Oscoda County, Michigan

History

The county was established on April 1, 1840, by act of the Michigan State legislature. However, its governing structure was not completed until 1881. He served as the US Indian agent and was also a geographer, surveying and naming newly established counties and towns.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 572 sqmi, of which 566 sqmi is land and 5.9 sqmi (1.0%) is water. Oscoda County is part of Northern Michigan.

Geographic features

• Mio is situated in the Au Sable River Valley.
• The county is surrounded by the Huron National Forest and the Rifle River State Recreation Area.
• The county is part of the Au Sable State Forest, specifically the Grayling Fire Management Unit, which consists of Alcona, Crawford, Oscoda, and northern Iosco counties.
• Much of the area sits on the "Grayling outwash plain", a unique habitat.
• The Oscoda County Park offers a good vantage point. Glaciers shaped the area, creating a unique regional ecosystem. Much of the area is the Grayling outwash plain, a broad outwash plain including sandy ice-disintegration ridges, jack pine barrens, white pine-red pine forest, and northern hardwood forest. Large lakes were created by glacial action.

Major highways

• – runs north–south through the central part of the county. Passes Fairview and Mio.
• – enters west end of county near its central part. Runs east to intersection with M-33 at Mio. Passes Luzerne. It is one of three true cross peninsular highways.
• – runs east from Mio into Alcona County. Passes McKinley.

Adjacent counties

• Montmorency County - north
• Alpena County - northeast
• Alcona County - east
• Iosco County - southeast
• Ogemaw County - south
• Roscommon County - southwest
• Crawford County - west
• Otsego County - northwest

National protected area

• Huron National Forest (part)

Communities

Civil townships

• Big Creek Township
• Clinton Township
• Comins Township
• Elmer Township
• Greenwood Township
• Mentor Township

Census-designated place

• Mio (county seat)

Other unincorporated communities

• Biggs Settlement
• Comins
• Fairview
• Kneeland
• Luzerne
• McKinley
• Red Oak

Ghost towns

• Dew
• Hardy
• Indian Lake
• Mack City
• McCollum
• Odessa
• Royce
• Ryno
• Spoor
• Tyrell
• Wood

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,219. The median age was 53.8 years, with 18.1% of residents under the age of 18 and 29.7% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian,

There were 3,732 households in the county, of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.2% were married-couple households, 23.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 7,649 housing units, of which 51.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 84.0% were owner-occupied and 16.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.1%.

2000 census

At the 2000 United States census, 9,418 people, 3,921 households, and 2,717 families resided in the county. The population density was 17 /mi2. There were 8,690 housing units at an average density of 15 /mi2.

In 2000, the county's racial makeup was 97.82% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 30.2% were of German, 12.8% American, 9.6% English, 8.1% Polish, 6.8% French and 6.7% Irish ancestry. 94.1% spoke English, 2.8% German and 1.5% Pennsylvania Dutch as their first language.

In 2000, there were 3,921 households, out of which 25.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.85. The county population contained 23.30% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 28.00% from 45 to 64, and 20.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $28,228, and the median income for a family was $32,225. Males had a median income of $30,013 versus $20,202 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,697. About 10.30% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Oscoda County has been reliably Republican since its organization. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 86% (31 of 36) of the national elections through 2024.

Oscoda County operates the county 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 – Kristi Mcgregor
• Sheriff – Kevin R. Grace
• County Clerk/Register of Deeds – Ann Galbraith
• County Treasurer – William Kendall
• Commissioner Dist. 1 – Chuck Varner (Chairman)
• Commissioner Dist. 2 – Tom McCauley
• Commissioner Dist. 3 – Jackie Bondar
• Commissioner Dist. 4 – Ted Handrich
• Commissioner Dist. 5 – Libby Marsh current as of January 2022

Recreation

The AuSable River, near Mio, provides opportunity for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, or tubing. The M-33 access north of Mio has a launch area and public facilities. A second launch area is at the Mio Dam Pond.

Oscoda County offers snowmobile trails, ATV trails, hiking trails, and cross country skiing trails. Snowmobile and ATV trails are located throughout Luzerne, McKinley, and Mio. There is a scramble area at Bull Gap in the Huron National Forest. The Loud Creek Trail offers 7 different routes with varying difficulty levels. The trail's total distance is 10 kilometers.

In Fairview, there is a horseback riding ranch and a golf course. Karefree Ranch Boarding Stables offers guided horseback rides in Huron National Forest. The Fairview Hills Golf Club is a 9-hole golf course on M-33.

References

References

1. "Bibliography on Oscoda County". [[Clarke Historical Library]], [[Central Michigan University]].
2. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. George Dawson. (1840). "Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840".
5. The name is a [[Henry Rowe Schoolcraft]] [[neologism]], thought to be a combination of two [[Ojibwa]] words, "ossin" (stone) and "muskoda" (prairie) – hence 'pebbly prairie.'[http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_20826_20829-54126--,00.html Michigan History, Arts and Libraries on sources of County names.]
6. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau.
7. "NPWRC :: Regional Landscape".
8. [http://www.theenchantedforest.com/oscodacountypark/ Oscoda County Park (accessed 17 October 2007)]
9. [http://www.michiganhighways.org/listings/MichHwys70-79.html History of Michigan highways].
10. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oscoda+County,+MI/@44.6820054,-84.2694624,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x4d34cfd94d1f46f3:0xe0fe514ba963293d!8m2!3d44.6278903!4d-84.1857115 ''Oscoda County MI'' Google Maps (accessed 17 September 2018)]
11. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau.
12. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau.
15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". US Census Bureau.
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
18. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
19. [http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS US Election Atlas]
20. [http://www.eyeonmichigan.com/guides/mio/ Eye on Michigan ''Mio'']