Houghton Lake, Michigan

Houghton Lake (; ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,294 during the 2020 census, making it the largest unincorporated community in Northern Michigan. The CDP is located within Denton, Lake, and Roscommon townships.

The community of Houghton Lake is named after and situated upon Houghton Lake, the largest inland lake in Michigan. It includes the unincorporated community of Houghton Lake Heights. The CDP of Prudenville is immediately east of Houghton Lake. M-55 is the primary thoroughfare serving the community, running east–west.

History

The area around Houghton Lake has been occupied for thousands of years and is within Odawa and Ojibwe homelands. In the Treaty of Washington of 1836, the Odawa and Ojibwe ceded nearly 16 million acres of their land to the United States in the eastern Upper Peninsula and northwest Lower Peninsula. The following year, Michigan gained statehood, and the area became part of Midland County. The lake was first recorded as Red Lake by surveyor John Brink in 1838. During an 1852 resurvey of the county, the lake was renamed to Houghton Lake, in honor of Michigan's first state geologist, Douglass Houghton.

The lumber industry declined in the early 1900s, leading to the repurposing of railways that were previously used for the transportation of lumber. They were now designated as passenger lines, taking outdoorsmen to fish, hunt, and experience the beauty of the "north country." The Houghton Lake fishery became renowned and attracted visitors.

By the mid-1900s, Houghton Lake had gained a reputation as a desirable resort area. Today, thousands of seasonal cottages, year-round homes, and businesses line the lake. Houghton Lake remains a popular vacation spot in Michigan, attracting thousands of visitors to its shores each year.

In 1927, the "Johnson Dance Hall," presently known as "The Playhouse," was erected and served for many years as the entertainment center for the area. The Playhouse and the surrounding property are now home to The Houghton Lake Historical Society, as well as the yearly event "Historic Village Days."

The town was struck by a windstorm on June 11, 1932, which killed four people. During a snowstorm that caused reduced visibility, two married couples died when they drove their cars into the frozen lake on New Year's Day, 1957. The Limberlost Hotel, situated on the shore of Houghton Lake, was destroyed by a fire in 1968 causing one injury but no deaths. Two men drowned in a snowmobile accident during a carnival on the frozen lake in 1980.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and (13.17%) are water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Houghton Lake had a population of 5,294. The population density was . The median age was 54.1 years. 15.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 30.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

80.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 19.8% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,524 households in Houghton Lake, of which 18.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.1% were married-couple households, 23.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Greyhound Lines provides daily bus service to the Greyhound network from Houghton Lake.

Major highways

runs north to south, west of Houghton Lake. The highway begins at I-75 south of Grayling and runs into central and southern Michigan via the cities of Mt. Pleasant, Lansing, and Jackson, before entering Ohio.
runs east and west through Houghton Lake. The highway begins near Lake Michigan in Manistee and runs east through Cadillac and Lake City before reaching Houghton Lake. The highway continues eastward through nearby Prudenville and into West Branch before ending near Lake Huron in Tawas City.

Airport

20px Houghton Lake State Airport is located in the northwest corner of Houghton Lake near the intersection of M-55 and Old U.S. Highway 27.

Public transit

Roscommon County Transportation Authority provides bus service anywhere in Roscommon County door-to-door for a maximum fee of $3.00 per ride, one-way, and as low as $.75 each way for students and senior citizens.

Local Activities and Attractions

Houghton Lake, situated in Michigan, includes beaches such as Heights Park Beach on Hubbard Street and Sullivan Beach on Park Street. The area has various resorts and accommodations for visitors.

The region offers numerous nature-related activities. The Ausable Birding Trail, which hosts species like Kirtland's warblers and bald eagles, provides opportunities for birdwatching.

Houghton Lake also supports outdoor activities such as kayaking, ORV trails, and fishing, attracting outdoor enthusiasts.

Tip Up Town USA

Houghton Lake hosts Tip Up Town USA, Michigan's longest-running and largest winter festival. Held throughout January, Tip Up Town includes a variety of events such as an opening assembly, the Polar Bear Plunge, fundraising auctions, and contests for honorary titles. The festival culminates on the fourth weekend of January with a parade and winter carnival, which feature ice fishing, contests, carnival rides, and snowmobile races.

Fishing

Houghton Lake, covering 22,000 acres, is Michigan's largest inland lake. It is often referred to as a "Fish Factory" due to its rich fish habitat. The lake is relatively shallow, with a maximum depth of 24 feet, and features extensive weed bed cover, providing an ideal environment for fish. There are seven public access sites on the lake, and a supporting commercial infrastructure, including bait and tackle shops, marinas, and boat dealerships, has developed around the recreational fishing industry.

Golf

There are three golf courses in Houghton Lake. They are:

Pine View Highlands, which has won several awards, including “One Of The Gems Of The North” by The Detroit News, “One Of The Top Picks Of Michigan Courses” by AAA Michigan Living Magazine, and “#1 People’s Choice Award” by Roscommon County
The Quest Golf Club is a championship course designed by PGA professional Ken Green.
White Deer Country Club

Historic Village Museum

The Houghton Lake Historic Village Museum features a recreated village containing 14 historical buildings that have been restored or rebuilt to reflect life during the logging era of the late 1800s. Artifacts from this period of northern Michigan's history are housed in a circa 1876 hand-hewn log schoolhouse. The village museum also includes a chapel, town hall, various businesses, and two homes.