Elk Rapids is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is the largest incorporated community in Antrim County, with a population of 1,529 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Elk Rapids Township, in the southwest of Antrim County, and is on the shore of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan. Elk Rapids is located about southwest of Bellaire, the county seat, and about northeast of Traverse City, the largest city in Northern Michigan.

History

The first settler in the Elk Rapids area was Abram S. Wadsworth, from Connecticut. Wadsworth platted the area in 1852, calling it Stevens. A post office opened in 1854. In 1858, Wadsworth renamed the area to Elk Rapids, after finding a pair of elk antlers near the mouth of the later-named Elk River. In 1863, Antrim County was organized, and Elk Rapids was made the county seat. However, the seat was moved to the more centrally located Bellaire in 1879. In 1892, Elk Rapids became a station on a spur of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. The town was incorporated as a village in 1900.

The village of Elk Rapids is located on an isthmus. To the east of the village is Elk Lake, the 15th-largest inland lake in Michigan and the lowest member of the Elk River Chain of Lakes. To the west of the village is the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, a large bay of Lake Michigan. The Elk River bisects the village, flowing northwesterly from Elk Lake to Grand Traverse Bay.

Elk Rapids lies about north of the Grand Traverse County line.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Elk Rapids has a humid continental climate, labelled Dfb on climate maps. This climatic region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Elk Rapids had a population of 1,529. The median age was 57.8 years. 13.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 36.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 83.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82.9 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 728 households in Elk Rapids, of which 14.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.1% were married-couple households, 16.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 1,642 people, 791 households, and 478 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 1,179 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 96.6% White, 0.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 791 households, of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.63.

The median age in the village was 52.4 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.9% were from 45 to 64; and 28.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census The district operates Lakeland Elementary School, Cherryland Middle School, and Elk Rapids High School within village limits, as well as Mill Creek Elementary School in the nearby community of Williamsburg, in Grand Traverse County.

Major highways

  • runs north–south through Elk Rapids, east of the central business district. US 31 parallels the shore of Lake Michigan, and can be used to access the nearby cities of Charlevoix and Traverse City.

Images

<gallery>

File:Elk Rapids Michigan Post Office.jpg|Post office

File:Elk Rapids Michigan Sign Looking North.jpg|Looking north at the city sign

File:Elk Rapids Michigan Welcome Sign2.jpg|City welcome sign

File:Elk Rapids Michigan Looking North US31.jpg|Looking north on US 31

File:Elk Rapids Michigan Sign US31.jpg|Sign on US 31

File:Downtown Elk Rapids on River Street.JPG|Downtown Elk Rapids on River Street

File:The Island House (Elk Rapids, MI).jpg|The Island House

File:Elk Rapids Township Hall-Elk Rapids.jpg|Elk Rapids Township Hall

File:Hughes House-Elk Rapids.jpg|Hughes House

File:Elk Rapids River from US31.jpg|Elk River from US 31

File:Elk River.jpg|The Elk River

File:Elk Rapids Michigan Welcome Sign.jpg|Welcome sign along US 31

</gallery>

References

  • Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall Association
  • Village of Elk Rapids, MI
  • Township of Elk Rapids, MI
  • Elk Rapids Public Schools
  • The Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce