Chippewa County

Chippewa County is a county in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and is the second-largest county by land area in the state. Located along the eastern edge of the Upper Peninsula, the county borders Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and the St. Marys River, and serves as a major center for transportation, tourism, education, government, and outdoor recreation.

The county seat is Sault Ste. Marie, one of the oldest European settlements in the United States.

Chippewa County was established in 1826 and is among Michigan's oldest counties.

The county takes its name from the Chippewa (Ojibwe) people, who inhabited the region for centuries before European exploration and settlement.

French missionaries and fur traders arrived during the seventeenth century, establishing what would become Sault Ste. Marie as a major center of trade and transportation in the Great Lakes region.

Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the county developed through shipping, forestry, fishing, tourism, military activity, and international commerce.

Chippewa County occupies a large portion of Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula.

Major geographic features include:

• Lake Superior shoreline
• Lake Huron shoreline
• St. Marys River
• Whitefish Bay
• Tahquamenon River
• Extensive forests and wetlands

The county contains thousands of acres of public land and recreational areas.

One of the county's most important landmarks is the:

• Soo Locks

Located in Sault Ste. Marie, the locks enable ships to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes by bypassing the rapids of the St. Marys River.

The Soo Locks are among the most important transportation facilities in North America.

• Sault Ste. Marie

• De Tour Village
• Rudyard

• Bay Mills Township
• Bruce Township
• Chippewa Township
• Dafter Township
• De Tour Township
• Hulbert Township
• Kinross Township
• Pickford Township
• Raber Township
• Soo Township
• Sugar Island Township
• Whitefish Township

Educational institutions include:

• Lake Superior State University
• Regional K-12 school districts
• Tribal educational programs

Lake Superior State University serves students from throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region.

Major industries include:

• Tourism
• Government services
• Education
• Forestry
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• International commerce

The county's location along the Canadian border contributes significantly to its economy.

Outdoor recreation is a major part of county life.

Popular activities include:

• Fishing
• Hunting
• Snowmobiling
• Camping
• Hiking
• Boating
• Wildlife observation

Visitors are drawn to the county's forests, lakes, rivers, and scenic shoreline.

Protected lands within Chippewa County include:

• Tahquamenon Falls State Park
• Point Iroquois Lighthouse
• Hiawatha National Forest
• Bay Mills Recreation Area

These areas support recreation, tourism, and environmental conservation.

Major transportation infrastructure includes:

• Interstate 75
• Soo Locks
• International Bridge
• Chippewa County International Airport

The county serves as an important gateway between the United States and Canada.

• Soo Locks
• Tahquamenon Falls State Park
• Lake Superior State University
• Point Iroquois Lighthouse
• Whitefish Point
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

• Sault Ste. Marie
• Mackinac County
• Luce County
• Upper Peninsula
• Lake Superior

• United States Census Bureau
• Chippewa County Government
• Michigan History publications
• State of Michigan records
• Lake Superior State University archives

counties upper_peninsula chippewa_county sault_ste_marie soo_locks lake_superior