Manitou Beach-Devils Lake, Michigan

Manitou Beach and Devils Lake are two unincorporated communities in the Irish Hills region of Lenawee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. In order to provide statistical information, the United States Census Bureau has defined Manitou Beach-Devils Lake as a census-designated place (CDP) that includes both communities. The statistical information pertains to the entire CDP, although local understanding of the area making up these communities may vary somewhat from the definition of the CDP. The population of the CDP was 2,080 at the 2000 census.

Devils Lake is at the northern end of Devils Lake on U.S. 223. Manitou Beach is at the southwest end of Devils Lake, approximately 2 and a half miles southwest of Devils Lake and about two miles east-southeast of Addison. The CDP also includes the entire shoreline areound Devils Lake and the smaller Round Lake to the southeast.

History

Manitou Beach, first discovered by pioneer settlers in the early 1830s, quickly became a favored resort in southeast Michigan by the turn of the 20th century. It quickly outgrew the comparably sized community of Devils Lake at the north end of the lake. Steam launches ferried tourists from the depot to the hotels and attractions, which included bath houses, a dance pavilion, pleasure craft rental facilities, a water slide, picnic areas and eating establishments. The name 'Manitou Beach' is derived from the Potawatomi name of Devils Lake, "Michemanetue", meaning, "Lake of the (evil) Spirit".

The Manitou Beach region was devastated by an F4 tornado during the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of April 11, 1965. Most of what was destroyed was rebuilt, including the dance hall and two churches. Over the course of the past four decades, the resort has few reminders of the tornado. A book on the tornado was compiled from 2000 to 2002 by local author Dan Cherry, and published in the summer of 2004.

Other books published on the lake resort include Lake Reflections by Margaret Brighton and the Lakes Preservation League (1996), Ho! For Devils Lake by Barbara Page Roys (1998), and Along the Trails of Michemanetue, slated to be released by Cherry in 2008.

In 2008, the community of Manitou Beach continues to draw vacationers, and because of its popularity, one by one the small seasonal cottages are being replaced by large, year-around homes.

The Devils Lake Drive-In, a drive-in movie theater, closed its doors after 58 seasons due to the death of its owners.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.7 square miles (25.2 km²), of which, 7.0 square miles (18.1 km²) of it is land and 2.7 square miles (7.1 km²) of it (28.13%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,080 people, 898 households, and 600 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 297.3 per square mile (114.7/km²). There were 1,732 housing units at an average density of 247.5/sq mi (95.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.08% White, 0.19% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.25% of the population.

There were 898 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,938, and the median income for a family was $63,810. Males had a median income of $39,375 versus $29,167 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,561. About 4.3% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

• Lenawee County government site
• Lakes Preservation League website
• Complete text of History of Lenawee County published in 1909 by the Western Historical Society
• Rollin Township government site