Presque Isle County ( ) is a county in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. State of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,982. The county seat is Rogers City. The county was authorized by State legislation on April 1, 1840, but the county government was not established until 1871. The government was reorganized in 1875.

Today the world's largest limestone processing plant is in Rogers City, which is also a major Great Lakes port. This is the best natural harbor on Lake Huron between Port Huron and Mackinaw City.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (74%) is water. Although Presque Isle County is on Michigan's Lower Peninsula, it is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

Geographic features

  • Ocqueoc Falls
  • Sacred Rock

Lakes

  • Grand Lake (Presque Isle, Michigan)
  • Black Lake
  • Rainy Lake

Adjacent counties

By land

  • Alpena County (southeast)
  • Montmorency County (southwest)
  • Cheboygan County (west)

By water

  • Mackinac County (northwest)
  • Chippewa County (north)
  • Manitoulin District, Ontario, Canada (east)

Communities

thumb|right|500px|[[United States Census|U.S. Census data map showing local municipal boundaries within Presque Isle County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.]]

Cities

  • Onaway
  • Rogers City (county seat)

Villages

  • Millersburg
  • Posen

Civil townships

  • Allis Township
  • Bearinger Township
  • Belknap Township
  • Bismarck Township
  • Case Township
  • Krakow Township
  • Metz Township
  • Moltke Township
  • North Allis Township
  • Ocqueoc Township
  • Posen Township
  • Presque Isle Township
  • Pulawski Township
  • Rogers Township

Census-designated place

  • Presque Isle Harbor

Other unincorporated communities

  • Hawks
  • Leroy
  • Liske
  • Manitou Beach
  • Metz

Demographics

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The county government operates the 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.

Elected officials

  • Prosecuting Attorney: Kenneth A. Radzibon
  • Sheriff: Joseph Brewbaker
  • County Clerk: Ann Marie Main
  • County Treasurer: Bridget LaLonde
  • Register of Deeds: Vicky Kowalewsky
  • Drain Commissioner: Robert G. Macomber
  • County Surveyor: Norman J. Quaine Jr.

<small>as of June 2021</small>

Historical markers

There are ten recognized Michigan historical markers in the county:

  • Bearinger Union School
  • Burnham's Landing
  • Elowsky Mill
  • Forty Mile Point Lighthouse / Graveyard of Ships
  • Lake Huron
  • The Metz Fire
  • Old Presque Isle Lighthouse
  • Presque Isle Electric Cooperative Monument
  • Presque Isle Light Station
  • World's Largest Limestone Quarry

Media

Newspapers

  • The Alpena News is the daily newspaper of record for much of the northeastern Lower Peninsula.
  • The Presque Isle County Advance is the weekly newspaper of Presque Isle County.

Television

The following television stations broadcast in Presque Isle County:

  • Channel 4: WTOM-TV "TV 7&4" (NBC) (Cheboygan; satellite of WPBN-TV, Traverse City)
  • Channel 6: WCML "CMU Public Television" (PBS) (Alpena; satellite of WCMU-TV, Mount Pleasant)
  • Channel 8: WGTQ "ABC 29&8" (ABC) (Sault Ste. Marie; satellite of WGTU, Traverse City)
  • Channel 10: WWUP-TV "9&10 News" (CBS) (Sault Ste. Marie; satellite of WWTV, Cadillac)
  • Channel 11: WBKB-TV "Channel 11 News" (CBS) (Alpena)
  • Channel 45: WFUP "Fox 32" (Fox) (Vanderbilt; satellite of WFQX-TV Cadillac).

Radio

The following radio stations can be heard in Rogers City

;FM

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

|-

! Call Sign

! Frequency

! City Broadcast From

|-

| WPHN

| 90.5

| Gaylord

|-

|WCML

| 91.7

| Alpena

|-

| WFDX

| 92.5

|Atlanta

|-

| WKJZ

| 94.9

| Hillman

|-

| WRZG

| 96.7

| Rogers City

|-

| WHAK-FM

| 99.9

| Rogers City

|-

| WWMK

| 106.3

| Onaway

|-

| WHSB

| 107.7

| Alpena

|}

;AM

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

|-

! Call Sign

! Frequency

! City Broadcast From

|-

| WTCM

| 580

| Traverse City

|-

| WHAK

| 960

| Rogers City

|}

;NOAA Weather Radio

NOAA Weather Radio can be heard on 162.550&nbsp;MHz (Call Sign KIG83, Alpena)

Transportation

thumb|right|Steamer "Pastime" en route to Presque Isle

Air

There is one county-owned airport in Presque Isle County, providing access to general aviation:

  • Presque Isle County Airport – located SW of Rogers City

The nearest commercial airline airports are Alpena County Regional Airport near Alpena, and Cherry Capital Airport near (Traverse City).

Major highways

See also

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

Footnotes

References

  • Presque Isle County website Presque Isle County website
  • Enchanted forest Enchanted forest, Northern Michigan source for information, calendars etc.