Gogebic County, Michigan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Gogebic County

U.S. county

Gogebic County Courthouse in Bessemer

Logo

Location within the U.S. state of Michigan

Michigan's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Michigan

Founded

1887

Largest city

Area

• Total

1,476 sq mi (3,820 km²)

• Land

1,102 sq mi (2,850 km²)

• Water

374 sq mi (970 km²) 25%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

14,380

• Density

15/sq mi (6/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional district

1st

Gogebic County is a county located in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2020, about 14,380 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Bessemer.

Gogebic County is the westernmost county in Michigan. It's also one of four Michigan counties that are in the Central Time Zone. The county shares a border with Wisconsin to the south and has a beautiful shoreline along Lake Superior to the north.

For a long time, Gogebic County has been home to the Lake Superior Chippewa people. The Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation is located within Gogebic County.

History of Gogebic County
Geography of Gogebic County
Communities in Gogebic County
Population of Gogebic County
Sports in Gogebic County
Transportation in Gogebic County
See also

History of Gogebic County

Gogebic County was officially created in 1887. It was formed from a part of Ontonagon County.

The county's name comes from a lake called Lake Gogebic. The original name for the lake was Agogebic. The name comes from the Ojibwe language. People aren't completely sure what the original meaning was. Some think it meant "body of water hanging on high." Others believe it meant "water-mold lake."

Geography of Gogebic County

Lake Gogebic, the largest lake in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is partly in Gogebic County.

Gogebic County covers a total area of about 1,476 square miles. About 1,102 square miles of this is land, and 374 square miles (25%) is water.

Water Features

Lake Superior: This huge lake forms the county's northern border.
Lake Gogebic: This is the biggest lake in the Upper Peninsula.
Montreal River: This river forms the county's western border. It also marks the border between Michigan and Wisconsin in this area.

Neighboring Counties

Gogebic County shares its borders with several other counties:

Ontonagon County: To the north and northeast (this county is in the Eastern Time Zone).
Iron County: To the east (also in the Central Time Zone).
Vilas County, Wisconsin: To the south.
Iron County, Wisconsin: To the southwest.
Ashland County, Wisconsin: To the northwest.

Protected Natural Areas

Ottawa National Forest: A large part of this national forest is located within Gogebic County.
Lake Gogebic State Park: This state park offers outdoor activities and is located near Lake Gogebic.

Communities in Gogebic County

A map showing the cities and townships within Gogebic County. Shaded areas are cities.

Gogebic County has several different types of communities where people live.

Cities

Bessemer: This is the county seat, meaning it's where the county government is located.
Ironwood
Wakefield

Townships

Ironwood Charter Township
Bessemer Township
Erwin Township
Marenisco Township
Wakefield Township
Watersmeet Township

Other Communities

These are smaller, unincorporated places:

Indian Reservations

Lac Vieux Desert Indian Reservation

Population of Gogebic County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	13,166	—
1900	16,738	27.1%
1910	23,333	39.4%
1920	33,225	42.4%
1930	31,577	−5.0%
1940	31,797	0.7%
1950	27,053	−14.9%
1960	24,370	−9.9%
1970	20,676	−15.2%
1980	19,686	−4.8%
1990	18,052	−8.3%
2000	17,370	−3.8%
2010	16,427	−5.4%
2020	14,380	−12.5%
2023 (est.)	14,224	−13.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018

In 2010, Gogebic County had a population of 16,427 people. By 2020, the population had decreased to 14,380.

Most people living in Gogebic County are of European descent. Many families have roots from countries like Germany, Italy, England, and Poland.

Sports in Gogebic County

Gogebic County is special because it's the only place in the Upper Peninsula that has ever had a professional sports team. The team was called the Gogebic Panthers. They played football in the Northwest Football League in 1935 and 1936.

In 1935, the Panthers had a great season, winning 6 games and only losing 1. Their only loss was to the La Crosse Old Style Lagers, who ended up winning the league championship. In 1936, they even beat the Madison Cardinals 6-0.