Little Bay de Noc facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Bay de Noc |
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 Little Bay de Noc
Location in Michigan
Little Bay de Noc
Location in the United States
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| Location | Delta County, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 45°46′00″N 87°00′45″W / 45.76667°N 87.01250°W |
| Type | Bay |
| Surface elevation | 581 feet (177 m) |
Little Bay de Noc is a beautiful bay located in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. This bay opens into Lake Michigan's Green Bay. It is a popular spot for fishing and enjoying nature.
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Where is Little Bay de Noc?
This bay covers about 30,000 acres, which is a very large area of water! It is completely surrounded by Delta County in Michigan. Two important cities, Escanaba and Gladstone, are found right on the western side of the bay.
How the Bay Got Its Name
The name "Bay de Noc" comes from the Noquet people. They were a Native American group who once lived along the shores of this bay. The Noquet people are thought to have been related to the Menominee people. They spoke a language from the Algonquian language family.
Early Explorers and Settlements
In 1844, a government surveyor named Douglass Houghton came to Sand Point in Escanaba. He and his team were there to map out the land to the north. This was an important step in understanding the geography of the area.
The deep harbor at Escanaba made it a great place for the lumber industry. The very first sawmill was built there in 1836. This mill helped process wood from the surrounding forests. Later, in 1864, the first dock for shipping iron ore was built in Escanaba. This allowed iron from Michigan's rich mining areas to be sent out by ship. Escanaba officially became a city in 1866.
A bit further north, the city of Gladstone was started in 1887. It was founded by William D. Washburn, who was a U.S. Senator from Minnesota. He wanted Gladstone to be a place where lumber products could be easily moved between trains and ships.
Rivers Flowing into the Bay
Several rivers flow into Little Bay de Noc. These rivers bring fresh water into the bay. The main rivers include the Escanaba, Days, Tacoosh, Rapid, and Whitefish rivers. The town of Rapid River is located where the Rapid River meets the bay.
