Pelkie, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pelkie, Michigan
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Location within Baraga County
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 Pelkie, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Pelkie, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| County |  Baraga |
| Township | Baraga |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2) |
| • Land | 1.33 sq mi (3.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 51 |
| • Density | 38.20/sq mi (14.76/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49958
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| Area code(s) | 906 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1621187 |
Pelkie is a small community in Baraga County, located in the state of Michigan in the United States. It's known as an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It's also a census-designated place (CDP), which is an area the government defines just for counting people during a census.
In 2020, only 51 people lived in Pelkie. This makes it one of the smallest CDPs in Michigan. You can find Pelkie along the Sturgeon River in the northeastern part of Baraga Township.
The Story of Pelkie
Pelkie was first settled around 1885 by people from French Canada. It was first called "King's Landing." Later, it was renamed Pelkie after an early settler named William Pelkie.
People from Finland also moved to this area. They first called a nearby spot "Kyrö," after a place in their home country. However, Kyrö is now seen as a separate area from Pelkie. When a railroad was built through the area, the name became "Kuro." Some people thought the name Pelkie came from the Finnish name "Pelkinen," but it actually came from that early French-Canadian settler.
A post office was set up in Pelkie on April 30, 1903. The community also became a stop on the Mineral Range Railroad. The ZIP code for Pelkie is 49958. This ZIP code covers parts of Baraga County and some areas in Houghton County.
Who Lives in Pelkie?
This section tells you about the people who live in Pelkie. In 2020, the total population of Pelkie was 51 people.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 51 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Important Old Places
Pelkie has a special place called the Historic Pelkie Grade School museum. This building was built in 1909. It's the only one-room schoolhouse left in Baraga County. It was added to the State Register of Historic Sites on June 10, 1980.
The building was used as a school until 1932. After that, it became a town hall. In 1979, people started working to restore it. Today, the museum even has an old school bus that was pulled by horses!
Life in Pelkie Today
Every year, Pelkie hosts the Baraga County Fair. This fun event happens on the second weekend in August. The main way people in Pelkie make a living is through dairy farming. They raise cows for milk, and most of that milk is sent to places in Wisconsin to be processed.
