EMMET COUNTY
County Offices
200 Division Street
Petoskey 231-348-1702
www.co.emmet.mi.us
Chamber of Commerce
401 East Mitchell Street
Petoskey 231-347-4150
www.petoskey.com
Scenic Emmet County is situated northeast of Little Traverse Bay in the northern section of Michigan’s lower peninsula. The county is east of Lake Michigan, southeast of Sturgeon Bay, and south of the Straits of Mackinac, with picturesque Petoskey serving as the hub city.
Services
Newcomers will be pleased at the progressive healthcare facilities that serve Emmet County residents, anchored by Northern Michigan Regional Hospital. This regional institution serves more than 350,000 residents in 22 northern Michigan counties, employing a staff of more than 200 physicians in every major medical and surgical specialty. The staff also includes a full support staff of excellent nurses, therapists, technicians, and other professionals who have made Northern Michigan Regional Hospital one of Michigan’s finest. NMRH is the flagstaff hospital for Northern Michigan Regional Health System, providing a 243-bed regional referral center in the county seat of Petoskey. Compassionate, comprehensive care covers a full spectrum of inpatient, outpatient, emergency, intensive, and specialized care.
Quality public and private schools provide a first-education for youngsters from preschool through high school. One of the educational highlights in Emmet County is North Central Michigan College, primarily a two-year public institution that also offers select four-year degrees through its University Center Programs. NCMC collaborates with institutions like Lake Superior State University, Lawrence Technological University, Spring Arbor University, and Macomb Community College to provide an expanded curriculum that is conveniently close to home. As part of the state public university system, NCMC provides a private-college atmosphere with small classes and individualized attention as well as a campus surrounded by natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Lifestyle
Beautiful Emmet County draws newcomers and visitors to deep forest, rolling hills, and a scenic Lake Michigan shoreline. Nearly 30 percent of the land in this county is publicly owned, preserving landscapes for generations to come. Year-round recreational opportunities include swimming, boating, water sports, fishing, golfing, hunting, skating, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Camp Pet-o-se-ga covers 287 acres to offer a county park with full-service camp sites, a modern bathhouse, cabin rentals, and the 550-acre Headlands with recreational housing facilities adjacent to the Village of Mackinaw City. In addition to several county parks, this area is home to three Michigan State Parks: Wilderness, Petoskey, and Colonial Michillimackinac Historic State Park. The latter offers Interpreters who serve as guides through the 1700s reconstructed fur-trading village, military outpost, and 1892 lighthouse. The county features five picturesque marinas: Bay Harbor, Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Ponshewaign, and Alanson.
Several cultural and civic organizations and activities are available at historic Bay View and the Crooked Tree Arts Center, and the Native American Odawa tribe manages a first-rate casino with live entertainment. Local artisans, musicians, and thespians ensure an array of cultural activities including gallery exhibitions, concerts, and theatre performances. One of the red-letter days on the annual calendar is the Emmet-Charlevoix County Fair, although the fairgrounds sponsor other well-attended events. Shopping centers dot the county, highlighted by the charming Petoskey Gaslight Shopping District. Newcomers will find attractive housing options in a wide variety of settings, styles, and sizes. From historic properties and well-kept older homes to newer construction and waterfront residences, Emmet County offers small-town friendliness and a quality of life that grows richer with each passing year.
Bay Harbor
County Offices
231-348-1702
www.bayharbor.com
Chamber of Commerce
231-347-4150
www.petoskey.com
The unincorporated community of Bay Harbor combines residential and retail development in a partially gated, master-planned community. The town is situated in a sheltered bay on the southern shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan along US Route 31. The leading city of Petoskey is available to the east along the harbor, greatly expanding the access to amenities and services including a state college and major hospital. The remnants of yesterday’s industrial activities ended in 1993 when an inventive group embarked on North America’s most aggressive reclamation and created Bay Harbor Lake. The town center for Bay Harbor, the Village at Bay Harbor, features boutiques and restaurants where the former cement plant and its smokestacks once stood. The village is the focal point of the community, with a marina, observation platform, and walking trails. Golf courses in this area are outstanding and some are highly rated by Golf Digest. Nearly one mile of Lake Michigan shoreline and 70 acres of prime land have been preserved as public parks and are connected by five miles of non-motorized nature trails.
Harbor Springs, Little Traverse Township, West Traverse Township
City Offices
231-526-2104
www.cityofharborsprings.com
Little Traverse Town Hall
231-526-0351
www.harborinc.org/little-traverse-township-14
West Traverse Town Hall
231-526-7361
www.harborinc.org/west-traverse-township-17
Chamber of Commerce
231-526-7999
www.harborspringschamber.com
The tiny waterfront community of Harbor Springs nestles along the deepest harbor in the Great Lakes region. Harbor Springs has served as a bustling tourist destination before the turn of the last century, drawing visitors and vacationers to amusements and simplistic serenity. Southern visitors enjoy a cool retreat in the summer months, while Midwestern residents visit the area for winter skiing, showshoeing, snowmobiling, and other sports. The entire area surrounding Little Traverse Bay is known for its hospitality, family friendly dining options, and unique shopping. Surrounding townships add vast acreage for expanded residential development, lush parks, beaches, and panoramic open space. Recreational opportunities are diverse and first-class, from mountain biking and hiking to sailing or downhill skiing. Some of the nation’s finest golf courses are accessible from Harbor Springs. The housing options are exceptionally attractive including waterfront and view properties. Adjacent townships that maintain their offices in Harbor Springs offer desirable open space and expanded sites for residential development.
Petoskey
City Offices
231-347-2500
www.petoskey.us
Chamber of Commerce
231-347-4150
www.petoskeychamber.com
The long-established community of Petoskey is ideally situated along the scenic shores of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay. Known far and wide for its scenic beauty, Petoskey is located in the very heart of one of the Midwest’s most popular four-season resort destinations. Serving as the seat of government for Emmet County, Petoskey is also home to North Central Michigan College, the major healthcare facility of Northern Michigan Hospital, and the charming historic Gaslight Shopping District. The community provides a hub city that serves as a regional retail, commercial, service, educational, healthcare, cultural, and recreational center. Art galleries, art centers, Little Traverse Civic Theatre, family fun centers, and Odawa Casino Resort are just a few of the winning attractions. With its breathtaking natural beauty and long list of amenities, it is no surprise that Petoskey is listed by authors of the “100 Best Small Towns in America,” “The Great Towns of America,” and “America’s 100 Best Places to Retire.”
Village of Mackinaw City
Village Offices
231-436-5351
www.mackinawcity.org
Chamber of Commerce
231-347-4150
www.petoskey.com
Mackinaw City is known for a number of distinctive features, including the dual coastline of lakes Michigan and Huron, ferry service to Macinac Island, and the “Mighty Mac” bridge and the annual Labor Day Bridge Walk. One of the foremost attractions is Fort Michilimackinac, originally a French trading post. The site of the fort is now a National Historic Landmark and preserved as an open-air museum. The community showcases its historic pride along the Mackinaw City Historical Pathway, with scores of landmarks along a three-mile route. The work of local artist Jerry Prior can be seen in unique wood carvings along the trail and throughout the town. As a result, the city draws visitors to a combined a recreational trail with outstanding local art and historic attractions. The village also features a newly renovated marina with freshened accommodations and a convenient recreation area. This high-tech facility now allows boaters to go online to browse for lake conditions and use email in the Marina’s information center.
