Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula

GOGEBIC COUNTY FACTS & COMMUNITY PROFILE

GOGEBIC derived from the Chippewa Indian word “Agogebic” popular translation is “Where trout rising make rings upon the water”. Other translation is “a body of water hanging on high.” 

IRONWOOD named after James Wood, discoverer of the Norrie mine. His nickname was “Iron."  He is buried in Appleton, Wisconsin. 

GOGEBIC COUNTY STATISTICS
Land Area of the County: 711,680 acres (1,112 sq. miles)

Inland Water Area: 21,760 acres (34 sq. miles)

Total Area of County: 733,440 (1,146 sq miles)

Number of Named Lakes: 315

Number of Lakes ¼ acre or more: 1,153

Miles of Rivers & Streams: 1200

Number of Named Waterfalls: 32

Miles of Lake Superior Shoreline: 30

Period of Iron Ore Era: (1884-1967) 83 years

LOCATION
Most western end of Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Almost directly north of Davenport, Iowa and as far west as St. Louis, Missouri.   Most remote of the eighty-three counties in Michigan from the State Capitol at Lansing.  Ironwood is 5 miles from Bessemer which is the county seat. 

CLIMATE
Gogebic County enjoys a moderate climate with four distinct seasons.  Long periods of extreme heat or cold are rare. 

Average Annual Rainfall:
Average Annual Snowfall:
Average temperature, summer:
Average temperature, winter:
30 Year Mean Annual Temperature

www.ironwoodmi.org for monthly average temperatures

GOGEBIC COUNTY LAND AREA IN SQUARE MILES (1107 miles)

GOGEBIC COUNTY TOTAL POPULATION 17,370
Median household income $ 27,405
Labor Force 7,407  Employment 6,713 Unemployment 694

TRANSPORTATION
Highway:  US Hwy 2, Hwy 51
Air: Gogebic Iron County Airport

MEDICAL SERVICES
Grand View Health System   ___ Beds
Dentists: ___
Optometrist: ___
Nursing Home Care ____
Hospice ____
VA ___

LIBRARY
Carnegie Public Library

RELIGIOUS FACILITIES
Protestant
Catholic
Other

UTILITIES

COMMUNICATIONS
Television
Charter Communications provides digital cable service and high speed cable internet access

Newspapers
Ironwood Daily Globe 
Hurley Times (Weekly)
Wakefield News (Weekly)

Radio
WUPM/WHRY                      
WJMS/WIMI 

Cell Phones
Ameritech
Century Tel
Cellular One

TECHNOLOGY
Computer – Service, Networking and Repair
Silverleaf  Incorporated 906-932-7394
The Computer Doctors 906-932-0800
UP Computer Solutions 906-932-

Internet Service Providers
Portup/MyVine (56K Dial Up)
Baysat (56K Dial Up)
UP.net (56K Dial Up)
Charter Communications (High Speed Cable0

ANIMAL CONTROL
Gogebic County Sheriff’s Dept

MUNICIPAL COURT

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

ASSESSED VALUATION (AV)
2005 Assessed Valuation - $  ____ 
Property Tax Per $ 1000 of AV:
City of Ironwood
Ironwood Township
Local property assessed on a base of 50% of true value

STATE SALES TAX
6% on all sales with retail food products exempt

EDUCATION
Gogebic Community College (2 year)
Luther L Wright High School

OTHER GOVERNMENTAL UNIT SERVICES
Public Transit
Public Health
Public Housing
Ironwood Public Housing Authority

LAND USE
Residential
Single % ____
Duplex % ____
Multi family ____
Mobile Home Parks ____

Other Land Use
Manufacturing/Industrial % ___
Commercial % ____
Recreational% ____
Transportation/Utilities%___

POPULATION DENSITY
17,329 people (2003 Census Estimate)  in Gogebic County in 1,146 square miles and 7,425 households with the average density of 15.11 people per square mile and 9.43 houses per square mile.  There are 7425 households with an average of 2.2 persons per household.  There are 10,811 housing units (vacancy for vacation/recreational properties)

RACIAL MAKEUP
White 94.2%
Black or African American 1.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native 2.2%
Asian Persons .02%

AGE DISTRIBUTION
Median Age: _____
Total between ages 18 and 65: ___

BUSINESS LICENSE
All City of Ironwood businesses must have a business license to operate in the city.  Licenses are available at the City Clerk’s Office.  For information call 906-932-5050 or visit the city website at www.cityofironwood.org