Alger County, Michigan

Alger County was detached from Schoolcraft County, set off and organized in 1885.The county was named for lumber baron Russell Alexander Alger, who was elected as a Michigan Governor, and US Senator, and appointed as US Secretary of War during the William McKinley Presidential administration.^[1] See also, List of Michigan county name etymologies, List of Michigan counties, and List of abolished U.S. counties.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,048 square miles (13,070 km²), of which 915 square miles (2,370 km²) is land and 4,133 square miles (10,700 km²) (82%) is water.^[4] It is the second-largest county in Michigan by total area, mainly because of Lake Superior on the north side of the county.

By land

• Luce County – east
• Schoolcraft County – southeast
• Delta County – south
• Marquette County – west

By water

• Thunder Bay District, Ontario – north

• Grand Island National Recreation Area
• Hiawatha National Forest (part)
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The 2010 United States census indicates Alger County had a population of 9,601.^[10] The racial makeup of the county was 86.3% White, 6.4% Black or African American, 4.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% of some other race and 2.7% of two or more races; of them 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Regarding specific ethnicities, 15.7% of the population was of German heritage, 13.5% Finnish, 12.6% French, French Canadian or Cajun, 9.3% English, 7.3% Polish, 6.9% Irish and 5.3% American ancestry.^[11] In 2020, the county had a population of 8,842.^[2]

In 2010, there were 3,898 households, out of which 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.74. In the county, the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. The population was 54.4% male and 45.6% female.

In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $38,231, and the median income for a family was $46,154. The per capita income for the county was $19,858. About 9.3% of people in families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. The 2021 census estimates showed the county had a median household income of $48,822.^[2]

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other 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.

Alger County was reliably Republican from the beginning through 1928. Since then it has voted for the Democratic nominee 65% (15 of 23) of the time.

• Munising (county seat)

• Chatham

• Grand Marais

• Alger County contains two very small portions of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians tribal community, which is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie in Chippewa County. One portion is in the northeastern corner of Au Train Township, and another slightly larger portion is about two miles south of Munising in Munising Township.^[13]

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

• Alger County Online
• Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development & Alger County Chamber
  • County Profile, Sam M Cohodas Regional Economist, Tawni Hunt Ferrarini, Ph.D.
• National Association of Counties - Alger County, MI
• Alger County Sheriff's Office
• US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 26-12
• "Bibliography on Alger County". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University. Retrieved July 2, 2013.

47°10′N 86°29′W / 47.16°N 86.48°W / 47.16; -86.48