Traverse City, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Traverse City, Michigan
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Etymology: French: la grande traverse (the long crossing) | |||
Nickname(s):
"Traverse", "T.C.", "The Cherry Capital (of the World)", "Cherryland", "Queen City of the North", "Coast Guard City", "Hockeytown North"
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Country | United States | ||
State | Michigan | ||
Counties | Grand Traverse Leelanau |
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Settled | June 13, 1847 | ||
Incorporated | April 18, 1881 (village) May 18, 1895 (city) |
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Founded by | Perry Hannah, Albert Lay, Horace Boardman | ||
Government | |||
• Type | Council–manager | ||
Area | |||
• City | 8.61 sq mi (22.30 km2) | ||
• Land | 8.28 sq mi (21.43 km2) | ||
• Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.87 km2) | ||
Elevation | 626 ft (191 m) | ||
Population
(2020)
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• City | 15,678 | ||
• Estimate
(2023)
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15,707 | ||
• Density | 1,894.39/sq mi (731.43/km2) | ||
• Metro | 153,448 (Traverse City metropolitan area) | ||
Demonym(s) | "Traverse Citian(s)" | ||
Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
ZIP code(s) |
49684, 49685, 49686, 49696
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Area code(s) | 231 | ||
FIPS code | 26-80340 | ||
GNIS feature ID | 1615042 |
Traverse City (/ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərs) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. The population was 15,678 at the 2020 census, with 153,448 residents in the four-county Traverse City metropolitan area. Traverse City is the most populous city in the Northern Michigan region.
Traverse City is located at the head of the East and West arms of Grand Traverse Bay, a 32-mile-long (51 km) bay of Lake Michigan. Grand Traverse Bay is divided into arms by the 18-mile-long (29 km) Old Mission Peninsula, which is attached at its base to Traverse City. The city borders four townships–East Bay, Elmwood, Garfield, and Peninsula–all of which contain substantial suburban sprawl.
Traverse City is nicknamed "the Cherry Capital of the World", as the area surrounding Grand Traverse Bay is a hotspot for cherry production. The city hosts the National Cherry Festival, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors annually. The Traverse City area is also well known for its wine production, and has two American Viticultural Areas located adjacent to the city. Traverse City is home to the Traverse City State Hospital, a former state psychiatric institution. The city is also home to Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City.
Contents
History
Traverse City is named after the Grand Traverse Bay, which the city heads. The bay earned its name from 18th-century French voyageurs who made la grande traverse, or "the long crossing", across the mouth of bay. On Old Mission peninsula, Rev Peter Doughtery started the first permanent settlement in 1839.
In 1847, Captain Boardman of Naperville, Illinois, purchased the land at the mouth of the Boardman River at the head of the west arm of the bay. During that year the captain, his son, and their employees built a dwelling and sawmill near the mouth of the river. In 1851 the Boardmans sold the sawmill to Hannah, Lay & Co (Perry Hannah, Albert Tracy Lay and James Morgan), who improved the mill greatly. The increased investment in the mill attracted additional settlers to the new community.
As of 1853, the only operating post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region was the one located at Old Mission, which was then known as "Grand Traverse". While in Washington, D.C. in 1852, Mr. Lay had succeeded in getting the U.S. Post Office to authorize a new post office at his newer settlement. As the newer settlement had become known as "Grand Traverse City", Lay proposed this name for its post office, but the Post Office Department clerk suggested dropping the "Grand" from the name, as to limit confusion between this new office and the one at nearby Old Mission. Mr. Lay agreed to the name "Traverse City" for the post office, and the village took on this name.
In December 1872, rail service arrived in Traverse City via a Traverse City Rail Road Company spur from the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad line at Walton Junction. This opened up the area to settlement and industrial development.
Geography
Traverse City is a part of the greater Northern Michigan region. The city is the main inland port of the Grand Traverse Bay—a long, natural harbor separated from the waters of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula, and divided longitudinally almost evenly by a narrow peninsula of tiered hillsides and farmland called Old Mission Peninsula.
The most prominent of the city's waterways is the Boardman River. Along with Boardman Lake, the river is part of the Boardman River Watershed. The Boardman’s 287-square-mile (740 km2) watershed contributes one-third of the water volume to the bay and is one of Michigan’s top-ten fisheries, with more than 36 miles (58 km) of its 179 miles (288 km) designated as a Blue Ribbon trout fishery. It is also a state-designated "Natural River".
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.66 square miles (22.43 km2), of which, 8.33 square miles (21.57 km2) of it is land and 0.33 square miles (0.85 km2) is water.
Suburbs
- East Bay Township, Michigan
- Elmwood Township
- Garfield Township
- Greilickville
- Holiday Hills
- Peninsula Township
- Long Lake Township
Climate
Its location near the 45th parallel is tempered by the strong and moderating effects of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, which have a particularly noteworthy effect on the peninsulas that branch north of the city. As a result, they have viticulture and Cherry orchards. Consequently, it generally experiences warm, mild summers and severe winters. Lake Michigan especially, but also Grand Traverse Bay, greatly impact the area's diverse coastal weather patterns, which occasionally consist of sudden and/or large amounts of precipitation during the seasonally active periods. Lake-effect snowfall constitutes a large percentage of the total annual snow accumulation, which averages around 80 inches (203 cm). Periods of snowfall typically last from November to April, although light snow as late as May or as early as late September sometimes occur.
Traverse City's record high temperature is 105 °F (41 °C), recorded in 1936, and its low temperature is −33 °F (−36 °C), recorded on February 17, 1979.
Climate data for Traverse City Airport, Michigan (1981-2010 normals, extremes 1896) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 59 (15) |
65 (18) |
87 (31) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
100 (38) |
96 (36) |
89 (32) |
78 (26) |
64 (18) |
105 (41) |
Average high °F (°C) | 27.8 (−2.3) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
39.9 (4.4) |
53.8 (12.1) |
65.8 (18.8) |
75.6 (24.2) |
80.2 (26.8) |
77.9 (25.5) |
70.0 (21.1) |
57.2 (14.0) |
44.1 (6.7) |
32.3 (0.2) |
54.6 (12.5) |
Average low °F (°C) | 15.2 (−9.3) |
15.0 (−9.4) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
32.1 (0.1) |
41.5 (5.3) |
52.3 (11.3) |
57.8 (14.3) |
56.9 (13.8) |
49.7 (9.8) |
39.2 (4.0) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
36.1 (2.3) |
Record low °F (°C) | −21 (−29) |
−37 (−38) |
−30 (−34) |
1 (−17) |
17 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
31 (−1) |
32 (0) |
26 (−3) |
15 (−9) |
−5 (−21) |
−26 (−32) |
−37 (−38) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.82 (72) |
1.50 (38) |
1.86 (47) |
2.78 (71) |
2.59 (66) |
3.16 (80) |
3.02 (77) |
3.38 (86) |
3.53 (90) |
3.22 (82) |
2.70 (69) |
2.49 (63) |
32.40 (823) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 23.1 (59) |
13.2 (34) |
8.2 (21) |
2.8 (7.1) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
7.2 (18) |
19.5 (50) |
74.3 (189) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 17.0 | 12.3 | 11.4 | 10.9 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 8.5 | 9.9 | 12.0 | 13.1 | 14.6 | 16.0 | 145.8 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 12.6 | 8.9 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 4.8 | 11.7 | 46.3 |
Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Source 2: NOAA NOWData |
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1880 | 1,897 | — | |
1890 | 4,353 | 129.5% | |
1900 | 9,407 | 116.1% | |
1910 | 12,115 | 28.8% | |
1920 | 10,925 | −9.8% | |
1930 | 12,539 | 14.8% | |
1940 | 14,455 | 15.3% | |
1950 | 16,974 | 17.4% | |
1960 | 18,432 | 8.6% | |
1970 | 18,048 | −2.1% | |
1980 | 15,516 | −14.0% | |
1990 | 15,155 | −2.3% | |
2000 | 14,532 | −4.1% | |
2010 | 14,674 | 1.0% | |
2020 | 15,678 | 6.8% | |
2023 (est.) | 15,707 | 7.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census |
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Religion
Traverse City is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord. It is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan and served by Grace Episcopal Church.
Economy
Companies headquartered in Traverse City include Hagerty Insurance Agency and Oilgear, and 20Fathoms, a technology incubator, is located here.
Arts and culture
Most of Traverse City's economy is based on tourism.
In November, Beer Week offers tours of breweries, samplings, and workshops.
The National Cherry Festival, held annually in July, features parades, fireworks, an air show, carnival rides, election of festival royalty, music, a pie-eating contest, and cherries.
The Traverse City Film Festival was held in July and August from 2005 to 2019.
The Great Lakes Equestrian Festival features jumping, show hunting and equestrian competitions.
Traverse City State Park, with about 250 campsites, is located east of the city, and features a beach on the East Bay arm of Grand Traverse Bay.
The Boardman River Nature Center is the interpretive center and management headquarters for the Grand Traverse Natural Education Reserve, a 505-acre local park and natural area.
Traverse City is located immediately adjacent to two American Viticultural Areas, the Leelanau Peninsula AVA and the Old Mission Peninsula AVA. There are over 50 wineries near Traverse City. Located in the harbor of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy is the T/S State of Michigan, a 224-foot (68 m) former Navy submarine surveillance vessel. The vessel is used as a classroom and laboratory while cadets of the academy are underway and shore side.
A tall ship, the schooner Manitou, is berthed at Traverse City, and offers passages to the public.
Excursion passengers trains from Traverse City have included a Cherry Festival train in 2008, and a "dinner train" from 1996 to 2004.
Performing arts and museum
The City Opera House features plays, movies, and performances.
The Traverse Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1952.
The Dennos Museum Center is located on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College.
Historical markers
There are eleven recognized Michigan historical markers in the Traverse City area. They are:
- Bingham District No. 5 Schoolhouse
- City Opera House
- Congregation Beth El
- Grand Traverse Bay
- Grand Traverse County Courthouse
- Great Lakes Sport Fishery
- Ladies Library Association
- Novotny's Saloon
- Park Place Hotel
- Perry Hannah House
- Traverse City State Hospital
Libraries
Traverse City is served by the Traverse Area District Library, which has six branch libraries in Grand Traverse County.
Sports
The Huntington Rink indoor arena is used primarily for ice hockey, and is the home of the Traverse City North Stars hockey team.
Club | Sport | League | Venue | Founded | Reference |
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Traverse City Pit Spitters | Baseball | Northwoods League | Turtle Creek Stadium | 2019 | |
Traverse City Cohos | Hockey | Midwest Junior Hockey League | Centre Ice/Huntington Rink | 2012 | |
Traverse City Wolves | Football | Great Lakes Football Conference | Thirlby Field | 2007 | |
Traverse Bay Blues | Rugby | Michigan Rugby Football Union | N/A | 1973 |
During their annual offseason, the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League hold their training camp at Traverse City's Centre Ice Arena. In addition to training camp every September, the Red Wings host an NHL Prospect Tournament, consisting of prospects of participating teams around the league. In 2021, the Traverse City Prospect Tournament consisted of players from the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, and St. Louis Blues. For this reason, Traverse City is often referred to as Hockeytown North, in reference to Detroit's nickname, Hockeytown.
Parks and recreation
Traverse City has over 30 park and recreational properties.
The Grand Traverse County Civic Center is a sports complex featuring seven baseball/softball fields, a skatepark, a walking trail, an amphitheater, sledding hill, pavilion, playground, an indoor pool, and an indoor hockey rink. The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA features four complexes with swimming, soccer, and tennis.
The TART trail system is a series of non-motorized recreational trails in and around Traverse City.
Education
Public schools
Public education is administered by Traverse City Area Public Schools. The district includes 11 elementary schools, two middle schools, three high schools: Traverse City Central, Traverse City West, and Traverse City High School.
Private schools
Traverse City offers a number of private schools.
Religious schools
Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools administers Catholic schools, including St. Francis High School.
Other religious schools include:
- Traverse City Christian School
- Trinity Lutheran School
- Traverse Bay Mennonite School
- Traverse City Adventist School
Higher education
Traverse City is home to Northwestern Michigan College, a two-year community college. Its annual enrollment is around 5,100. One of its campuses is at the Cherry Capital Airport, and offers aviation and auto service classes. Another campus is at the Hagerty Center on Grand Traverse Bay, which is home to Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Great Lakes Culinary Institute, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, and the Hagerty Conference Center.
Media
The Traverse City Record-Eagle is a daily newspaper circulated in the 13 counties surrounding the city, and is the newspaper of record for Grand Traverse County. Daily editions of the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News, and The Grand Rapids Press are available.
Traverse is a monthly regional magazine.
Village Press, and Arbutus Press, are located in Traverse City.
Television
- Channel 7: WPBN-TV (NBC)
- Channel 29: WGTU (ABC)
Radio
There are 16 commercial radio stations in a variety of radio formats. Talk radio stations include WTCM, WJML, WMKT, WSRT, and WLDR. AM 1310 broadcasts sports. WKLT broadcasts rock music, and WNMC is a community public radio station. There are three religious radio stations: W201CM (a translator at 88.1) and WLJN AM/FM 89.9 FM and 1400 AM. WLDR plays an adult contemporary format. Interlochen Center for the Arts broadcasts the NPR member station called Interlochen Public Radio; it serves a large portion of Northwest Lower Michigan via two stations.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Airports
Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City is the fourth largest airport in Michigan.
Buses
Indian Trails offers intercity bus service to St. Ignace to the north and Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo to the south.
Bay Area Transportation Authority offers local bus service.
Major highways
- US 31 is a major north–south route running through the city. In Michigan, the highway largely parallels the shore of Lake Michigan.
- M-22 is a scenic highway with a terminus in Traverse City. The highway loops around the Leelanau Peninsula, and follows the shore of Lake Michigan south to Manistee.
- M-37 is a north–south route that passes through the city. The highway's northern terminus is at Mission Point Light, north of Traverse City.
- M-72 is an east–west route that traverses the Lower Peninsula.
Coast Guard
The Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City is responsible for maritime and land-based search and rescue in the northern Great Lakes region. Traverse City is one of two designated Coast Guard cities in Michigan, the other being Grand Haven.
Notable people
- M. E. C. Bates (1839–1905), writer, journalist, newspaper editor
- Clara Nettie Bates (1876–1966), editor, writer, clubwoman
- Kate Botello, host of TechTV's The Screen Savers and Extended Play, resides in Traverse City, where she owns a web design company
- Mark Brammer, Michigan State University football player, All-America 1978, later played for the NFL's Buffalo Bills
- Mary K. Buck (1849–1901), author
- Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Pete Buttigieg, was born and raised in Traverse City
- Pete Buttigieg, current United States Secretary of Transportation and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, resides in Traverse City as of July 2022
- Demas T. Craw, posthumous Medal of Honor winner
- Jeremy Davies, actor, featured in Saving Private Ryan, Solaris, Lost, CQ and Justified
- Dallas Drake, NHL player who last played for the Detroit Red Wings; previously with Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, and St. Louis Blues
- Carol Duvall, television personality
- Robert P. Griffin, Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 1987 to 1994; United States Senator from 1966 to 1979; U.S. Representative from 1957 to 1966; the Grand Traverse County Robert P. Griffin Hall of Justice was dedicated in his honor on November 13, 2006
- Walter Hagen, professional golfer, lived in Traverse City from 1958 to 1969
- Brandon Halverson, professional ice hockey goaltender
- Pearl M. Hart, pioneering Chicago attorney
- Gary Hogeboom, NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Phoenix Cardinals, and Washington Redskins; played for Central Michigan University and Northview High School in Grand Rapids
- Gordie Howe, legendary hockey player, played for Detroit Red Wings and lived in Traverse City from the late 1980s to 1999
- Bob James, jazz musician, created instrumental theme song for TV sitcom Taxi, sampled by numerous hip-hop artists; resident of Traverse City
- Tom Kozelko, NBA basketball player with the Washington Bullets
- Andrea Kritcher, nuclear engineer and physicist
- Angus MacLellan, professional rugby player with the United States national rugby union team
- Dan Majerle, NBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers
- Mike Matteucci, NHL player for the Minnesota Wild
- Barbara McGuire, polymer clay artist and author
- Suzy Merchant, coach for Michigan State University women's basketball team
- William G. Milliken, Republican Governor of Michigan from 1969 to 1983
- Doug Mirabelli, MLB player for the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants
- Michael Moore, filmmaker, local resident, supporter of the renovation of the State Theatre and Traverse City Film Festival
- Matt Noveskey, musician in the bands Blue October and (a+) machines
- Bunny Oakes, head football coach at the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1935 to 1939, compiled a 25-15-1 (.622) record
- Carter Oosterhouse, carpenter on reality TV show Trading Spaces
- John T. Parsons, pioneered numerical control for machine tools in the 1940s
- Pat Paulsen, actor, comedian, political candidate, co-owner of Cherry County Playhouse theater during the 1970s
- Lawrence Plamondon, 1960s activist
- Zach Redmond, professional hockey player for EHC Red Bull München, team captain at Ferris State
- Brian Rolston, NHL player for the New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders
- Salem, witch house band formed in Traverse City
- Wilson Sawyer, composer and musician
- Mel Schacher, bassist for Grand Funk Railroad
- John Scott, 2016 NHL All-Star MVP
- Bernice Steadman, aviator and member of the Mercury 13
- Martha Teichner, television news correspondent for CBS News
- Phil Thiel, rugby player and coach
- The Accidentals, indie folk band formed in Traverse City
- Craig Thompson, cartoonist and graphic novelist, best known for Blankets
- Barry Watson, actor, known for TV series 7th Heaven and Samantha Who?
- David Wayne, film, television and Tony Award-winning stage actor, Adam's Rib, The Tender Trap, The Andromeda Strain, Ellery Queen, Batman
- Ezra Winter, muralist
Sister cities
See also
In Spanish: Traverse City para niños