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Rogers City, Michigan
City
Rogers City Marina on Lake Huron
Rogers City Marina on Lake Huron
Official seal of Rogers City, Michigan
Seal
Nickname(s): 
"The Nautical City", "R.C."
Location within Presque Isle County
Location within Presque Isle County
Rogers City, Michigan is located in Michigan
Rogers City, Michigan
Rogers City, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Country  United States
State  Michigan
County Presque Isle
Government
 • Type City council
Area
 • Total 8.36 sq mi (21.65 km2)
 • Land 4.54 sq mi (11.75 km2)
 • Water 3.82 sq mi (9.90 km2)
Elevation
597 ft (182 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,850
 • Density 628.45/sq mi (242.65/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
49779
Area code(s) 989
FIPS code 26-69260
GNIS feature ID 0636115

Rogers City is a city in Michigan, USA. It is the main city and county seat of Presque Isle County. In 2020, about 2,850 people lived there.

The city is in the northeast part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. It sits right on the shore of Lake Huron. Rogers City is home to the world's largest open-pit limestone quarry. This quarry has a big shipping port called the Port of Calcite. It is one of the busiest shipping ports on the Great Lakes.

History of Rogers City

Rogers City was started in 1868. William E. Rogers, Albert Molitor, Frederick Denny Larke, and John Raymond came to the area. They were surveying the land and working in logging. In 1870, a post office opened. The settlement was first called Rogers' Mills.

The name changed a few times. It became Rogers City in 1872. Then it was shortened to Rogers in 1895. Finally, in 1928, it went back to Rogers City. The community became a village in 1877. It officially became a city in 1944.

A sad event happened on November 15, 1958. A large ship called the SS Carl D. Bradley sank. It went down in a storm on Lake Michigan. There were 35 crew members on board. Sadly, 33 of them died. Rogers City was the ship's home port. Twenty-three of the crew members who died were from Rogers City.

Geography and Climate

Rogers City is located in the northern part of Michigan. The city covers about 8.34 square miles (21.6 square kilometers). About 4.52 square miles (11.7 square kilometers) is land. The rest, about 3.82 square miles (9.9 square kilometers), is water.

Rogers City Weather

Rogers City has a climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters.

Climate data for Rogers City, Michigan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 55
(13)		 60
(16)		 75
(24)		 93
(34)		 95
(35)		 100
(38)		 100
(38)		 100
(38)		 95
(35)		 87
(31)		 76
(24)		 63
(17)		 100
(38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 27
(−3)		 29
(−2)		 37
(3)		 50
(10)		 63
(17)		 73
(23)		 78
(26)		 76
(24)		 68
(20)		 56
(13)		 43
(6)		 31
(−1)		 53
(11)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 11
(−12)		 10
(−12)		 19
(−7)		 30
(−1)		 41
(5)		 50
(10)		 56
(13)		 55
(13)		 47
(8)		 38
(3)		 29
(−2)		 18
(−8)		 34
(1)
Record low °F (°C) −24
(−31)		 −37
(−38)		 −14
(−26)		 2
(−17)		 25
(−4)		 30
(−1)		 41
(5)		 33
(1)		 29
(−2)		 20
(−7)		 4
(−16)		 −22
(−30)		 −37
(−38)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.84
(47)		 1.22
(31)		 1.86
(47)		 2.18
(55)		 2.55
(65)		 2.67
(68)		 2.94
(75)		 3.68
(93)		 2.96
(75)		 2.55
(65)		 1.99
(51)		 1.99
(51)		 28.43
(723)

Transportation Options

Rogers City has several ways to get around.

Airports Near Rogers City

  • Presque Isle County Airport is a local airport.
  • For bigger flights, you can go to Alpena County Regional Airport.
  • Another option is Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City.

Major Roads and Highways

Rogers city
Erie Street in Rogers City

Several important roads pass through or near Rogers City:

  • US 23

  • Bus. US 23
  • M-68
  • F-21

Bus Service

Walking and Biking Trails

  • The Huron Sunrise Trail is a great place for outdoor activities. It goes all the way to Forty Mile Point.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 325 —
1890 431 32.6%
1900 544 26.2%
1910 705 29.6%
1920 2,109 199.1%
1930 3,278 55.4%
1940 3,072 −6.3%
1950 3,873 26.1%
1960 4,722 21.9%
1970 4,275 −9.5%
1980 3,923 −8.2%
1990 3,642 −7.2%
2000 3,322 −8.8%
2010 2,827 −14.9%
2020 2,850 0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 2,827 people living in Rogers City. There were 1,328 households. Most people (97.3%) were White. About 0.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was about 51.9 years old. About 15.7% of the people were under 18. About 29% were 65 years or older.

Education in Rogers City

Rogers City has public schools for students. There is an elementary school for grades K-5. There is also a Middle/High School for grades 6-12.

The school's sports teams are known for being successful. These include wrestling, cross country, bowling, volleyball, baseball, football, and softball.

Economy and Industry

The economy in Rogers City is based on industry. The city is home to the world's largest limestone quarry. It also has one of the largest limestone processing plants. This limestone is used to make steel all around the Great Lakes.

Water transport is very important for the economy. This connects to the world's largest cement plant. That plant is located in Alpena, which is south of Rogers City. Both the quarry and the cement plant are important historical landmarks.

Fun Things to Do

Rogers City has many attractions for visitors and locals.

  • Rogers City Municipal Marina: This marina has almost 100 boat slips. You can also fish from a special platform on the east wall.
  • P. H. Hoeft State Park: This park has one mile of sandy beach on Lake Huron. It covers 301 acres. There are hiking trails through the forest and along the lake. It also has a campground with 142 sites. The park has a playground, picnic areas, and a beach. It was one of Michigan's first state parks. It's open all year, even in winter.
  • Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum: This museum tells the story of Rogers City's port. It shares tales of sailors on the Great Lakes. You can also learn about the lost limestone ship, the SS Carl D. Bradley, which was based here.
  • Presque Isle County Historical Museum: Learn about the history of the county at this museum.
  • You can find a list of state historical markers for Presque Isle County online.

Local Events and Festivals

Rogers City and the surrounding area host many fun events throughout the year.

  • Memorial Day Weekend Open House: This event includes an Afternoon of Arts & Crafts at Forty Mile Point Light.
  • Presque Isle County Fair: Held in Millersburg, Michigan, on the last weekend in June.
  • Rogers City Nautical Festival: This festival takes place during the first full week in August.
  • Fat Hogs Fishing Frenzie: An annual Salmon Tournament held on Labor Day weekend.
  • Posen Potato Festival: Held in Posen, Michigan, on the first weekend in September.
  • Annual Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival: This four-day festival happens in the second week of October. Forty Mile Point is open for tours all four days.

News and Media

Rogers City has local news and media options.

Newspapers

  • The local newspaper is the Presque Isle County Advance. It has been serving the area since 1878.
  • The Alpena News is also widely available in the area.

Television Channels

You can watch these TV stations over the air:

  • Channel 4: WTOM-TV "TV 7&4" (NBC) from Cheboygan.
  • Channel 6: WCML "CMU Public Television" (PBS) from Alpena.
  • Channel 8: WGTQ "ABC 29&8" (ABC) from Sault Ste. Marie.
  • Channel 10: WWUP-TV "9&10 News" (CBS) from Sault Ste. Marie.
  • Channel 11: WBKB-TV "Channel 11 News" (CBS, Fox on DT2) from Alpena.
  • Channel 45: WFUP "Fox 32" (Fox) from Vanderbilt.

Charter Communications is the local cable provider. They offer these channels and more.

Radio Stations

WHAK-AM 960 is a long-standing radio station in Rogers City. While licensed to Rogers City, the local stations now broadcast from studios in Alpena.

Here are some radio stations you can hear in Rogers City:

FM
Call Sign Frequency City Broadcast From
WPHN 90.5 Gaylord (plays contemporary Christian music)
WCML 91.7 Alpena; studios in Mount Pleasant (public radio)
WFDX 92.5 Atlanta; studios in Traverse City (classic hits)
WKJZ 94.9 Hillman; studios in Tawas City (adult hits)
WRGZ 96.7 Rogers City; studios in Alpena (country music)
WHAK-FM 99.9 Rogers City; studios in Alpena (oldies)
WHSB 107.7 Alpena (hot adult contemporary)
AM
Call Sign Frequency City Broadcast From
WTCM 580 Traverse City (talk radio)
WHAK 960 Rogers City; studios in Alpena (simulcast of 99.9 FM)

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Rogers City (Míchigan) para niños

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