Frankfort

History

Father Jacques Marquette, one of the first Jesuit missionaries to the Great Lakes Indians, may have died and been buried in Frankfort in May 1675. Very limited and inexact records make the death site a matter of considerable debate among historians. Frankfort is one of two locations attributed as the death site by the natives since the earliest settlers arrived in northern Michigan and one of at least two sites claimed by historians. In any case within two years the remains were taken to the church at St. Ignace and given a traditional Indian burial. The land which was to become the City of Frankfort was recognized at an early date for its economic and commercial potential because it was nearly all purchased by the contractors who surveyed the land for the United States—the Risdon family. The first known settler in Frankfort was Joseph Oliver who purchased the between Lake Aux Becs Scies and Lake Michigan in 1852 and built a small cabin. Oliver was a woodsman who lived off the land: fishing, hunting, trapping and cutting timber. In 1855 a schooner owned by George W. Tifft of Cleveland was caught in a gale on Lake Michigan and driven before the wind. Imagine the surprise of Captain Snow when he found a previously little-known river outlet and harbor which provided a safe refuge. Thus, Aux Becs Scies Lake was discovered by an outside investor, George W. Tifft, who purchased most of the land around and adjoining the lake (more than a thousand acres (4 km2) all together). In 1859 a company from Detroit owned by Ransom Gardiner, George S. Frost, and others purchased the Tifft lands and commenced development of Frankfort within the year. In September, Louis A. Doby moved to the area as agent of the developers with John H. Adams to oversee the work. They sent along a…

Geography

*According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. *Frankfort bills itself as the gateway to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. *Frankfort is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. *The Point Betsie Light is in the area and has been in operation for 150 years. It is locally operated and maintained, and is undergoing a complete renovation. *The town is close to the Interlochen State Park, which is one of two remaining stands of virgin Eastern White Pine in the Lower Peninsula. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfb" (Warm Summer Continental Climate).

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  6,199
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  4,802
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  4,777
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,667
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,538
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,102
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,722
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  3,695

Largest nearby schools

• Benzie Central Sr High School
  High · BENZONIA · 348 students · 23.2:1 ratio
• Benzie Central Middle School
  Middle · BENZONIA · 264 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• Frankfort Elementary School
  Elementary · FRANKFORT · 262 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Frankfort High School
  High · FRANKFORT · 215 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Crystal Lake Elementary School
  Elementary · BENZONIA · 202 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Benzie Academy
  High · BENZONIA · 70 students · 70:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2024-08-02
  38 km ESE of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin