Escanaba

Escanaba (/ˌ ɛ s k ə ˈ n ɑː b ə / ES -kə-NAH -bə), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. It is the seat of government of Delta County.[6]

There is also Escanaba Township, which is north of the city and is not adjacent to it, although a portion of the urban area around the city extends into the township. Both are named for the Escanaba River, which flows into the Little Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan just north of the city. The names are derived from the Ojibwa language.[7][8]

Escanaba was the name of an Ojibwa village in this area in the early 19th century.[9] The Ojibwa are one of the Anishinaabe, Algonquian-speaking tribes who settled and flourished around the Great Lakes. The word "Escanaba" roughly translates from Ojibwe and other regional Algonquian languages to "land of the red buck", although some people maintain that it refers to "flat rock".

As a European-American settlement, Escanaba was founded in 1863 as a port town by surveyor Eli P. Royce. Early industry was the processing and harvesting of lumber, dominated in this area by Daniel Wells Jr., Jefferson Sinclair, and Nelson Ludington. Ludington later moved his headquarters to Chicago, where he also entered banking. I. Stephenson established a successor lumber company in the area and also became a capitalist.

Before the war, iron ore was being mined from the Marquette Range, which shipped out on barges from Escanaba.[10] By the time of the American Civil War, this port was important to the Union as a shipping point for these ores, in addition to lumber.[11] The Menominee Range and Gogebic Range of Michigan became important for iron ore after the war, in the 1880s.[12] Michigan still produces about 25% of the iron ore nationally.[13] Initially lumber was still integral to shipbuilding, and supported the construction of houses in cities throughout the developing Midwest. Iron ore supported industrialization, and became part of steel and other industries in the Midwest.[11] As shipping increased, a lighthouse was needed to warn of a sand shoals in Little Bay de Noc, which extended from Sand Point, a sandspit located just south of and adjacent to the harbor area.[14] The United States Lighthouse Service approved construction of the Sand Point Lighthouse at a cost of $11,000.[15] Construction began in the fall of 1867 and was completed in early spring 1868.[15]

Until 2017, Escanaba continued to be an important shipping point for iron ore to other Great Lakes ports, especially south to Chicago and northern Indiana.[10][11][8] The local paper mill, for many years owned by Mead Corporation's Publishing Paper Division, is currently operated by Verso Corporation.[16] Located on the outskirts of the city alongside the Escanaba River, it is now Escanaba's largest employer.[17]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.50 square miles (42.73 km2), of which 12.88 square miles (33.36 km2) is land and 3.62 square miles (9.38 km2) is water.[18][19]

This climatic region is classified as humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb", according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification.[20] It is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Escanaba is described as being in the banana belt of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. While most of the peninsula is affected by significant lake-effect snow, Escanaba's winter climate is much milder due to its location on the leeward Lake Michigan shoreline.

Winter weather displayed near Ludington Park in Escanaba.

A sunset during the summer, as seen from Water Plant Road.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 12,616 people, 5,622 households, and 3,090 families residing in the city. The population density was 979.5 inhabitants per square mile (378.2/km2). There were 6,178 housing units at an average density of 479.7 per square mile (185.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.5% White, 0.4% African American, 2.6% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 5,622 households, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.0% were non-families. Of all households 38.2% were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 13,140 people, 5,800 households, and 3,294 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,038.3 inhabitants per square mile (400.7/km2). There were 6,258 housing units at an average density of 494.5 per square mile (190.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.66% White, 0.11% African American, 2.61% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population. 17.0% were of German, 16.5% French, 11.4% French Canadian, 8.8% Swedish, 6.4% Irish and 5.2% English ancestry, according to Census 2000.

There were 5,800 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. Of all households 37.0% were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,125, and the median income for a family was $36,995. Males had a median income of $32,310 versus $21,204 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,589. About 10.8% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Although the Upper Peninsula is part of the state of Michigan, Escanaba and the western Upper Peninsula sometimes have closer cultural ties to the state of Wisconsin.[citation needed ]

Pasties are a significant tourist attraction.[24] Many ethnic groups adopted the pasty for use in the Copper Country copper mines; the Finnish immigrants within the region mistook it for the traditional piiraat and kuuko pastries.[25][26] The pasty has become strongly associated with all cultures in this area.[27]

Escanaba is home to the William Bonifas Fine Arts Center, The Waterfront Art Festival, The Players de Noc, The Bay de Noc Choral Society, the Escanaba City Band, and many smaller arts organizations, art galleries, and musical performing groups.[28][29][30][31]

Escanaba is located in US Congressional District 1 represented by Jack Bergman (R-2017). The City is in Michigan's 108th State House District and 38th State Senate District, represented by Beau LaFave (R-2017) and Ed McBroom (R-2019), respectively.

As the most populous area in Delta County, Escanaba's four precincts span three of Delta County's five Districts:

Precinct 3

The Escanaba City Council consists of five council members who are elected to four-year terms. A Mayor, and a Mayor Pro-Tem are selected by the council members at the first regular meeting following the election. [39]

Three of the five seats were open in the 2022 election cycle. Council Member Peggy O'Connell did not seek re-election, and Mayor Tall and Council Member Blasier were incumbents running for re-election. Both incumbents received the lowest vote totals of the six candidates running for the seats. [40]

* Incumbent

Escanaba established its own Department of Public Safety in 1975, which provides police and firefighting services to city residents.

Director of Public Safety: Robert LaMarche

Escanaba is also home to the Delta County Sheriff's Office, which employs ten deputies assigned to road and marine patrol. Additionally, the city is home to the newly constructed $17.9 million Correctional Facility with a capacity for 160 inmates.

Sheriff: Edward Oswald

The Delta County Sheriff's Office participates in the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET) as part of a multi-agency operation to arrest criminals engaged in the use, sale, and distribution of drugs throughout Michigan's Upper Peninsula.[41]

The Delta County Courthouse serves all of Delta County. The courthouse includes the 47th Circuit Court, the 94th District Court, and Probate Court.[42]

In 2003, the school board opted to completely renovate the historic 1930's junior high school, rather than move it outside of town.[43][44] Escanaba Area Public Schools operate the public schools in Escanaba, which includes various elementary schools, the middle school, and the high school. There is also a private school, Holy Name Catholic School, which teaches pre-school children all the way up to eighth grade. Bay College, a public 2-year college, was founded in the city in 1962.[45] It offers various two year degrees and certificate programs ranging from welding, public safety, business, nursing, among others.

Local radio stations include KMB Broadcasting's WDBC 680 AM (adult standards) and WYKX 104.7 FM (country music), Lakes Radio's WCHT 600 AM (news/talk), WGLQ 97.1 FM (adult top 40), WCMM 102.5 FM (country), and WGKL 105.5 FM (oldies), and standalone WUPF 107.3 FM (classic hits). Escanaba is also served by low-power translator stations of WNMU translator W296AX from Marquette, MI (at 96.5 FM), WRPP translator W254AG from Sturgeon Bay, WI (at 98.7 FM), and WHWL translator W261AI from Marquette, MI (at 100.1 FM). WJMN-TV, the local television station on channel 3, is mostly a satellite of WFRV in Green Bay and carries CBS programming. Radio and television signals originating from Door County, WI across the bay are also generally easily received in the Escanaba area as well.[citation needed ]

Escanaba's Harbor Tower, an 18-story apartment building, is the tallest building in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.[46]

The Escanaba area has been serviced by several railroads. The former Chicago & Northwestern Railroad connected Green Bay to their main system around the same time that they built their mainline to Escanaba. The CMSP&P otherwise known as the Milwaukee Road connected Escanaba to their system shortly thereafter. In 1898, the Escanaba & Lake Superior owned by Issac Stephenson constructed a line from its connection to the Milwaukee Road. Both the C&NW and the CMSP&P ran passenger service to the Escanaba area as well. The C&NW also connected to the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range railroad in Escanaba. The C&NW would acquire the CMSP&P's trackage in Escanaba and Wells. With the creation of the Wisconsin Central railroad, Most of the lines in Escanaba were unified in a single operation with the exception of the DMIR and the E&LS. In 2004, when CN controlled the WC, the DMIR sold to Canadian National. As of April 2021, just the E&LS and CN remain. CN owns the last two yards in Escanaba, being the Gladstone Yard, and the Escanaba Ore Docks.

Harbor Tower, the Upper Peninsula's tallest building

The Sand Point Lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Surveyor Eli P. Royce founded the city of Escanaba

Aerial view of Escanaba's Ludington Park

Ore freighter Arthur M. Anderson departing the Escanaba harbor