Sanilac County, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sanilac County
|
||
|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Sanilac County Courthouse
|
||
|
||
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
|
||
 Michigan's location within the U.S. |
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  Michigan |
|
| Founded | September 10, 1822 (created) December 31, 1849 (organized) |
|
| Seat | Sandusky | |
| Largest city | Sandusky | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1,590 sq mi (4,100 km2) | |
| • Land | 963 sq mi (2,490 km2) | |
| • Water | 627 sq mi (1,620 km2) 39%% | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 40,611  |
|
| • Density | 26/sq mi (10/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 9th | |
Sanilac County is a county located in the "Thumb" region of Michigan, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 40,611 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Sandusky.
Sanilac County was officially created on September 10, 1822. It became fully organized on December 31, 1849. This area is known for its flat land and rich soil, which is great for farming. Many people also visit towns like Lexington and Port Sanilac for fun, especially during warmer seasons.
Contents
History of Sanilac County
Sanilac County likely got its name from a Wyandot (Huron) chief named Sanilac. The Michigan Territorial Legislature formed the county on September 10, 1822. They took parts from St. Clair County and other areas to create it.
Later, in 1840, the county's size was made smaller. Parts of it were used to create Huron and Tuscola counties. The county government was fully set up on December 31, 1849.
In the mid-1800s, the area now called Port Sanilac had a different name: Bark Shanty. It was named after a small shelter made of tree bark. This shelter was used by people making shingles from pine trees. Today, the county seat of Sanilac County is the city of Sandusky.
Geography of Sanilac County
Sanilac County covers a total area of about 1,590 square miles. Out of this, 963 square miles are land, and 627 square miles (about 39%) are water. This makes Sanilac County the largest county by land area in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
Neighboring Counties
Sanilac County shares borders with several other counties:
- Huron County (to the north)
- Tuscola County (to the west)
- St. Clair County (to the south)
- Lapeer County (to the southwest)
- Huron County, Ontario, Canada (to the east, across the water)
Main Roads in Sanilac County
Several important highways run through Sanilac County:
M-19
M-25
M-46
M-53
M-81
M-90
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 2,112 | — | |
| 1860 | 7,599 | 259.8% | |
| 1870 | 14,562 | 91.6% | |
| 1880 | 26,341 | 80.9% | |
| 1890 | 32,589 | 23.7% | |
| 1900 | 35,055 | 7.6% | |
| 1910 | 33,930 | −3.2% | |
| 1920 | 31,237 | −7.9% | |
| 1930 | 27,751 | −11.2% | |
| 1940 | 30,114 | 8.5% | |
| 1950 | 30,837 | 2.4% | |
| 1960 | 32,314 | 4.8% | |
| 1970 | 34,889 | 8.0% | |
| 1980 | 40,789 | 16.9% | |
| 1990 | 39,928 | −2.1% | |
| 2000 | 44,547 | 11.6% | |
| 2010 | 43,114 | −3.2% | |
| 2020 | 40,611 | −5.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 40,368 | −6.4% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018 |
|||
The 2010 United States Census showed that Sanilac County had 43,114 people. This was a small decrease from the year 2000. Most people living in Sanilac County are White (96.6%). Other groups include Native American, Black or African American, and Asian people. About 3.3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Many families live in Sanilac County. In 2010, about 29.2% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.48 people. The median age in the county was 43 years old. This means half the people were older than 43, and half were younger.
Religion in Sanilac County
The main religious group in the county is the Catholic Church. It is overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw.
Local News and Media
Sanilac County has several local newspapers. The Tribune-Recorder has been serving the county weekly since 1893. There is also the Sanilac County News from Sandusky, along with other smaller newspapers. People in Sanilac County can also get daily deliveries of the Port Huron Times Herald.
Towns and Villages
Sanilac County has several different types of communities:
Cities
- Brown City
- Croswell
- Marlette
- Sandusky (This is the main city and county seat)
Villages
Census-designated place
Other Communities (Unincorporated)
These are smaller places that are not officially cities or villages:
Townships
Sanilac County is also divided into many townships:
- Argyle Township
- Austin Township
- Bridgehampton Township
- Buel Township
- Custer Township
- Delaware Township
- Elk Township
- Elmer Township
- Evergreen Township
- Flynn Township
- Forester Township
- Fremont Township
- Greenleaf Township
- Lamotte Township
- Lexington Township
- Maple Valley Township
- Marion Township
- Marlette Township
- Minden Township
- Moore Township
- Sanilac Township
- Speaker Township
- Washington Township
- Watertown Township
- Wheatland Township
- Worth Township
Images for kids
-
Map of the Surveyed Part of the Territory of Michigan by Orange Risdon, 1825, showing an earlier, larger incarnation of Sanilac County, most of which had not yet been surveyed.
-
Port Sanilac Harbor
-
Downtown Lexington, Michigan
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Sanilac para niños
