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Wexford County, Michigan

47 topographic sheets cover 22 settlements here, and 9 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

9 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Michigan within the United States
Wexford County within Michigan

What the record shows

  • 269 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 9 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 8 buildings and 1 structure.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 22 populated places in this county; 22 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

9

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Cadillac Public Librarybuilding200707001020
Cobbs and Mitchell Buildingbuilding201010000479
Frank J. Cobbs Housebuilding198888000376
Cooley Schoolbuilding2026100012597
Elks Temple Buildingbuilding198888001835
Masonic Temple Buildingbuilding199494000747
Charles T. Mitchell Housebuilding198686003369
Old Cadillac City Hallbuilding198686001380
Shay Locomotivestructure198181000321

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

358 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 358 of them, burning about 973 acres. 14 started naturally and 22 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined94
Debris and open burning85
Recreation and ceremony49
Equipment and vehicle use28
Power generation/transmission/distribution24
Arson/incendiarism22
Smoking21
Misuse of fire by a minor15
Natural14
Railroad operations and maintenance4
Other causes2

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
16 April 2008Debris and open burning133 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestHOXEYVILLE
29 August 2018Arson/incendiarism79 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesWEXFORD 04 - BOND MILL POND
18 May 1996Recreation and ceremony70 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestHOXEYVILLE
27 May 1997Smoking43 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestNORTH PETERSON BRIDG
31 March 1994Debris and open burning43 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
24 March 2003Railroad operations and maintenance34 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestDAISEY LANE
23 March 2003Debris and open burning23 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
23 April 1994Arson/incendiarism22 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1956 to 2026

60 of 126 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 126 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 1 injury and about $2,094,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind68
Hail38
Flash Flood9
Tornado8
Flood2
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1974Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
June 2008Flash FloodHoxeyville$750,000Widespread flooding developed in southern Wexford County, with isolated flooding in the north, thanks to three to six inches of rainfall in a few hours either side of midnight. Numerous roads were washed out, especially on the northwest side of Lake Cadillac, and near and north of Mesick. One hundred and fifty homes were impacted by high water.
October 2006Tornado (F0)Benson$260,000A brief tornado occurred west of Cadillac, along Benson Road just south of M-55. A garage and part of a kitchen was ripped off of a home and destroyed. The owner was asleep in a bedroom on the other side of the house, and was not injured. An aluminum shed in the yard was wrapped around a tree. A home across the street was shifted slightly off its foundation. A few other nearby homes suffered shingle damage. Several large pine trees were uprooted.
October 1989Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
July 1963Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 2014FloodLake Cadillac$110,000Two areas of concentrated flooding occurred in Wexford County, with a number of road closures. One was along Lake Mitchell, just west of Cadillac. The other was along the Manistee River in far northern sections of the county. Water entered multiple homes at both locations.
July 2012Flash FloodHaring$40,000Thunderstorms dumped around 4 inches of rain along the M-115 corridor in Wexford County. Cadillac picked up 3.12 inches of rain between 9 and 11 pm EDT, while Meauwataka had a total of 4.10 inches by morning. Northwest of Cadillac, over two feet of water covered roads at the intersection of M-115 and East 35 Road. In the Mesick area, M-37 was partially washed out, reducing traffic to one lane.
June 2008FloodHarrietta Bunch Arpt$40,000Flooding lingered for several days after the heavy rain event ended, mainly on the Manistee River and its larger tributaries. The Manistee River at Sherman established a new flood of record on the 14th, reaching 16.4 feet. Several homes just above Hodenpyl Dam Pond had to be evacuated.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindCadillac$35,000Numerous trees and power lines downed. Several vehicles, and the roof of a residence, were heavily damaged by falling trees.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindCadillac$35,000Several trees and large limbs were knocked down in Cadillac. One mobile home in Country Acres was destroyed by a falling tree.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindAxin$30,000Multiple trees were downed west of Cadillac, blocking some roads in the area.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindSherman$30,000A number of trees were downed by thunderstorm winds. Four vehicles were destroyed or damaged by falling trees.
June 1976Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindManton$20,000A falling tree destroyed the office of the Lake Billings Campground.
May 2004Flash FloodCadillac$20,000Water was over a foot deep on Mitchell Street in Cadillac.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindMeauwataka$14,000Sporadic pockets of trees and power lines downed in central Wexford County.
July 2012Flash FloodCadillac Wexford Arp$12,000Four inches of rain fell in just two hours on downtown Cadillac. This resulted in rapidly flowing water on Mitchell Street, and in other parts of the downtown area. Water entered some businesses. Some intersections had 1 to 2 feet of water.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindHobart$12,000A large tree was downed across a road, shingles were removed from a few homes, a steel carport was blown down, and a shed was moved about 40 feet.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindMesick$12,000Two spotters estimated winds at 60 mph. Several trees were downed, and a pole barn was partially unroofed.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindCadillac$11,000Numerous trees and large limbs were downed in Cadillac. Some power outages resulted.
November 2013Flash FloodLake Mitchell$10,000Rainfall amounts of just over two inches in an hour produced short-lived urban flooding in Cadillac. Numerous streets were impassible.
March 2012Thunderstorm WindMissaukee Jct$9,000A pontoon boat was flipped, and siding ripped off a home, in the Long Lake area. Soon after, a 63 mph wind gust was measured at the Wexford County Airport.
July 2010Tornado (EF0)Lake Cadillac$8,000A brief EF0 tornado touchdown occurred south of Cadillac. The only property damage was the loss of a roof from an outbuilding at a lumber yard. Maximum winds were estimated at 65 mph.
August 2022Thunderstorm WindCadillac$7,500Central dispatch reports trees and powerlines down across Wexford county. Time estimated by radar.
October 2006Thunderstorm WindCadillac$7,000Trees and power lines downed. Several road signs blown over along US-131.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindManton$6,000Numerous trees downed west through northwest of Manton.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindCadillac$5,000Multiple trees down.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindCadillac$5,000Trees down over roadway.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindCadillac$5,000Multiple trees were downed.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindHaring$5,000Large tree limbs and power lines were downed.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindHobart$5,000Several trees were downed south of Cadillac.
October 2006Thunderstorm WindMesick$5,000Trees and power lines downed.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindMesick$5,000Numerous power lines and trees were knocked down.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindCadillac$4,500A boat on Lake Cadillac was flipped over. Power lines were downed in the city of Cadillac, and a large tree was toppled onto power lines.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindCadillac$4,000Trees were downed on Wright and Lake Streets in Cadillac.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindHaring$4,000Several trees were downed in Selma and Cherry Grove Townships.
September 2011Thunderstorm WindBaxter$4,000Trees were downed northwest of Manton.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindBuckley$3,000A few trees were downed.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindManton$3,000Trees and large limbs were downed.
August 1968Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
August 2021Thunderstorm WindCadillac$2,000Trees down in Cadillac. Time estimated by radar.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindCadillac$2,000Several large trees and some power lines were reported blown down by the wind in and around the Cadillac area.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindLake Mitchell$1,000A tree was downed across Boon Road near M-115.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindManton$500Several large tree limbs were downed.
March 2026HailSherman-Photo from social media of hail up to ping-pong ball size in Mesick. Additional reports from the Mesick area of accumulating hail mixed with large hailstones.
March 2026HailMeauwataka-Photo of several quarter sized hailstones near the intersection of north 25 Rd and west 18 1/2 Rd east of Mesick.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindManton-Central dispatch reported significant power outages in the vicinity of Manton.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindSherman-Central dispatch reported significant power outages in the vicinity of Mesick.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindCadillac-Strong thunderstorm winds downed a portion of a tree onto a house in Cadillac.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindBenson-Strong winds downed large trees, resulting in the brief closure of M55 near Cadillac.
February 2024HailCadillac-Accumulating pea-size hail in the area, with hail up to nickel-sized.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindLake Cadillac-Strong thunderstorm winds resulted in widespread tree damage and power outages throughout Wexford county. This resulted in road closures, including both lanes of M115 near Cadillac.
July 2023HailCadillac Wexford Arp-Hail report from Mping.
July 2023HailMeauwataka-Hail about the size of quarters falling on M 115 northwest of Cadillac.
September 2022HailYuma-Hail report from mping.
April 2008Thunderstorm WindManton-A spotter estimated a 60 mph wind gust.
May 2004HailManton-An isolated severe thunderstorm produced nickel sized hail near Chase Creek Camp.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindMesick-A tree was downed near M-42.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindSherman-Several trees down.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindCadillac-Power pole snapped in half.

Mines and quarries

10 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 10 workings inside this county. 8 still produce and 2 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction6
Fire Clay (Refractory)2
Silica2

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Fellers' Clay PitFire Clay (Refractory)Prospect
Wexford Sand Co.SilicaProducerSedimentary
Wilcox Brothers Clay PitFire Clay (Refractory)Past Producer
Yuma Pit and MillSilicaProducer
Dunbar Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Mcfall Pit & MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
R. W. Meyer Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
State of Michigan PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Wexford County Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Wexford Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

22

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.