Dakota Heights, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dakota Heights, Michigan
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 Dakota Heights, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Houghton |
| Township | Portage |
| Platted | 1906 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
49931 (Houghton)
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
Dakota Heights is a small community in Michigan, United States. It is not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it is an unincorporated community within Portage Charter Township. This community is located in Houghton County.
Dakota Heights is quite unique because it's like an island of land. It is completely surrounded by the city of Houghton. One side of Dakota Heights is next to Portage Lake or the Portage Lake Shipping Canal. Even though it's part of Portage Township, it doesn't touch any other part of the township. People living here often feel like they are living "in town" (Houghton).
Contents
History of Dakota Heights
Dakota Heights was officially planned and mapped out in 1906. It got its name from the Dacotah Mining Company. This company used to operate nearby for a short time.
The community was first built to provide homes for workers. These workers were employed by the Copper Range Railroad. The railroad had many facilities just north of Dakota Heights. The company that owned the railroad also owned most of the houses in the area. Today, Dakota Heights is still mostly a place where people live. However, some businesses have opened and closed there over the years. Currently, you can find a doctor's office, a restaurant, a spa, and a bank in the community.
Geography and Climate
Dakota Heights was originally at the western end of Shelden Avenue in Houghton. Years ago, the area west of Dakota Heights was just open countryside. This changed when the M-26 highway corridor was developed in the mid-1970s.
Weather in Dakota Heights
Dakota Heights has a humid continental climate. This means it has four distinct seasons. However, the winters are usually very long and snowy. The area gets a lot of lake effect snow. This happens when cold air moves over the warmer waters of Lake Superior.
Education for Students
Students in Dakota Heights attend schools in the Houghton-Portage Township Schools district. This district serves students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade.
- Younger students (Kindergarten to 5th grade) go to Houghton Elementary School.
- Middle school students (6th to 8th grade) attend Houghton Middle School.
- High school students (9th to 12th grade) go to Houghton High School.
A building called the Rock School used to serve Dakota Heights and the surrounding areas.
Transportation and Travel
Roads and Buses
In 1979, a major change happened to the community. Highway M-26 was rerouted right through Dakota Heights. This new road cut the community in half. Before this, Park Avenue was the main road connecting Houghton to Atlantic Mine. The new M-26 highway route replaced Park Avenue as the main way to travel.
Houghton Motor Transit offers a special bus service called a "demand bus." This means you can call for a bus when you need it. This service is available in Dakota Heights. However, if you live in Dakota Heights, the bus fare might be higher. This is because "curb to curb" service is mainly for people living inside Houghton city limits. There are no regular bus routes that operate on a fixed schedule in Dakota Heights.
Snowmobile Trails
For those who enjoy winter sports, a snowmobile trail runs along Park Avenue in Dakota Heights.
