Houghton county is located in the northern part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is part of the Keweenaw Peninsula. This is the home of Michigan Technological University Huskies and Finlandia University Lions. Houghton County is neighbors to Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Baraga and Iron Counties. Houghton county has a population of 36,225 as of 2013 and spans over 1,502 sq. miles. The City of Houghton is the largest city in Houghton county consisting of 7,650 people as of 2013. Other areas in Houghton county include; Hancock, Calumet, Laurium, Lake Linden, Dollar Bay, Chassell, and South Range. Houghton county was also known as the largest copper mining operation in all of the United States in the mid to late 1800s.
Houghton county is surrounded on two sides by Lake Superior and has about 35 inland lakes throughout it. The cities of Houghton and Hancock are separated by Portage Lake. The Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the two cities and is the only area where the north and south parts of the Keweenaw Peninsula are joined. Bridgefest is the annual festival celebrating the lift bridge’s anniversary and history. The festival takes place in June each year and is packed with different events throughout the three days. This celebration is a family friendly event where you can get to know the local community.
One of the more popular winter celebrations in the U.P. is Michigan Tech’s Winter Carnival. The university holds many activities throughout a week in February since its inaugural year in 1922. Winter Carnival has grown to include a broomball tournament, comedy skits, sleigh rides, the very popular ice sculpture contest, and more.
View our current listings in Houghton County
Additional resources for Houghton County:
Houghton County website with courthouse information: http://www.houghtoncounty.net
Health Department: http://www.wupdhd.org