary means of transportation in Northern Michigan is by automobile. While train lines like the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad (later the Pere Marquette Railway) and several commercial cruise lines were early in generating traffic to Northern Michgan destinations, most of these have been discontinued. Northern Michigan is served by I-75, US 131, US 31, US 23, and US 127.
Several car ferries still operate in the region. One departs from Ludington, Michigan and arrives in Wisconsin. Another begins in Charlevoix, Michigan and goes to Beaver Island. The Straits of Mackinac are a haven for lake ferries that take passengers to Mackinac Island from either Mackinaw City in the Lower Peninsula or St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula.
Major bridges in Michigan include the Mackinac Bridge connecting Northern Michigan to the Upper Peninsula.
[edit] Festivals
A number of annual festivals occur in Northern Michigan including:
- Mushroom Festival (Boyne City)
- Venetian Festival (Charlevoix)
- National Cherry Festival (Traverse City)
- Cedar Polka Festival (Cedar, Michigan)
- Alpenfest (Gaylord)
- Blissfest (folk festival) (Bliss Township) [1]
- Brown Trout Festival (Alpena)
- Tip-Up Town (Houghton Lake)
- Au Sable Canoe Race
- Posen Potato Festival
- Dulcimer FunFest - (Evart)
- Coho Salmon Festival (Honor)
- National Trout Festivial (Kalkaska)
- WinterFest (Kalkaska)
- Bass Festival (Mancelona)
- Polish Festival (Boyne Falls)
- Firemens Memorial Festival (Roscommon) [2]
- Great Lakes Bioneers Conference
- North American Snowmobile Festival (Cadillac, MI)
The Chicago to Mackinac Boat Race and Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race both end on Mackinac Island. The Au Sable Canoe Marathon, one of the few pro-am canoeing events in the U.S., occurs on the Au Sable River, where winning times may be as long as 21 hours.
[edit] Flora and fauna
Northern Michigan has many tree types including maple, birch, white cedar, aspen, pine, and beech. Ferns, milkweed, Queen Anne's lace, and chicory grow in the open fields and along roadsides. Forest plants include wild leeks, morel mushrooms, and trilliums. Marram grass grows on beaches. Several mosses cover the land.
Common animals in Northern Michigan include white-tailed deer, fox, racoons, and rabbits. Black bear, elk, coyote, and bobcat are also present. Fish include whitefish, yellow perch, trout, bass, northern pike, walleye, muskie, and sunfish.
Common birds are ducks, seagulls, wild turkey, blue herons, cardinals, blue jays, black-capped chickadees and ruffed grouse. Canada Geese may be seen flying over head in spring and fall. Less well known birds that are unique in Michigan to the Northern Lower Peninsula are spruce grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, red-throated loon,Swainson's hawk, and the boreal owl. [3] [4].
Insect populations are similar to those found elsewhere in the midwestern United States. Lady bugs, crickets, dragonflies, mosquitoes, ants, house flies, and grasshoppers are common, as is the Western conifer seed bug, and several kinds of butterflies and moths (for example, monarch butterflies and tomato worm moths). Notable deviations in insect populations are a high population of June bugs during June as well as a scarcity of lightning bugs because of the lower average temperatures year round and especially in the summer.
There are no poisonous snakes native to Northern Michigan. The poisonous Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake lives in Michigan, but it is not common, and its range does not usually extend as far north as Northern Michigan. Snakes present include the eastern hog-nosed snake, brown snake, common garter snake, eastern milk snake and the northern ribbon snake. The only common reptiles and amphibians are various pond frogs, toads, salamanders, and small turtles.
[edit] Media
Northern Michigan is in the Designated Market Areas of " Traverse City-Cadillac" (113), "Alpena"(208), and some portions of the "Flint-Saginaw-Bay City"(65) .
[edit] Newspapers
- Traverse City Record-Eagle
- Cadillac News
- Petoskey News Review
- Charlevoix Courier
- The Alpena News
- Midland Daily News
- Northern Express
- Gaylord Herald Times
[edit] Radio
[edit] FM
- 88.1 W201CM Traverse City - Religious
- 88.7/100.9 WIAA/WICV Interlochen/East Jordan - Classical
- 89.3/91.3/104.9 WTLI/WJOG/WAIR Petoskey/Good Hart/Lake City - Contemporary Christian "smile.fm"
- 89.9 WLJN Traverse City - Religious
- 90.5/91.1 WPHN/WOLW Gaylord/Cadillac - Religious "Northern Christian Radio"
- 90.7 WNMC Traverse City - Variety
- 90.9 WTCK Charlevoix - Catholic
- 91.5 WICA Traverse City - Public News/Talk
- 91.7/103.9 WCML/WCMW Alpena/Harbor Springs - Public News/Talk "CMU Public Radio"
- 92.1 WOUF Beulah - Americana "92.1 the Wolf"
- 92.9 WJZQ Cadillac - Smooth Jazz "92.9 the Breeze"
- 93.7 WKAD Harrietta - Oldies "Oldies 93.7"
- 94.3/92.5 WFCX/WFDX Leland/Atlanta - Adult Hits "94.3 the Fox FM"
- 95.5/94.5 WJZJ/WLJZ Glen Arbor/Mackinaw City - Modern Rock "The Zone"
- 96.3 WLXT Petoskey - Adult Contemporary "Lite 96"
- 96.7 WLXV Cadillac - Hot Adult Contemporary "Mix 96"
- 97.5/98.9 WKLT/WKLZ Kalkaska/Petoskey - Album Rock "KLT the Rock Station"
- 98.1/105.1/107.1 WGFN/WGFM/WCKC Glen Arbor/Cheboygan/Cadillac - Classic Rock "The Bear"
- 98.5 WUPS Houghton Lake - Classic Hits "98.5 UPS"
- 99.3 WBNZ Frankfort - Adult Contemporary "99.3 WBNZ"
- 101.9 WLDR Traverse City - Country "Sunny Country"
- 102.9/93.9 WMKC/WAVC St. Ignace/Mio - Country "Big Country"
- 103.5/93.5 WTCM/WBCM Traverse City/Boyne City - Country "Today's Country Music"
- 105.9 WKHQ Charlevoix - Contemporary Hits "106 KHQ"
- 106.7/100.7 WSRT/WSRJ Gaylord/Honor - Adult Contemporary "106.7 WSRT"
- 107.5/107.9 WCCW/WCZW Traverse City/Charlevoix - Oldies "Oldies 107.5"
- 107.7 WHSB Alpena - Adult Contemporary "The Bay"
[edit] AM
- WWKK 750 1000 watt day, 330 night, directional day and night, Talk, Petoskey
- WJML 1110 10000 watt day, 10 night, directional day and night, Talk, Petoskey
- WLJN 1400 1000 watt day and night, Christian, Traverse City
- WMKT 1270 27000 watt day, 5000 night, directional night, Talk, Charlevoix
- WCBY 1240 1000 watt day and night, Adult Standards, Cheboygan
- WTCM 580 50000 watt day, 1100 night, directional day and night, Talk
- WMBN 1340 1000 watt day and night, Adult Standards, Petoskey
- WHAK 960 5000 watt day, 137 night, Country (simulcasting WWTH FM Oscoda), Rogers City
- WATT 1240 1000 watt day and night, Talk, Cadillac
- WLJW 1370 5000 watt day, 1000 night, directional day and night, Christian Talk, Cadillac
- WIOS 1480 1000 watt day only, directional, Adult Standards, Tawas City
- WLDR 1210 50000 watt day, 2500 critical hours, day only, Traditional Country, Kingsley
- WGRY 1230 1000 watt day and night, Adult Standards, Grayling
- WMMI 830 1000 day only, talk, Shepherd
[edit] Broadcast Television
- WPBN-TV 7/WTOM-TV 4 - (NBC) (Traverse City/Cadillac)
- WWTV 9 - (CBS) (Cadillac)
- WCMU-TV 14 (PBS): WCML 6 (Alpena) / WCMW 21 (Manistee) / WCMV 27 (Cadillac) / W46AD 46 (Traverse City) / W69AV 69 (Leland)
- WBKB-TV 11 - (CBS) (Alpena)
- WGTU 29 - (ABC) (Traverse City)
- WFQX-TV 33/WFUP 45 - (FOX/UPN, secondary, until September) (Cadillac)
[edit] See also
- Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)
- Mackinac Bridge
- Ludington, Michigan
- Traverse City, Michigan
- Gaylord, Michigan
[edit] External links
- Northern Michigan travel article from the Petoskey News Review
- NM history from insiders.com
- Life and Activities in the Area, from lifeinnorthernmichigan.com
