Wexford County, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wexford County
U.S. county
Wexford County Courthouse in Cadillac
Seal
Nickname(s):  "Wex"
Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
Michigan's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	1840 (created) 1869 (organized)
Named for	County Wexford, Ireland
Seat	Cadillac
Largest city	Cadillac
Area
• Total	575.46 sq mi (1,490.4 km2)
• Land	565.00 sq mi (1,463.3 km2)
• Water	10.46 sq mi (27.1 km2)  1.8%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	33,673
• Density	59.2/sq mi (22.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 2nd

Wexford County is a county in the Northern Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 33,673. The seat of Wexford County is Cadillac, which is also the county's largest city.

Wexford County is largely covered by the Manistee National Forest, and thus is heavily wooded. The Manistee River flows from east to west in the north of the county. Briar Hill, the highest point in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, is located in northwestern Wexford County, at 1,706 feet (520 m).

The county is the location of the first known sighting of the Michigan Dogman, in 1887.

History

A detail from A New Map of Michigan with its Canals, Roads & Distances (1842) by Henry Schenck Tanner, showing Wexford County as "Kawtawwabet" (a misspelling of Kautawaubet, the county's name from 1840 to 1843.) Several nearby counties are also shown with names that would later be changed.

The county was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1840 as Kautawaubet County, after a Potawatomi phrase meaning "broken tooth" and the name of an area Potawatomi chief. In 1843, legislators renamed the county Wexford, after County Wexford in Ireland. It was formally organized in 1869.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 565 square miles (1,460 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (1.8%) is water.

Major highways

• US 131
• 
  Bus. US 131
• 
  Bus. US 131
• M-37
• M-42
• M-55
• M-115

Adjacent counties

• Grand Traverse County - north
• Kalkaska County - northeast
• Missaukee County - east
• Osceola County - southeast
• Lake County - southwest
• Manistee County - west
• Benzie County - northwest

National protected area

• Manistee National Forest (part)

Communities

Cities

• Cadillac (county seat)
• Manton

Villages

• Buckley (partially in Grand Traverse County)
• Harrietta
• Mesick

Census-designated places

• Boon
• Caberfae
• Haring
• Wedgewood

Other unincorporated communities

• Benson
• Hoxeyville
• Meauwataka
• Sherman
• Yuma

Townships

Demographics

In 2020, the county's population was 33,673.

Tourism

There are many attractions and hot spots in Wexford County. The Manistee National Forest is one recreation site. The Manistee River is used by fishermen, kayakers, and canoers. There are many lakes; the largest are Cadillac and Mitchell. Two hundred miles of snowmobile trails are maintained by the Cadillac Winter Promotions volunteer group. There are at least eight golf courses near Cadillac. There are several museums near Cadillac. The Wexford Civic Center is a 4,000 capacity arena, 300 capacity hockey facility, 300 capacity grand stand, and several buildings for agricultural shows and expos.

Education

The Wexford–Missaukee Intermediate School District, based in Cadillac, services the school districts in the county (with the exception of Buckley Community Schools, which is covered by Northwest Educational Services). The intermediate school district offers regional special education services and technical career programs to students of its districts.

Wexford County is served by the following regular public school districts:

• Buckley Community Schools
• Cadillac Area Public Schools
• Manton Consolidated Schools
• Mesick Consolidated Schools

The county also has one charter school, the Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan.

Wexford County has the following private schools:

• Cadillac Heritage Christian School
• Northview Adventist School (Seventh-Day Adventist)
• St. Ann School (Catholic)

Historical markers

Charles T. Mitchell House in Cadillac

There are several recognized Michigan historical markers in the county:

• Battle of Manton
• Caberfae Ski Resort
• Cadillac Carnegie Library
• Charles T. Mitchell House
• Clam Lake Canal
• Cobbs & Mitchell Building
• Cobbs and Mitchell Mill No.1
• First Wexford County Courthouse
• Greenwood Disciples of Christ Church
• Shay Locomotive

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Wexford (Míchigan) para niños