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Marquette County, Michigan facts for kids

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Marquette County
Marquette County Courthouse in Marquette
Marquette County Courthouse in Marquette
Map of Michigan highlighting Marquette County
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Map of the United States highlighting Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Michigan
Founded March 9, 1843, organized 1851
Named for Jacques Marquette
Seat Marquette
Largest city Marquette
Area
 • Total 3,425 sq mi (8,870 km2)
 • Land 1,808 sq mi (4,680 km2)
 • Water 1,616 sq mi (4,190 km2)  47%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 66,017
 • Estimate 
(2023)
66,999Increase
 • Density 37/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 1st

Marquette County (/mɑːrˈkɛt/ MAR-ket) is a county located in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,017. The county seat is Marquette. The county is named for Father Marquette, a Jesuit missionary. It was set off in 1843 and organized in 1851. Marquette County is the largest county in land area in Michigan, and the most populous county in the Upper Peninsula.

Marquette County comprises the Marquette, MI micropolitan statistical area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,425 square miles (8,870 km2), of which 1,808 square miles (4,680 km2) is land and 1,616 square miles (4,190 km2) (47%) is water. It is the largest county in Michigan by land area and fourth-largest by total area.

The Huron Mountains are located in the county. To the north of the county is Lake Superior.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Presque Isle Lake Superior
Lake Superior from Presque Isle Park in Marquette

Climate

Weather chart for Marquette County
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
84
 
-6
-12
 
 
83
 
-7
-12
 
 
70
 
-2
-10
 
 
110
 
6
-4
 
 
94
 
16
3
 
 
120
 
14
9
 
 
126
 
20
14
 
 
86
 
20
11
 
 
89
 
16
11
 
 
130
 
10
4
 
 
105
 
2
-3
 
 
79
 
-5
-8
temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm

Communities

Marquette County, MI census map
U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Marquette County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.

Cities

Charter townships

  • Chocolay Charter Township
  • Marquette Charter Township

Civil townships

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Indian reservations

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 136
1860 2,821 1,974.3%
1870 15,033 432.9%
1880 25,394 68.9%
1890 39,521 55.6%
1900 41,239 4.3%
1910 46,739 13.3%
1920 45,786 −2.0%
1930 44,076 −3.7%
1940 47,144 7.0%
1950 47,654 1.1%
1960 56,154 17.8%
1970 64,686 15.2%
1980 74,101 14.6%
1990 70,887 −4.3%
2000 64,634 −8.8%
2010 67,077 3.8%
2020 66,017 −1.6%
2023 (est.) 66,999 −0.1%
US Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2018

In 2020, the population of the county was 66,017.

Economy

Top employers

Last updated June 8, 2021.

According to the Lake Superior Community Partnership website, the top employers in the county are:

ISS067-E-174345 Tilden and Empire mines in Marquette County, Michigan
The Tilden and Empire mines south of Ishpeming and Negaunee, taken on July 2, 2022, from the International Space Station; north is oriented towards the right.
Private employer # of employees
UP Health System – Marquette 1,599
Cliffs Natural Resources, Michigan Operations 998
Upper Peninsula Medical Center 650
UP Health System – Bell 360
Walmart 392
RTI Surgical 230
Envoy Air 207
Eagle Mine 187
Westwood Mall Association 190
Eastwood Nursing Center 140
Alger-Marquette County Community Action Board 148
Norlite Nursing Center 110
Ojibwa Casino II 140
Superior Extrusion, Inc. 153
PotlatchDeltic 140
Pathways 108
Meijer 310
VanDamme Trucking 132
    
Public employer # of employees
Northern Michigan University 914
Marquette Area Public Schools 410
Michigan Department of Corrections 350
County of Marquette 251
Negaunee Public Schools 190
D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans 167
City of Marquette 185
NICE Community School District 163
Gwinn Area Community Schools 140
Ishpeming Public Schools 104

*Bolded values have been updated for 2021.

Education

Northern Michigan University's Academic Mall
Academic Mall at Northern Michigan University in Marquette

Northern Michigan University is a four-year university in Marquette. It was established in 1899.

School districts

Marquette County is divided into the following school districts:

  • Gwinn Area Community Schools
  • Ishpeming Public School District
  • Marquette Area Public Schools
  • Negaunee Public Schools
  • NICE Community School District
  • Powell Township Schools
  • Republic-Michigamme School District

Historical markers

There are ten historical markers in the county:

  • Cliffs Shaft Mine
  • Dandelion Cottage
  • Father Marquette Park
  • First Steam Railroad in Upper Peninsula
  • Ishpeming: Historic Ski Center
  • Jackson Mine
  • Marquette County Courthouse
  • Marquette Iron Range
  • Northern Michigan University
  • Sam Cohodas Lodge / Sam Cohodas

Transportation

Airports

  • Sawyer International Airport, a county-owned public-use facility, twenty miles (32 km) south of Marquette on the site of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, which closed 29 years ago in 1995.

Transit

  • MarqTran provides local transit services in and around Marquette.
  • Indian Trails provides intercity bus service.

Major highways

Marquette County, Mich
Map of the county's highways
  • US 41
  • M-28
  • M-35
  • M-94
  • M-95
  • M-553

In addition to the 169.42 miles (272.66 km) of state highways in the county, the Marquette County Road Commission maintains 283.85 miles (456.81 km) of primary county roads which include County Road 492 (CR 492), and 988.25 miles (1,590.43 km) of secondary county roads. The road commission provides maintenance such as snow removal under contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the state trunklines. In 2010, the commission planned to build CR 595. The project was canceled after the permit was denied by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the project funding was diverted.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Marquette (Míchigan) para niños

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