Area Profile of Marquette and Alger Counties

In Marquette and Alger Counties, waterfalls, forest trails, rivers, and streams stretch from the Huron Mountains to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Natural resources are abundant, and the area's rich heritage reflects Native American roots and the migration of Italian and Finnish people to the area for lumbering and mining. Marquette and Alger Counties come together at the southern-most point of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where the people are passionate about their communities and families. Linked by rugged winter weather and united in community commitment, the approximately 74,000 residents reside in the two-county area where the governmental and service center of the peninsula, Marquette, is located.

Many residents participate in outdoor activities such as skiing, fishing, golfing, boating, and camping. The lifestyle may seem idyllic, but the communities also experience some of the problems found in other rural areas in the country: high alcohol consumption, seasonal unemployment, domestic violence, obesity, and limited economic expansion.

In recent years, the youth terrain in both Marquette and Alger Counties has been enhanced with the creation of new organizations and programs that promote positive youth environments. The U.P. Children's Museum, YMCA, the Liberty Children's Art Project, and small town youth centers are some examples. The sustainability of these programs and others is an ongoing challenge with such a small population and few major companies in the area.

Schools

Marquette and Alger Counties have 12 public school districts, one charter school, and several parochial schools. According to Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services, 10,799 students were enrolled during the 2002/2003 school year. Alger County has 1,479 young people in four school districts, and Marquette County has 9,320 students in eight districts.

In a large part due to the closing of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Marquette County student enrollment has declined over the last decade. Young couples moving out of the area and fewer children in families also account for some of the drop in enrollment figures.

Tighter budgets have forced some school closures and larger class sizes. Even with these and other challenges, Marquette and Alger Counties' children continue to receive a good education.

In addition to a strong academic curriculum, the schools in Marquette and Alger Counties provide many extra-curricular activities, especially at the high school level such as sports, band, drama, newspaper, science, business, and volunteer or service clubs. Community-based sports programs are also available including softball, soccer, skiing, hockey, figure skating, swimming, football, golfing, and others. In addition, the communities support many youth programs and activities like Scouts, dance, and music.

Despite the large volume of activities available, the 2002 Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors survey in Marquette and Alger Counties reported 38% of the youth were not involved in youth programs. In addition, 17% of the youth had less than 10 of the 40 Developmental Assets that youth need to grow up healthy, and 35% of youth had used alcohol in the last 30 days.

Snow

From ice sculptures to sled dog races and snowmobiles to skis, the winter months offer an abundance of outdoor recreation. The many cross-country and downhill ski runs, and hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails help bring visitors to the area. Marquette and Alger Counties average about 180 inches of snow annually, and Marquette County set a local record of over 319.8 inches in the winter of 2002. Alger County is often referred to as the "Snow Capital of the Midwest."

Marquette County

In 2003, Marquette County was selected as one of 10 "All-America Cities"— a national level award based on civic excellence, grassroots citizen involvement, and cross-sector collaborative problem-solving.

Marquette County, population 64,383 (2000 Census), is the second largest geographic county east of the Mississippi River. It has over 1,873 square miles and is rural in nature (35.5 people per square mile). Named to honor the explorer and Jesuit priest, Father Jacques Marquette, the County was established in 1848. Approximately 20% of the County's residents are under 18 years old.

The city of Marquette (population 20,714) is the county seat and the largest community in the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is home to Northern Michigan University, the first university in the U.S. to require each of its 9,600 students to use a laptop computer. The University employs approximately 1,100 faculty and staff. NMU is also home to the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) where athletes can both train for the Olympics and pursue their college education. The USOEC houses its resident athlete programs for boxing, biathlon, luge, cross country skiing, and short track speed skating at NMU.

Adjacent to NMU is a 352-bed teaching and medical facility, Marquette General Hospital. Marquette General Health System is the region's largest health care service provider offering care in 55 specialty and subspecialty areas. Marquette General Hospital serves as the region's medical center with its team of 200 doctors and 2,900 medical professionals caring for 12,000 inpatients and 420,000 outpatients a year.

Iron ore is mined in west Marquette County by Cliffs Michigan Mining Company and employs approximately 1,500 workers. The retail and service sectors employ thousands of additional people.

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum and the National Ski Hall of Fame are also located in Marquette County.

Alger County

Alger County is home to America's first national shoreline, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It is a favorite location for bird watchers and nature lovers. These most impressive outcroppings are 200 feet high and stretch for 15 majestic Lake Superior miles. Pictured Rocks is named for images that appear on its multicolor sandstone cliffs that date back 500 million years.

Founded in 1885, Alger County offers many scenic wonders and recreational activities including hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and kayaking. Most of the County's 918 square miles are included in the Hiawatha National Forest. According to the U.S. 2000 Census, Alger County is home to 9,862 residents (10.7 people per square mile), and 20.5% are under 18 years old.

Munising, population 2,539 (U.S. Census 2000), is the largest community in Alger County. Major employers include Alger Maximum Security Prison with just over 300 guards and administrative personnel and Kimberly Clark Paper Mill with about 450 workers (Source: Harris Publishing Company, 1998 Industrial Directory). Additionally, about 230 people work in the timber industry. Tourism, manufacturing, health care, and education also provide employment opportunities.

County Populations Estimates: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2002. Released April 17, 2003 by the U.S. Census Bureau Federal and State Cooperative Program for Population Estimates.

Copyright©2003 by the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development except where noted
Contact Judy Watson-Olson or Karen Thompson at (906)228-8919 with questions/comments
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This page was last updated on Thursday, November 20th, 2008