KALKASKA COUNTY
County Offices
605 North Birch Street
Kalkaska 231-258-3300
www.kalkaskacounty.net
Chamber of Commerce
353 S. Cedar Street
Kalkaska 231-258-9103
800-487-6880
Newcomers to beautiful Kalkaska County will discover a Michigan treasure of fertile land and open space graced by lakes, streams, rolling hills, and pine forests. Throughout the four seasons, this unspoiled rural area encourages residents to enjoy the finest in recreational activities and the warm and welcoming spirit of friendly communities. Situated in the northwestern section of the lower peninsula, Kalkaska County is traversed by US Highway 131 for convenient connections to regional thoroughfares. The grand Pere Marquette State Forest covers much of the county, interspersing heavily wooded areas with considerable marshland. Among the many rivers and lakes that beautify the landscape are the north branches of the Manistee and Boardman rivers.
Rural townships make up the county’s few municipalities with the exception of the incorporated village of Kalkaska. Serving as the county seat of government, the village is also the hub of regional community life including the annual county fair and the popular National Trout Festival each spring. While the county first drew attention as a site for lumber harvesting and agriculture, the state wisely protected vast tracts of land for public enjoyment. The real transformation occurred about three decades ago with the discovery of oil and gas resources. More than 100 producing wells dot the modern landscape, joining numerous manufacturing plants. As a result, the area has experienced a tremendous influx of new residents and commerce.
Services
Residents of Kalkaska County have the advantage of a major healthcare facility associated with the premier Munson Healthcare System that serves northern Michigan. Kalkaska Memorial Health Center offers the best of both worlds with its patient-centered, compassionate care in a community hospital setting and access to highly respected medical specialists. Nearly every need can be met close to home, from quality primary care to advanced diagnostics, surgical specialties, and state-of-the-art treatment. In addition to 24-hour emergency care, the center provides expert laboratory, cardiology, rehabilitation, and radiology services that are networked with Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. Acute-care services for inpatients, respite care, a walk-in clinic, and outpatient services include specialties like an ear lab, mobile imaging, nutritional counseling, pediatrics, and women’s health services. Health screenings, nutritional counseling, and support groups are just a few of the ways that Kalkaska Memorial Health Center supports the entire community in promoting health and wellness.
Quality public school districts that serve the county include Kalkaska Public Schools, Forest Area Community Schools, and Excelsior Township District 1. Personalized instruction in well-equipped classrooms staffed by dedicated teachers combines with excellent opportunities for higher education close to home. Kalkaska County offers a Michigan State University extension office that delivers up-to-date information on programs that meet the needs of county residents. The Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station of Michigan State University is located in Traverse City, which is also home to a two-year community college campus and an innovative University Center. The University Center at Northwestern Michigan College offers a regional population the chance to earn four-year and even graduate degrees close to home through a powerful consortium of participating colleges and universities.
Lifestyle
The impressive number of new industries and associated manufacturing companies that have moved into Kalkaska County in the past three decades have spurred the development of many new residential communities and commercial conveniences. This area has long been known as a vacation and recreational paradise, offering outstanding fishing lakes and larger bodies of water for power boating and water sports. More than 80 inland lakes and 225 miles of streams and rivers grace the landscape for swimming, boating, canoeing, and kayaking. With heavily forested state and federal lands covering more than half the county’s area, residents enjoy every imaginable outdoor activity close to home, from active and extreme sports to passive recreation like picnicking, bird watching, nature study, and photography. Trails and paths for snowmobiles, motor bikes, horses, and hikers cross-cross the county, well-maintained by Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources. Beautiful campgrounds encourage visitors and residents alike to enjoy the fresh, crisp air and explore the wonders of nature.
Premier golf courses, premier ski resorts, and northern Michigan’s largest resort and convention complex are easily accessible from Kalkaska County. In spite of the community’s relative isolation from major urban markets like Grand Rapids or Detroit, the region is served by several state and federal highways for convenient commutes. Michigan Route 72 provides a direct link with Interstate 75 at Grayling, which in turn offers access to the upper peninsula and Metropolitan Detroit. Plans are underway for additions and expansions to several major thoroughfares that will enhance accessibility to and from Kalkaska County, including freeway construction around Cadillac to a point just south of Manton. Throughout the county, a relatively level but heavily wooded terrain features clearings for quaint farms and residential villages. The county is also close to Elk and Torch lakes, expansive bodies of water that blend attractive homes with superb recreational amenities. The local village if Kalkaska is also home to the headwaters of the Boardman River, a blue-ribbon trout stream.
The significance of this exceptional natural feature is most evident during the weeklong National Trout Festival in the village. Throngs of visitors join local and regional residents to welcome the opening of trout season, bringing substantial revenue into the hospitality and retail sectors of the community. With so much forested land near the village, residents have the advantage of scenic views or homes that are secluded by lush greenery. Kalkaska Village is typical of many northern Michigan communities that are surrounded by breathtaking beauty and nature’s bounty. Many seasonal accommodations including hotels and motels are interspersed with sports shops, information centers, restaurants, and retail stores that benefit from tourist trade.
Considering the area’s winter sports scene, summer vacation pleasures, spring delights, and autumn foliage, this area welcomes a relatively steady stream of visitors. Kalkaska Village has developed some outstanding amenities for snowmobile enthusiasts that include a staging area, a warming station, and links to a state-maintained trail system that extends for hundreds of miles. The winter “snowmobile culture” is so thoroughly integrated into the village that an ordinance allows the operation of these recreational vehicles within the city limits. The local airport off Island Lake Road was substantially improved and upgraded in 2002, now classified as a general aviation airport that is open throughout the year. Surrounding Kalkaska Village are country homes, farms, and tiny rural communities with their own sense of identity and heritage. Whether you choose to settle in one of Kalkaska’s village neighborhoods or in one of the county’s rural townships, the friendliness and Midwestern hospitality of your new neighbors will have you feeling immediately at home.
Kalkaska Village
Municipal Offices
231-258-9191
www.kalkaskavillage.com
Chamber of Commerce
231-258-9103
800-487-6880
Historic Kalkaska Village was originally incorporated in 1887 and enjoys an ideal location along US Highway 131 in the very heart of Kalkaska County. As the largest community and the seat of county government, Kalkaska serves as the economic engine and service center for large rural area. As a result of the leading role the village plays, the educational, cultural, and social opportunities are more highly developed in the village those in most communities of the same size. Additional cultural, retail, and entertainment amenities are available just minutes from home in Traverse City, 23 miles to the west; and Grayling, 25 miles to the east. Graying is also the point where Interstate 75 provides access to the upper peninsula and Metropolitan Detroit. Residents enjoy the premier recreational opportunities made possible by sparkling lakes and waterways as well as deep forests.
