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Elk Rapids, Michigan
Village
Village of Elk Rapids
Downtown Elk Rapids along River Street
Location within Antrim County
Elk RapidsLocation within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 44°53′49″N 85°24′38″W / 44.89694°N 85.41056°W / 44.89694; -85.41056
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Antrim
Township	Elk Rapids
Platted	1852
Incorporated	1900
Government
• Type	Village council
• President	Karen Simpson
• Clerk	Leah Moskovitz
Area
• Total	2.01 sq mi (5.20 km)
• Land	1.65 sq mi (4.27 km)
• Water	0.36 sq mi (0.93 km)
Elevation	597 ft (182 m)
Population
• Total	1,529
• Density	926.67/sq mi (357.68/km)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	49629
Area code	231
FIPS code	26-25320
GNIS feature ID	0625459
Website	www.elkrapids.org

Elk Rapids is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is the largest incorporated community in Antrim County, with a population of 1,529 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Elk Rapids Township, in the southwest of Antrim County, and is on the shore of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan. Elk Rapids is located about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Bellaire, the county seat, and about 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Traverse City, the largest city in Northern Michigan.

History

The first settler in the Elk Rapids area was Abram S. Wadsworth, from Connecticut. Wadsworth platted the area in 1852, calling it Stevens. A post office opened in 1854. In 1858, Wadsworth renamed the area to Elk Rapids, after finding a pair of elk antlers near the mouth of the later-named Elk River. In 1863, Antrim County was organized, and Elk Rapids was made the county seat. However, the seat was moved to the more centrally-located Bellaire in 1879. In 1892, Elk Rapids became a station on a spur of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. The town was incorporated as a village in 1900.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.01 square miles (5.21 km), of which, 1.65 square miles (4.27 km) of it is land and 0.36 square miles (0.93 km) is water.

The village of Elk Rapids is located on an isthmus. To the east of the village is Elk Lake, the 15th-largest inland lake in Michigan and the lowest member of the Elk River Chain of Lakes. To the west of the village is the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, a large bay of Lake Michigan. The Elk River bisects the village, flowing northwesterly from Elk Lake to Grand Traverse Bay.

Elk Rapids lies about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the Grand Traverse County line.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Elk Rapids has a humid continental climate, labelled Dfb on climate maps. This climatic region has large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,642 people, 791 households, and 478 families residing in the village. The population density was 995.2 inhabitants per square mile (384.2/km). There were 1,179 housing units at an average density of 714.5 per square mile (275.9/km). The racial makeup of the village was 96.6% White, 0.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 791 households, of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.63.

The median age in the village was 52.4 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.9% were from 45 to 64; and 28.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,700 people, 769 households, and 483 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,014.3 inhabitants per square mile (391.6/km). There were 1,056 housing units at an average density of 630.1 per square mile (243.3/km). The racial makeup of the village was 97.00% White, 0.29% African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.

There were 769 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $31,382, and the median income for a family was $45,179. Males had a median income of $30,845 versus $23,167 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,735. About 7.6% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public K-12 education in Elk Rapids is served by the Elk Rapids Schools district. The district operates Lakeland Elementary School, Cherryland Middle School, and Elk Rapids High School within village limits, as well as Mill Creek Elementary School in the nearby community of Williamsburg, in Grand Traverse County.

Major highways

• US 31 runs north–south through Elk Rapids, east of the central business district. US 31 parallels the shore of Lake Michigan, and can be used to access the nearby cities of Charlevoix and Traverse City.

Images

• Post office
• Looking north at the city sign
• City welcome sign
• Looking north on US 31
• Sign on US 31
• Downtown Elk Rapids on River Street
• The Island House
• Elk Rapids Township Hall
• Hughes House
• Elk River from US 31
• The Elk River
• Welcome sign along US 31

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
2. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. ^ Romig, Walter (1986). Michigan Place Names: The History and Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. p. 179. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X.
5. "History of Antrim County, MI". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
6. "michiganrailroads.com - Evolution Map - Lower - 1892". www.michiganrailroads.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
7. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
8. Climate Summary for Elk Rapids, Michigan
9. "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2024. Retrieved on May 26, 2024.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
12. "Elk Rapids Home". www.erschools.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
13. "Schools". www.erschools.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.

External links

• Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall Association
• Village of Elk Rapids, MI
• Township of Elk Rapids, MI
• Elk Rapids Public Schools
• The Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

v t e Municipalities and communities of Antrim County, Michigan, United States
County seat: Bellaire
Villages	Bellaire Central Lake Elk Rapids Ellsworth Mancelona
Civil townships	Banks Central Lake Chestonia Custer Echo Elk Rapids Forest Home Helena Jordan Kearney Mancelona Milton Star Torch Lake Warner
CDPs	Alba Alden Eastport Lakes of the North
Other communities	Antrim Atwood Clam River Elmira‡ Kewadin Pleasant Valley Torch Lake Torch River‡
Ghost towns	Antrim City Chestonia Comfort Creswell Elgin Essex Green River Wetzel
Indian reservation	Grand Traverse Indian Reservation‡
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Michigan portal United States portal

• Villages in Antrim County, Michigan
• Villages in Michigan
• 1900 establishments in Michigan
• Populated places established in 1900
• Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan