WEXFORD COUNTY
County Offices
437 E. Division Street
Cadillac 231-779-9453
www.wexfordcounty.org
Chamber of Commerce
222 Lake Street
Cadillac 231-775-9776
www.cadillac.org
Anchored by the busting city of Cadillac, Wexford County is one of Michigan’s most celebrated year-round vacation destinations as well as a welcoming place to call home. The hub city is home to one of the world’s largest manufacturers of recreational boat products as well as other businesses and industries. At the same time, this area features lakes Cadillac and Mitchell and is surrounded by the Huron-Manistee National Forest for world-class recreational opportunities.
Services
State-of-the-art healthcare services are as close as the city of Cadillac for Wexford County residents. Mercy Hospital Cadillac offers a 97-bed acute-care facility that serves a four-county area with comprehensive medical and surgical specialties. One of the county’s largest employers, the hospital maintains a staff of 500 and the support of 80 dedicated physicians to ensure excellence in patient care. Health specialties cover a wide range of needs from pediatrics and obstetrics to internal medicine, urology, ophthalmology, oncology, cardiology, podiatry, and neurology. Recent expansions and improvements include a $2 million renovation of the obstetrics unit to create a Family Birth Center and a $1 million upgrade of the emergency room. Maintaining a partnership with Munson Healthcare in Traverse City, the hospital is owned by one of the nation’s largest Catholic healthcare organizations and earned the top rating among the nearly 50 hospitals within the Trinity Health system. In addition to many skilled physicians in private practice, residents can look to group clinics like the Great Lakes Family Care center to meet routine needs for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses.
Quality educational opportunities are available on every academic level in Wexford County, where respected public schools combine with opportunities for a private education. The Wexford-Missaukee Area Career Technical Center is a valuable resource that enables students to receive hands-on training in field situations beyond the classroom and prepare for a career while still in high school. Cadillac is home to Baker College of Cadillac, a private college where small classes enable instructors and students to work closely together. In fact, classes are only held from Monday through Thursday, reserving Friday for assistance from individual instructors. The course offerings are impressively large, ranging from two-year degrees and certifications to bachelor-level programs in leading fields from computer science to education. Baker College is included in the Michigan Tuition Grant program and is part of an eight-campus system that provides free tutoring and lifetime placement services. Other options close to home include Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, which offers associate degrees in online format for Wexford County. On its main campus, NMC hosts a dynamic University Center where nearly a dozen Michigan colleges and universities make it possible to choose from 50 different programs leading to bachelor and advanced degrees. In 2000, NMC opened a regional Michigan Technical Education Center that delivers innovative education and training programs that support local and regional businesses and industries.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Wexford County will find an appealing small-town environment that combines an active industrial sector with significant recreational tourism. The county seat of government and largest city, Cadillac is a focal point of culture, healthcare, education, entertainment, services, and culture. The Keith McKelIop Walkway in the very heart of town follows along the shoreline of scenic Lake Cadillac, encouraging residents to walk and jog, inline skate, launch a boat, or swim. Just a short walk across the wooden bridge over the Clam River connects them to another charming street lined buy gaslight lamps. The Lake Cadillac Bike Path is another lakefront jewel, conveniently paved along its seven-mile route and open to both pedestrians and skaters. The younger set will want to perfect their skating technique at the Chris Blackburn Skatepark just across from Lake Cadillac or visit Johnny’s Fish & Game Park for guaranteed catches and a children’s zoo.
The Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion anchors the cultural scene, providing a multi-purpose venue for everything from community events to musical concerts. The Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Mitchell State Park is a natural history museum with a wide range of displays on hunting and fishing as well as conservation programs and a year-round nature walk. For exhibits and displays that proudly preserve and interpret the region’s colorful past, visit the Wexford County Historical Museum & Carnegie Library in Cadillac. City Park holds another county landmark, the Shay Steam Locomotive. Named for the man who invented it for the logging industry, this unique tool was the single-most significant driver of Cadillac’s success in the 1800s. Homespun delights abound in Wexford County. The small village of Boon hosts the Boontown Bonfire on winter weekends and holidays but is equally well-known for its charming country store and “aged Boon cheese.” From July through October, the farmer’s market comes to the Keith McKellop Walkway, giving residents a chance to purchased farm-fresh produce, baked goods, and flowers or plants. Balancing urban advantages with rural beauty, Wexford County provides an idyllic place to call home.
Buckley
Village Hall
231-269-3700
Chamber of Commerce
231-775-9776
www.cadillac.org
The small village of Buckley is located in Hanover Township in the northwestern section of the county along the M-36 highway. The showpiece of the Buckley area is Lake Gitchagumee, and some of the finest views of the lake are available from a park just south of the town. The village is best-known for the annual Buckley Old Engine Show each August, one of the largest gatherings of its kind in the entire nation. The show is famous for live displays of operating steam engines and tractors but also offers a 600-booth flea market, daily parades, arts and crafts displays, and plenty of toe-tapping music. Buckley offers the friendliness and close-knit spirit of a very small town in close proximity to the attractions and amenities in Cadillac for the “best of all worlds.” The surrounding township is ideal for residential development on spacious lots or generous acreage.
Cadillac
City Offices
231-775-0181
www.cadillac-mi.net
Chamber of Commerce
231-775-9776
www.cadillac.org
The residents of Cadillac were not surprised to find their city among those listed in a travel guide entitled “101 Best Outdoor Towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live, and Play.” They already knew that their city excels in small-town charm and world-class recreational features. At the same time, Cadillac is one of the largest industrial and commercial centers in Northern Michigan. Situated on panoramic Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell, the city is surrounded by the Huron-Manistee National Forest and its abundance of wildlife from Kirtland’s Warbler to the American Black Bear. Historic attractions, cultural events, downtown shopping, wonderful recreational trails, a seasonal farmer’s market, and breathtaking scenery are just a few of the highlights in this bustling city. During the winter months, snowmobilers, downhill skiers, cross-country ski enthusiasts, and snowboarders will find outstanding sites. Camping, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, horseback riding, kayaking, and even ice fishing are all popular activities. The Cadillac area is also recognized as an award-winning Midwestern golf destination with a fine collection of courses to challenge every skill level.
Manton
City Offices
231-824-3572
www.mantonmi.com
Chamber of Commerce
231-824-4158
www.mantonmichigan.org
Anchored by the small city of Manton, the greater Manton community encompasses the townships of Cedar Creek, Colfax, Greenwood, and Liberty. This area of natural beauty is brimming over with lakes and streams, woodland trails, and vast acres of federal forest for unrivaled recreational opportunities. Just 10 miles north of the bustling city of Cadillac, Manton offers a quaint small-town environment 35 miles southeast of Traverse City. Although modest in size, Manton is the hub of a four-season outdoor playground where visitors join local residents in activities like hiking, fishing, golfing, canoeing, camping, and winter sports from cross-country skiing to snowmobiling. Farm markets, mushrooming, fishing at Lake Billings, or strolling along Manton Pathway and Gardens are among the many pleasures of country living. In addition to the Manton Area Historical Museum displays, the heritage of this area is showcased in colorful annual events like the Manton Harvest Festival and the Annual Car/Truck and Craft Show. Each month, residents look forward to music and dancing at the Old Time Country Music Jamboree.
Mesick
Village Hall
231-885-1646
Chamber of Commerce
231-775-9776
www.cadillac.org
Known as the “Mushroom Capital of the United States,” the tiny village of Mesick also hosts the governmental offices for Antioch and Springville townships. Since 1959, the village has been proudly celebrating its traditional hallmark each year on Mother’s Day weekend with the Mesick Mushroom Festival. Delicious home-cooked food, carnival rides, crafts, a flea market, mushroom-hunting contests, a horse pull, and organized games ensure fun for every age. Mesick offers the appeal of a small town with plenty of heart, reminding many of simpler times and country charm from days gone by. Residents enjoy premier recreational opportunities in this four-season playground, where hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding, boating, fishing, hunting, and winter sports are common pastimes. Larger cities are nearby for expanded urban amenities, including Wexford County’s own Cadillac.
