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== History == | == History == | ||
Some of the earliest known human inhabitants of the Lake Michigan region were the Hopewell Indians. Their culture declined after 800 AD, and later was the home of peoples known as the Late Woodland Indians. It was in the early seventeenth century that western European explorers came to the region. The people they encountered were descendants of the Late Woodland Indians: the Chippewa, Menominee, Sauk, Fox, Winnebago, Miami, Ottawa, and Potawatomi.<ref name="Lake Michigan">Lake Michigan[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Michigan](accessed 20 November 2013)</ref> <br><br> | Some of the earliest known human inhabitants of the Lake Michigan region were the Hopewell Indians. Their culture declined after 800 AD, and later was the home of peoples known as the Late Woodland Indians. It was in the early seventeenth century that western European explorers came to the region. The people they encountered were descendants of the Late Woodland Indians: the Chippewa, Menominee, Sauk, Fox, Winnebago, Miami, Ottawa, and Potawatomi.<ref name="Lake Michigan on wikipedia">Lake Michigan[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Michigan](accessed 20 November 2013)</ref> <br><br> | ||
[[Image:Woodland indian camp.jpg|thumb|left]]The first Europeans to see Lake Michigan were French traders and explorers in the 1600's, one of which called Lake Michigan the Grand Lac. Later it would also be called by the names: "Lac Dauphin", "Lake of the Stinking Water", and "Lake of the Puants" c. 1670. (The Winnebago Indians were called Puans by the French explorers.) On a 1688 map, Lake Michigan is called Lac des Illinois. An Indian name for Lake Michigan was "Michi gami" and through further interaction with the Indians, the lake received its final name of Michigan.<ref>Great Lakes Michigan Facts [http://great-lakes.net/lakes/ref/michfact.html](accessed 20 November 2013)</ref> | [[Image:Woodland indian camp.jpg|thumb|left]]The first Europeans to see Lake Michigan were French traders and explorers in the 1600's, one of which called Lake Michigan the Grand Lac. Later it would also be called by the names: "Lac Dauphin", "Lake of the Stinking Water", and "Lake of the Puants" c. 1670. (The Winnebago Indians were called Puans by the French explorers.) On a 1688 map, Lake Michigan is called Lac des Illinois. An Indian name for Lake Michigan was "Michi gami" and through further interaction with the Indians, the lake received its final name of Michigan.<ref>Great Lakes Michigan Facts [http://great-lakes.net/lakes/ref/michfact.html](accessed 20 November 2013)</ref> | ||
<br><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In the late 17th century, the Europeans would use Lake Michigan as part of a series of waterways to travel between the Saint Lawrence River and the Mississippi River and on to the Gulf of Mexico. The French established small ports and trading communities, such as Green Bay, on the lake during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.<ref | <br><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In the late 17th century, the Europeans would use Lake Michigan as part of a series of waterways to travel between the Saint Lawrence River and the Mississippi River and on to the Gulf of Mexico. The French established small ports and trading communities, such as Green Bay, on the lake during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.<ref name="Lake Michigan on wikipedia" /> | ||
</span> | </span> | ||
== Geography == | == Geography == | ||
Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. It has a surface area of 22,300 square miles (58,000 km2),making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area (Lake Baikal, in Russia, is larger by water volume), and the fifth largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles (494 km) long by 118 miles (190 km) wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles (2,640 km) long. The lake's average depth is 46 fathoms 3 feet (279 ft; 85 m), while its greatest depth is 153 fathoms 5 feet (923 ft; 281 m). It contains a volume of 1,180 cubic miles (4,918 km³) of water. Hydrologically it forms a single body of water with Lake Huron, the whole being called Lake Michigan–Huron; the two sides are connected through the Straits of Mackinac and share an average surface elevation of 577 feet (176 m).<ref>"Lake Michigan[http://great-lakes.net/lakes/michigan.html#overview]accessed 20 November 2013</ref> | Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. It has a surface area of 22,300 square miles (58,000 km2),making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area (Lake Baikal, in Russia, is larger by water volume), and the fifth largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles (494 km) long by 118 miles (190 km) wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles (2,640 km) long. The lake's average depth is 46 fathoms 3 feet (279 ft; 85 m), while its greatest depth is 153 fathoms 5 feet (923 ft; 281 m). It contains a volume of 1,180 cubic miles (4,918 km³) of water. Hydrologically it forms a single body of water with Lake Huron, the whole being called Lake Michigan–Huron; the two sides are connected through the Straits of Mackinac and share an average surface elevation of 577 feet (176 m).<ref>"Lake Michigan[http://great-lakes.net/lakes/michigan.html#overview]accessed 20 November 2013</ref> | ||
== Cities == | == Cities == | ||
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These cities have large seasonal populations that arrive from the nearby urban areas such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Detroit, as well as from Southern states, such as Florida and Texas. Some seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return home for the winter. | These cities have large seasonal populations that arrive from the nearby urban areas such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Detroit, as well as from Southern states, such as Florida and Texas. Some seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return home for the winter. | ||
The southern tip of the lake near Gary, Indiana is heavily industrialized. | The southern tip of the lake near Gary, Indiana is heavily industrialized. | ||
== Connection to Ocean and Open Water == | == Connection to Ocean and Open Water == | ||
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<br>The Great Lakes are also connected by canal to the Gulf of Mexico via the Illinois River (from Chicago) and the Mississippi River. An alternate route is via the Illinois River (from Chicago), to the Mississippi, up the Ohio, and then through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterwa, to Mobile Bay and the Gulf. Commercial tug-and-barge traffic on these waterways is heavy.<br><br>Pleasure boats can also enter or exit the Great Lakes by way of the Erie Canal and Hudson River in New York. The Erie Canal connects to the Great Lakes at the east end of Lake Erie at Buffalo, NY and at the south side of Lake Ontario at Oswego, NY. | <br>The Great Lakes are also connected by canal to the Gulf of Mexico via the Illinois River (from Chicago) and the Mississippi River. An alternate route is via the Illinois River (from Chicago), to the Mississippi, up the Ohio, and then through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterwa, to Mobile Bay and the Gulf. Commercial tug-and-barge traffic on these waterways is heavy.<br><br>Pleasure boats can also enter or exit the Great Lakes by way of the Erie Canal and Hudson River in New York. The Erie Canal connects to the Great Lakes at the east end of Lake Erie at Buffalo, NY and at the south side of Lake Ontario at Oswego, NY. | ||
== Beaches == | == Beaches == | ||
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<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Lake Michigan has many beaches, and is often referred to as the "Third Coast" of the United States (the others being the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean). </span> | <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Lake Michigan has many beaches, and is often referred to as the "Third Coast" of the United States (the others being the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean). </span> | ||
The sand dunes located on the Michigan shore are the largest freshwater dune system in the world. In many locations the dunes rise several hundred feet above the Lake surface. Large dune formations can be seen in many state parks, national forests and national parks along the Indiana and Michigan shoreline.<br><br>The Great Lakes Circle Tours are designated scenic road systems connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. More information about them can be found at the Michigan Highway website: [http://www.michiganhighways.org/other/glct.html www.michiganhighways.org/other/glct.html]<br><br> | The sand dunes located on the Michigan shore are the largest freshwater dune system in the world. In many locations the dunes rise several hundred feet above the Lake surface. Large dune formations can be seen in many state parks, national forests and national parks along the Indiana and Michigan shoreline.<br><br>The Great Lakes Circle Tours are designated scenic road systems connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. More information about them can be found at the Michigan Highway website: [http://www.michiganhighways.org/other/glct.html www.michiganhighways.org/other/glct.html]<br><br> | ||
== Car Ferries<br> == | == Car Ferries<br> == | ||