Cadillac is a city in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
MichiganMichigan is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Wexford CountyWexford County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 30,484. The county seat is Cadillac.Wexford County is part of the Cadillac, Michigan, Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Missaukee County....
. As of the
2000 censusThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of
US 131U.S. Route 131 is a north-south United States highway. All but of its length is within Michigan. The total length of the highway is around with approximately of that freeway. US 131 also features six business routes. When the U.S. Highway System debuted, US 131 was designated along the path of...
,
M-55-Route description:M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, the others being M-46 and M-72; Another thing these 3 routes have in common is that they all run concurrent with US-131...
and
M-115M-115 is a state highway in the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, taking a generally northwest-to-southeast direction between Frankfort, junction M-22 on Lake Michigan, and an intersection with US 10 to the east of Clare...
. Approximately five miles north-northwest of Cadillac lies the geographic center of Michigan.
Cadillac became the county seat after the so-called "Battle of Manton," in which a show of force was involved in enforcing a controversial decision to move the county seat from
Manton, MichiganManton is a city in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:*According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles , of which, 1.6 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is...
.
Village of Clam Lake
Although
European explorersThe start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492, although there was at least one earlier colonization effort...
and traders visited the area since the 1700s, permanent white communities were not established until some time later. Initial settlements were connected with the logging industry.
In 1871, Cadillac's first
sawmillA sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of 100 years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
began operations. Originally called the Pioneer Mill, it was built by John R. Yale. That same year, George A. Mitchell, a prominent Cadillac banker and railroad entrepreneur, and Adam Gallinger, a local carpenter, formed the Clam Lake Canal Improvement and Construction Company. Two years later, the Clam Lake Canal was constructed between Big and Little Clam lakes, present-day Lakes Mitchell and
CadillacLake Cadillac is a lake located within the city of Cadillac, Michigan. It is part of the Muskegon River watershed.-Natural Features:Lake Cadillac is fed by two inlets: a small river flowing from Lake Mitchell and a short canal of the same origin. There is one outlet, the Clam River...
. Sawmill owners used the canal to transport timber from Big Clam Lake to the mills and railroad sites—the
G.R. & I. RailroadThe Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA...
had reached the area in 1872—on Little Clam Lake, in Cadillac.
Cadillac was originally named
Clam Lake and was incorporated as a village in 1874. George Mitchell was elected the first mayor. The village was incorporated as a city in 1877 and renamed Cadillac, after
Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de CadillacAntoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac was a French explorer and adventurer in New France, now an area of North America stretching from Eastern Canada in the north to Louisiana in the south...
, a Frenchman who made the first permanent settlement at
DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
in 1701.
Battle of Manton
The Wexford County seat of government, originally located in Sherman, was moved to
MantonManton is a city in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:*According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles , of which, 1.6 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is...
in 1881, as the result of a compromise between the feuding residents of Cadillac and Sherman. Cadillac partisans, however, won the county seat by county-wide vote in April 1882. The day following the election a sheriff's posse left the city for Manton by special train to seize the county records. After arriving and collecting a portion of the materials, however, an angry crowd confronted the Cadillac men and drove them from the town.
When the sheriff returned to Cadillac, a force consisting of several hundred armed men was assembled; this group reportedly included a brass band. The Sheriff's force, some of whom may have been intoxicated, traveled back to Manton to seize the remaining records. Although Manton residents confronted the Cadillac men and barricaded the courthouse, the posse successfully seized the documents and returned to Cadillac.
City of Cadillac
In 1878, Ephraim Shay perfected his
Shay locomotiveThe Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. They were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who can be fairly credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
, which was particularly effective in its ability to climb steep grades, maneuver sharp turns and manage imperfections in railroad tracks. Cadillac was home to the Michigan Iron Works Company, which manufactured the Shay locomotive for a short time in the early 1880s. The lumber industry continued to dominate the city, drawing in a large immigrant labor force, most of whom were
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
; two of Cadillac's sister cities are
MölnlyckeMölnlycke is a suburb of Greater Gothenburg, a locality and the seat of Härryda Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 14,439 inhabitants in 2005. The urban area stretches over two municipalities, Mölndal Municipality is the second....
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
, and
RovaniemiRovaniemi is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and the centre of commerce of Finland's northernmost Province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its...
,
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
.
In 1899, the Cadillac Club formed, the forerunner of the Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce. Gradually, various manufacturing firms found success in Cadillac. By the early 1900’s, lumber was depleted and the timber industry was in decline. Industrial development soon dominated the local economy, and it continues to do so today. Cadillac's range of industries include the manufacture of pleasure boats, automotive parts, water well components, vacuum cleaners and rubber products.
In 1936, the U.S. Forest Service and the
Civilian Conservation CorpsThe Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program for unemployed men, providing vocational training through the performance of useful work related to conservation and development of natural resources in the United States from 1933 to 1942. As part of the New Deal legislation...
created the Caberfae Ski Area, which led to promotion of the area as a tourist center. Caberfae remains in operation today, as the oldest ski resort in the midwest. Tourism has since become an important sector of Cadillac's economy. In the summer, tourists travel to the city for boating, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and camping. During the fall, hunting and color tours are popular. The winter is possibly the busiest season; the area can be found packed with downhill skiers, cross-country skiers, ice-fishers, snow-shoers and–most of all-snowmobilers. The North American Snowmobile Festival (NASF) is held on frozen Lake Cadillac every winter.
Thirsty's, a gas station on M-55 west of Cadillac, was the home of Samantha or "Sam The Bear" from the 1970s through the late 1990s, when Sam died of old age. Sam was the only
brown bearThe brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It weighs 100 to 680 kilograms and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family, and as the largest land based predator.While the brown...
in captivity in the US at the time to hibernate naturally. Sam lived in a large cage in front of the gas station and was fed ice cream cones by tourists every summer.
In October 1975 the rock group
KissKiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972. Easily identified by its members' trademark face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid and late-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
visited Cadillac and performed at the Cadillac High School gymnasium. They played the concert to honor the
Cadillac High SchoolCadillac High School is a high school located in Cadillac, Michigan. The athletic teams are known as the Vikings. School colors are blue and gold. As of 2005, the school served 840 students, and had employed 37 teachers...
football team. In previous years, the team had compiled a record of sixteen consecutive victories, but the 1974 squad opened the season with two losses. The assistant coach, Jim Neff, an English teacher and rock'n'roll fan, thought to inspire the team by playing Kiss music in the locker room. He also connected the team's game plan, K-I-S-S or "Keep It Simple Stupid", with the band. The team went on to win seven straight games and their conference co-championship. After learning of their association with the team's success, the band decided to visit the school and play for the homecoming game.
Historic Landmarks
Cadillac maintains a number of state historic landmarks. Most are marked with a green "Michigan Historical Marker" sign that includes a description of the landmark. There are six markers within the city limits: 'Cadillac
Carnegie LibraryCarnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:-England:...
,' 'Charles T. Mitchell House,' 'Clam Lake Canal,' 'Cobbs & Mitchell Building,' 'Cobbs & Mitchell No. 1' and the 'Shay Locomotive,' which is pictured at the right. Two more are in the near Cadillac area ('Caberfae Ski Resort' and 'Greenwood Disciples of Christ Church') and another two are dispersed in surrounding Wexford County ('Battle of Manton' and '1st Wexford County Court House').
Topography
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²), of which 6.8 square miles (17.7 km²) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.6 km²) (20.70%) is water.
The
Lake CadillacLake Cadillac is a lake located within the city of Cadillac, Michigan. It is part of the Muskegon River watershed.-Natural Features:Lake Cadillac is fed by two inlets: a small river flowing from Lake Mitchell and a short canal of the same origin. There is one outlet, the Clam River...
is entirely within the city limits, and some claim it is the largest lake entirely in any city in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The larger, Lake Mitchell is nearby on the west side of the city, with of shoreline within the city's municipal boundary. The lakes were connected by a stream which was replaced in 1873 by the Clam Lake Canal. The canal was featured on Ripley's Believe It or Not in the 1970s due to the phenomenon that in winter the canal freezes before the lakes and then after the lakes freeze, the canal thaws and remains unfrozen for the rest of the winter.
Cadillac sits on the eastern edge of the Manistee National Forest and the surrounding area is heavily wooded with mixed hardwood and conifer forests. A main agricultural industry in the area is
Christmas treeThe Christmas tree is a decorated artificial or living tree, a popular tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. Normally an evergreen coniferous tree that is brought into a home or used in the open, a Christmas tree is decorated with Christmas lights and colourful ornaments during...
farmingA tree farm is a privately owned forest managed for timber production. The term tree farm is also used to refer to plantations and to tree nurseries.-American tree farm system:...
. In fact, Cadillac was chosen in 1988 to donate the Christmas tree to sit on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.
The area surrounding Cadillac is primarily
ruralRural areas are large and isolated areas of a country, often with low population density.About 91 percent of the rural population now earn salaried incomes, often in urban areas...
, and is considered to be part of
Northern MichiganNorthern Michigan— or more properly Northern Lower Michigan, , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan popular as a tourist destination...
. The small size of nearby communities make the city a major commercial and industrial hub of the region.
Cityscape
The commercial center of the city is located on the eastern edge of Lake Cadillac. Most downtown buildings range from two to five stories in height and face the traditional corridor of travel through town, Mitchell Street, the city's tree-lined main street. The downtown contains a movie theater, gift shops, restaurants, a bookstore, specialty food stores, jewelers, clothing retailers and various other businesses. The Courthouse Hill
Historic DistrictA historic district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
, established in April 2005, lies adjacent to the city's commercial center. The District contains a number of large Victorian-style residences built by the lumber barons and businessmen who helped establish the city in the 1870s. Population and building density is highest in this area.
On the western portion of Lake Cadillac, where M-55 intersects M-115, is what is locally referred to as
Cadillac West. This is a small commercial district, bordering
Mitchell State ParkWilliam Mitchell State Park is a state park in Cadillac, Michigan. The park is one of the more popular camping destinations in northern Michigan. It is located between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. A historic canal, approximately one third of a mile in length, connects the two lakes and runs...
and the two lakes, which caters mostly to tourists. It contains a number of motels and restaurants.
Along the northern and southern stretches of the lake are the residential areas of the city. They are generally of low to moderate density, characterized primarily by single family structures.
Climate
Cadillac experiences a typical northern Michigan
climateClimate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time...
, undergoing
temperateIn geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally mild, rather than extreme hot or cold. But in continental areas, such as central North America the variations between summer...
seasonal changes, influenced by the presence of
Lake MichiganLake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The second largest of the Great Lakes by volume The third largest of the Great Lakes by surface area , it is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin,...
and the inevitable lake effect. Winters are generally cold with large amounts of snowfall. Summers are warm. The average high temperature in July is 80 °F (27 °C) and the average low is in February, at 9 °F (-13 °C). Summer temperatures can exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and winter temperatures can drop below 0 °F (-18 °C). Average annual rainfall is 30 inches (76 cm), and average annual snowfall is 81 inches (206 cm) . Snowfall typically occurs between the months of November and March.
Superfund sites
Cadillac is also home to two
superfundSuperfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites Superfund created the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry , and it provides broad...
sites according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged to regulate chemicals and protect human health by safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land...
. One located at 1100 Wright Street, the former home of Kysor Industrial Corp. The other is located at 1002 6th Street, the former home of Northernaire Plating.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 10,000 people, 4,118 households, and 2,577 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 1,466.0 per square mile (566.1/km²). There were 4,466 housing units at an average density of 654.7/sq mi (252.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.55% White, 0.21% Black or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.92% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.38% from two or more races. 1.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,118 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,899, and the median income for a family was $36,825. Males had a median income of $29,773 versus $21,283 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $16,801. About 10.9% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Cadillac was incorporated as a city in 1877. It is a
home rule cityThe Home Rule City Act was enacted by the Michigan Legislature as Public Act 279 of 1909. This statute provides the framework by which a new city may become incorporated and provide for its own government by adopting a city charter...
with a Council-Manager form of government-one.
Current Council members are Shari Spoelman, Thomas Dyer, Arthur Stevens, James Dean and William Barnett (Mayor). The present City Manager is Peter Stalker.
Cadillac is located in
Michigan's 2nd congressional districtUnited States House of Representatives, Michigan District 2 is a United States Congressional district in Western Michigan. It consists of the counties of Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon, Ottawa, and the northern portion of Allegan and the northwest portion of Kent....
, represented by
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
Peter Hoekstra.
Economy
ManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to make things for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
has been the greatest employer in Cadillac since the logging industry. Presently, over 26% of the city’s labor force is employed in manufacturing. There are three
industrial parkAn industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. In Hong Kong, industrial parks are usually known as industrial estates. In the UK small industrial park containing multiple units all of the same style are known as trading estates...
s within the city limits, comprising 7% of the total land use in Cadillac and 47% of the city’s tax base. Much of the city’s economic performance is determined by the fortunes of local industry.
Major manufacturers include Four Winns, AAR Manufacturing, Avon Rubber and Plastics, FIAMM Technologies, Michigan Rubber Products and Rexair.
Apart from its manufacturing base, Cadillac is frequently considered by those who know it to be a tourist town. The center of the city is generally perceived to have a "small-town-feel." In the summer, the downtown fills with tourists, many of whom are from southern Michigan. The city center is in fact only one block from Lake Cadillac and, by docking at the public docks, is as nearly accessible by boat as it is by car. The city’s immediate proximity to two lakes, as well as Manistee National Forest,
Pere Marquette State ForestThe Pere Marquette State Forest Campground encompasses lands in Michigan’s upper lower peninsula, on the western side of the state. Counties within the Pere Marquette are: Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo and...
,
Mitchell State ParkWilliam Mitchell State Park is a state park in Cadillac, Michigan. The park is one of the more popular camping destinations in northern Michigan. It is located between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. A historic canal, approximately one third of a mile in length, connects the two lakes and runs...
and a number of major highways ensures that tourism occupies a significant sector of the local economy.
During the winter months Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell freeze over and the city becomes covered with
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
. Cadillac is connected to a number of trail systems heavily used by winter recreation enthusiasts, and the city itself integrates unusually well into the corridors of travel created by
snowmobileA snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, sled, or skimobile , is a land vehicle for travel on snow that is commonly propelled by a continuous track or tracks at the rear and steered by skis at the front....
rs.
Cadillac is also known as
Chestnut Town, USA. The local area is home to a relatively large number of
American chestnutThe American Chestnut is a large, deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. Before the species was devastated by the chestnut blight, a fungal disease, it was one of the most important forest trees throughout its range...
trees, planted by pioneers from New York and Pennsylvania who settled in western Michigan. A
blightThe chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica , virtually eliminated the once-widespread American chestnut tree....
in the early twentieth century wiped out nearly every American Chestnut tree, but those in western Michigan developed a mysterious resistance and survived. The Cadillac
Chestnut Harvest Festival is held every year, on the second Saturday of October.
Lou Gehrig's Disease
Based on a single, limited study involving twenty people, some people have labelled Cadillac as one of three "hot spots" for
Lou Gehrig's DiseaseAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a form of motor neuron disease. ALS, sometimes called Maladie de Charcot, is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement...
in the US. However, the study made no attempt to ascertain the occurrence of the disease in other parts of the state, or elsewhere in the country. The study was designed to examine the possible occurrence of the disease due to genetic influences. The occurrence of the disease within the city limits of Cadillac is reportedly over 100 times the normal rate. The cause of the abnormally large occurrence of the disease in Cadillac is as of yet unknown.
Education
Cadillac's public education system has a total of 10 schools, with approximately 3,100 students and 166 teachers with a student:teacher ratio of 19.1:1. Cadillac has 4 private primary and secondary schools with approximately 394 students, 20 teachers and a student:teacher ratio of 20:1.
Cadillac Area Public Schools (CAPS)
The city has one high school, Cadillac High School; its mascot is the Vikings. The area also has a junior high school, covering grades 8 and 9, located adjacent to the high school, and a middle school, Mackinaw Trail Middle School, covering grades 6 and 7. There are five elementary schools, Forest View Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Kenwood Elementary, McKinley Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary.
Cadillac also has an alternative high school, located in the building that formerly housed Cooley Elementary School. Adult high school and GED courses are offered there as well. As a whole, the programs at Cooley are part of a curriculum that aids individuals in overcoming the exceptional obstacles to their educational and workforce goals.
Vocational career training is available to high school students free of charge in Cadillac and nearby schools at Wexford-Missaukee Independent School District (ISD) Career Tech Center (formerly Wexford-Missaukee Vocational Center or Voc-Tech). Students are bussed for part of the day to the Career Tech Center from their respective schools and receive credits toward high school graduation. Students are also able to earn certification in a chosen trade. Cosmetology is offered through the Career Tech Center, but at an off-campus location in downtown Cadillac. Adults can attend the vocational or cosmetology school with tuition or financial aid for certification.
Cadillac hosts the Wexford-Missaukee ISD Special Education for residents of the two counties who are in need of special services. This school is on the same campus as the Career Tech Center.
Private Schools
Cadillac offers several options for private religious education.
Cadillac Heritage Christian offers nondenominational Christian education from pre-K through 12th grade. It is a coed school with 98 students and a teacher:student ratio of 1:11. Graduating classes are typically between 3-12 students.
Northside Jr. Academy has 17 students in grades 1-9. It is a coed Seventh Day Adventist school.
Noah's Ark Day School is a small alternative non-denominational Christian school for students in pre-K through first grade only. It is coed with 42 students and 1 teacher.
Cadillac's largest and most well-known private school is St. Ann School, a coed private Roman Catholic school with 236 students in grades pre-K through 7. The teacher:student ratio is 1:26. St. Ann is a member of the National Catholic Education Association. No Catholic high school education is offered at St. Ann School, and students typically attend public school for grades 8-12.
Training Schools
Northwoods Aviation, located at Wexford County Airport, offers training programs for piloting and servicing aircrafts. Northwoods Aviation also offers primary instruction for those interested in sport pilot, private, and commercial certificates.
The Cadillac Institute of Cosmetology (formerly Cadillac Academy of Beauty) is a full service teaching salon in downtown Cadillac that offers training for general cosmetologists and specialized technicians to high school students through a partnership with Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School District. Training is also available to adult students though private courses on a tuition basis. Upon completion of the program, students are qualified to take the state board exam to become a licensed cosmetologist or specialty technician.
Colleges
The
Baker College-CadillacBaker College is a private not-for-profit American college in Michigan, founded in 1911. Its campuses are located throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan....
campus occupies just outside of the City of Cadillac. The school has an enrollment of more than 1,300 students and offers Associate's and Bachelor's degrees, in addition to professional certifications.
Major highways
Cadillac is situated as the confluence of three highways: US-131, M-55 and M-115. Prior to 2001, the northern terminus of the freeway portion of US-131 was located at the southern entrance to Cadillac. With the construction of a
bypassA bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
, the US-131 freeway was extended around the east side of the city. The former route of the highway through downtown Cadillac was redesignated as Business US-131. In the city, BUS US-131 is named Mitchell Street, after George Mitchell, but may be referred to as
main streetMain Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
.
 |
US-131U.S. Route 131 is a north-south United States highway. All but of its length is within Michigan. The total length of the highway is around with approximately of that freeway. US 131 also features six business routes. When the U.S. Highway System debuted, US 131 was designated along the path of...
bypasses the city to the east. The freeway continues southerly toward Big RapidsBig Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,849. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but is politically independent....
and Grand RapidsGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River and is approximately 30 miles from Lake Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 197,800, making it the 114th largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Kent County,...
and northerly toward MantonManton is a city in Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:*According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles , of which, 1.6 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is...
before transitioning to a two-lane highway for the remainder of the distance to PetoskeyPetoskey is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County....
. |
|
BUS US-131 a loop route through downtown, running largely along the former route of US-131 through the city. |
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M-55-Route description:M-55 is one of only three state highways that extend across the Lower Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, the others being M-46 and M-72; Another thing these 3 routes have in common is that they all run concurrent with US-131...
is a major two-lane east-west route across the state, connecting with ManisteeManistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county...
on the west and Houghton LakeHoughton Lake is an unincorporated community in Roscommon Township, Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place for statistical purposes with the same name. The population was 3,749 at the 2000 census.The community is situated on the...
and Tawas CityTawas City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,005. It is the county seat of Iosco County...
on the east. |
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M-115M-115 is a state highway in the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, taking a generally northwest-to-southeast direction between Frankfort, junction M-22 on Lake Michigan, and an intersection with US 10 to the east of Clare...
, another major two-lane route, runs diagonally from ClareClare is a city in Clare and Isabella counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located primarily in Clare County, the city had a population of 3,173 at the 2000 census....
to the southeast to FrankfortFrankfort is a city in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,513 at the 2000 census. The elevation of Frankfort is 600 ft above sea level. The city is situated with Lake Michigan to the west, Lake Betsie, formed by the Betsie River before flowing into Lake Michigan, on...
to the northwest. |
Rail
The city is serviced by rail via the Great Lakes Central Railroad. This is primarily a freight line, although passenger service is expected in the future.
Public Transit
Cadillac and Wexford County jointly operate a local public bus service. The Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority is a demand-response system, and has been in operation since 1974. In recent years the Authority has been experimenting with a fixed-route service, operating a mid-day service in the summer. This proto-bus line runs between Cadillac West and the downtown.
Non-Motorized Transportation
The
White Pine Trail'sThe Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park is a long linear state park in the U.S. state of Michigan.The trail extends from northern Grand Rapids to Cadillac, and it lies on the path graded for the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. The White Pine Trail is a rail trail park...
northern terminus is in Cadillac. The trail, which stretches and originates from Comstock Park, follows an abandoned railroad bed into the center of the city. The last mile of the trail is paved.
Radio
- WTCM
WTCM is an AM radio station broadcasting in Traverse City, Michigan, operating on 580 kHz. The two stations are owned by Midwestern Broadcasting, which started WTCM-AM in 1940...
(580 AM, Traverse City) - news and talk
- WLDR
WLDR-FM 101.9 Traverse City, MI, simulcast on WARD 750 Petoskey, MI, is a station that airs a country music format as "Sunny Country 101.9". The stations are owned by broadcaster Roy Henderson, who is WLDR's third owner in its 40-year history....
(1210 AM, Kingsley-Traverse City) - classic country
- WATT
WATT is a radio station broadcasting a news-talk-sports format. Licensed to Cadillac, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1945....
(1240 AM) - news and talk
- WLJW
WLJN are the call letters of 2 radio stations, AM and FM, located in Traverse City, Michigan. Both stations broadcast Christian music and programming. The call letters stand for "We're Lifting Jesus' Name."-History:...
(1370 AM) - religious
- WIAA
Interlochen Center for the Arts is a privately owned, 1,200 acre arts education institution in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly 15 miles southwest of Traverse City. Interlochen draws young people from around the world to participate in intensive study of music, theater, dance, art, creative...
(88.7 FM, Interlochen) - classical musicClassical music is the mainstream music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 9th century to present times...
"IPR Music Radio"
- WOLW (91.1 FM) - religious "Northern Christian Radio"
- WJZQ
WJZQ 92.9 Cadillac, MI is a 100,000-watt radio station broadcasting a TOP 40/Hot AC format as Z93. It is owned by Ross Biederman's Midwestern Broadcasting, who also owns WTCM-AM/FM and WCCW-AM/FM, all in Traverse City, MI.-WWTV-FM and WKJF-FM:...
(92.9 FM) - soft AC/smooth jazzSmooth jazz is a sub-genre of jazz which is influenced stylistically by R&B, funk and pop.Beginning in the early 1970s, it was an evolution into jazz with a modern, electronic sensibility...
"The Breeze"
- WKAD
WKAD is a radio station broadcasting a oldies format. Licensed to Harrietta, Michigan, and serving the Cadillac market, it first began broadcasting in 2003. WKAD features DJs from WAXI; the station also features 5 minute Fox News Radio breaks on the hour....
(93.7 FM) - oldiesOldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on a period 15 to 55 years before the present day.In the 1980s and 1990s, "oldies" meant the 15 years from the birth of rock n roll to the beginning of the singer-songwriter era of the early 1970s, or about 1955 to 1972.In...
- WLXV
WLXV is a radio station licensed to Cadillac, Michigan broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format.The station has previously programmed adult contemporary music as WITW, beautiful music as WEZV, and CHR as WWLZ...
(96.7 FM) - hot AC "Mix 96"
- WUPS
WUPS is a 100 kW radio station broadcasting at 98.5 licensed to Harrison, Michigan and serving central and northern Michigan, with its chief focus on the Mount Pleasant area. The station is owned by John Salov and broadcasts a classic hits format....
(98.5 FM, Houghton Lake) - classic hitsClassic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
- WLDR
WLDR-FM 101.9 Traverse City, MI, simulcast on WARD 750 Petoskey, MI, is a station that airs a country music format as "Sunny Country 101.9". The stations are owned by broadcaster Roy Henderson, who is WLDR's third owner in its 40-year history....
(101.9 FM, Traverse City) - country musicCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
"101.9 Sunny Country"
- WTCM
WTCM-FM consists of two stations: WTCM-FM 103.5 in Traverse City, Michigan and simulcast WBCM 93.5 FM in Boyne City, Michigan. The two stations carry a country music format and are owned by Midwestern Broadcasting...
(103.5 FM, Traverse City) - country musicCountry music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains...
- WAIR (104.9 FM) - contemporary Christian "Smile-FM"
- WCKC
WGFN is a group of several radio stations in northern Michigan that simulcast a classic rock format, with Bob and Tom in the morning, called "The Bear"...
(107.1 FM) - classic rockClassic rock was originally conceived as a radio station programming format which evolved from the album oriented rock format in the early-1980s...
"The Bear"
Television
- WPBN (Channel 7, Traverse City) - NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
- WWTV
WWTV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the northern Lower and eastern Upper Peninsulas of Michigan. Licensed to Cadillac, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter at their studios on 130th Avenue, northeast of Tustin, in northern Osceola County....
(Channel 9) - CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
- WCMV
WCMU-TV, channel 14 is a PBS member station for much of the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, with a coverage area spanning three television markets and small portions of several others. All three stations are based out of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant...
(Channel 27) - PBS
- WGTU
WGTU is the ABC-affiliated television station for the northern Lower and eastern Upper Peninsulas of Michigan that is licensed to Traverse City. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 29 from a transmitter east of Kalkaska. Like other network affiliates serving this vast...
(Channel 29, Traverse City) - ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
- WFQX
WFQX-TV is the FOX-affiliated television station for the northern Lower and eastern Upper Peninsulas of Michigan. Licensed to Cadillac, the station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter southeast of Cadillac. As with other network affiliates in this vast...
(Channel 33) - Fox
- Local Edition
Local Edition is a five-minute newscast covering community interest stories from the Cadillac, Manistee, Ludington, and Traverse City, Michigan areas. The newscast airs throughout the day at 24 minutes past the hour as an insert on HLN via Charter Communications cable channel 63, and is seen...
(Cable Channel 63) - Independent
Further reading
External links