Situated in northern Cheboygan County, for which it is the county seat, the City of Cheboygan, Michigan is at the mouth of the Cheboygan River on Lake Huron, in the northern Lower Peninsula.
The city and county were probably named for the Cheboygan River, which runs through the center of the city. The name is of Ojibwe origin, and settlement of the area was a continuation of the Ojibwe settlement, known as Shabwegan, which was there before the Native Americans were displaced by European-American settlers in the mid-1800s.
The chief routes through the city are US-23 and M-27. US-23 runs generally east-west through the center of the city, connecting with I-75 at Mackinaw City and the Mackinac Bridge, about fifteen miles to the northwest, and with Rogers City, about forty miles to the southeast. M-27 runs south from Cheboygan, along the north shore of Mullett Lake to I-75 at Indian River, less than twenty miles to the southwest. Lesser routes through the city include Black River Road, Butler Road, Levening Road, Old Mackinaw Road, and Riggsville Road.
Cheboygan's peak population was 6,859 in 1910. With the decline of the logging industry, the city experienced a couple of decades of sharp decline, which was not helped by the Great Depression. However, during World War II, a Naval Station was established on nearby Bois Blanc Island, and the US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw made Cheboygan its home part. This brought about a resurgence in the city's economy, which was further boosted by new industries. Although a slow decline began in 1960, the numbers have remained relatively stable, with a current population of just under five thousand.
Jacob Sammons, a cooper from Fort Mackinac, built a cabin on the site of an old Native American camping grounds in 1844, setting up a home and business in what is now the eastern part of Cheboygan. He recruited other craftspeople and settlers, and a community developed. In 1850, a post office was established there, called Duncan or Duncan City. Duncan was designated the county seat and the location of the federal land office in 1855.
Meanwhile, a separate town, named Cheboygan, was established west of Duncan in the 1870s, in the area where the railroad was expected to come through, although it wasn't until 1881 that the Michigan Central Railroad arrived. Later, the Detroit & Mackinac Railway established its northern terminal there, providing passenger and freight services. Passengers headed to Mackinac Island would disembark in Cheboygan, where they caught the ferry to the island.
Due to its rapidly growing population, the county seat shifted to Cheboygan in 1870, and Duncan was eventually absorbed into the expanded boundaries of Cheboygan.
Cheboygan was incorporated as a village in 1871 and became a city in 1889. Around that time, Cheboygan became the home port for ferries going to Bois Blanc, a nearby island in the Straits of Mackinac and, as mentioned earlier, it was the home port of the former US Coast Guard cutter and icebreaker Mackinaw, from 1944 to 2006, after which the port continued this role as the home port for its successor, also named Mackinaw.
Cheboygan Area Schools is a public school district offering a K-12 curriculum through East Elementary School, Cheboygan Intermediate School, Cheboygan Middle School, Cheboygan Area High School, Inverness Academy, and Cheboygan Virtual Academy.
The focal point of this guide is on the City of Cheboygan, Michigan. Websites representing the municipality or any businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, individuals, attractions, or events within the city are appropriate for this guide.
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The public school district offers a K-12 curriculum through an elementary school, intermediate school, middle school, high school, an academy, and a virtual school program, each of which is highlighted here, along with a staff directory, school demographics, and a school schedule. Board members are identified and meeting agendas and notices are posted to the site, along with its departments and student services, student-parent handbooks, and other resources.
https://www.chebschools.org/
Owned by Gannett Company, a mass media holding company, the Cheboygan Daily Tribune is written by locals, for locals, offering coverage of Cheboygan, Emmet, and Presque Isle counties, including local, state, national, and world news, daily sports coverage, and features relating to local people, places, and events. Full access requires a subscription, which may be obtained online, along with a community calendar, games, contests, photos, and videos.
https://www.cheboygannews.com/
Cheboygan Economic Development Group
The CEDG is a private-sector organization made up of businesspeople, community leaders, and volunteers in Cheboygan County charged with increasing and enhancing economic activity within the county. Its vision, objectives, and strategies are outlined, its team is introduced, and several success stories are highlighted. A guide to lifestyles and recreation, health care, and educational resources within the county, and an overview of the Cheboygan Main Street program are included.
https://www.cheboyganedg.com/
The official municipal website presents information about city services and departments, lists the names and contacts for city council members, the city’s master plan, announcements, and a calendar of events. City meeting agendas and minutes, access to various forms, applications, and other documents, and a public records search are available from the site, and tax and utility bills may be paid online. A guide to residents and visitors to the city is included.
https://www.cheboygan.org/
Enrolling students in K4-12th grade, the Cheboygan, Michigan school offers the Abeka curriculum in its K4-1st-grade classes, and the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum for its 2-12th-grade classes, as well as art, music, physical education, and community projects. Its location, school schedules, admissions, and enrollment policies, and a calendar of events are posted to the site, along with a statement of faith, contacts, and volunteer opportunities.
https://www.cheboyganccs.com/
WWMK Radio is operated by Black Diamond Broadcast Group. Broadcasting from Cheboygan, Michigan, the station covers Northern Michigan. On-air personalities are highlighted, along with an artist library, concert calendar, photo gallery, project reports, sports updates, podcasts, and St. Ignace sports streaming. Other resources include a community calendar and Northern Michigan event list, station data, employment opportunities, and contest rules.
https://1063macfm.com/
Located in Cheboygan, Michigan, which borders Lake Huron and is only fifteen minutes from Mackinaw City and the Mackinac Bridge, the Monarch Motel features queen rooms with one queen bed and two-bedroom suites with adjoining rooms with doors and a shared bathroom. Representative rooms are pictured, its address is noted, and its location is shown on a map. Office contacts are posted, and a contact form is also available. Rooms may be booked online.
https://www.monarchmotel.com/
Situated in a quiet alcove away from, yet convenient to the Cheboygan, Michigan’s Main Street and M-33, including the Cheboygan River, the motel’s rooms are all ground-floor rooms, with parking in front of the room, with no stairs to climb and no one above. Its rooms, which include single rooms with one queen bed and double rooms with two queen beds, are described and shown in pictures, along with exterior views. Directions, rates, contacts, and a list of amenities are included.
https://pinerivermotelcheboygan.com/
Family owned and operated, the floral shop on South Main serves the Cheboygan, Michigan area, offering a wide selection of floral arrangements and gifts. A map shows its location, store hours are posted, and a telephone number, payment options, specialty services, substitution policies, delivery policies, and the areas served are featured, and a catalog of products is included on the site. Purchases may be made online for local delivery.
https://www.thecoopflowers.com/