Baraga County ( ) is a county in the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,158, making it Michigan's fifth-least populous county. The county seat is L'Anse. The county is named after Bishop Frederic Baraga, a Catholic missionary who ministered to the Ojibwa Indians in the Michigan Territory.

The county is located in the state's Upper Peninsula on the shore of Lake Superior, at the southeast base of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The villages of Baraga and L'Anse are located at the base of Lake Superior's Keweenaw Bay. Point Abbaye projects north into the lake, enclosing Huron Bay. The eastern two-thirds of the county includes much of the Huron Mountains, including Mount Arvon—the highest natural point in Michigan at .

Major highways

  • : runs north–south through the upper central part of county. The highway enters at the northeast corner of the county on the west shore of Keweenaw Bay and runs south along the shoreline to Baraga and L'Anse, then turns inland (south) past Alberta, then east through Nestoria and Three Lakes. It exits into Marquette County at Imperial Heights.
  • : runs south from its intersection with US-41 south of Alberta into Iron County.
  • : enters the west side of the county then runs east and east-northeast to the intersection with US-141 at Covington.
  • : runs east–west through the northwest corner of county. It enters from Alston in Houghton County, then runs east to intersection with US-41 at Baraga.

Adjacent counties

  • Marquette County (east)
  • Iron County (south)
  • Houghton County (west)

National protected areas

  • Keweenaw National Historical Park (part)
  • Ottawa National Forest (part)

Communities

thumb|right|[[United States Census|U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Baraga County.]]

Villages

  • Baraga
  • L'Anse (county seat)

Civil townships

  • Arvon Township
  • Baraga Township
  • Covington Township
  • L'Anse Township
  • Spurr Township

Census-designated places

  • Covington
  • Pelkie
  • Skanee
  • Three Lakes
  • Zeba

Other unincorporated communities

  • Alberta
  • Arnheim
  • Assinins
  • Aura
  • Bear Town
  • Bovine
  • Glovers Corner
  • Herman
  • Imperial Heights
  • Keweenaw Bay
  • McComb Corner
  • Nestoria
  • Pequaming
  • Tioga
  • Tunis
  • Vermilac
  • Watton

Indian reservations

  • The L'Anse Indian Reservation occupies two sections of Baraga County within portions of Baraga, L'Anse, and Arvon townships. The reservation also has very small portion in Chocolay Charter Township in neighboring Marquette County to the east.

Demographics

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Baraga County operates the county jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

See also

  • List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Baraga County, Michigan
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Baraga County, Michigan

References

  • Baraga County Government website
  • Baraga County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D.
  • Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region